A Michigan Jobs & Career Portal service.

Personnel Clerks compile and keep the personnel records of a company's employees. They record data for each employee, such as address, rate of pay, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on ability, and date of and reason for termination. They may also assist in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans.

JOB DUTIES 

Personnel Clerks may:

Gather personnel records to be reviewed from departments and/or employees

Record employee data such as address, rate of pay, and absences

Compile and type reports from employment records

File employment records

Administer and score aptitude, interest, and applicant skills tests

Prepare personnel status reports for changes in employee's wages, jobs and level of responsibility

The equipment and work aids used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Personnel Clerk may specialize in these areas:

209.362-026 PERSONNEL CLERKS gather and file employee information and personnel records. They record employee data such as address, rate of pay, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on ability, and date of and reason for termination. They may also assist in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans.

205.362-014 EMPLOYMENT CLERKS interview applicants for employment and process application forms. They may type letters to references indicated on the job application and review credentials to establish the eligibility of applicants.

205.362-010 CIVIL-SERVICE CLERKS keep records of the selection and assignments of personnel in offices that recruit workers from the civil service register. They may perform reception duties and answer questions about exams, eligibility, salaries, and benefits.

205.567-010 INSURANCE CLERKS keep records of group insurance policies, such as life, hospitalization, and worker's compensation covering company employees and dependents. They explain the insurance plan to new employees. They may also correspond with or telephone physicians, hospitals, and employees regarding claims.

205.362-022 IDENTIFICATION CLERKS, sometimes called security clerks, compile and record personal data about civilian workers, vendors, contractors and military personnel and their dependents at a defense installation and prepare badges, passes, and identification cards for them.

205.367-062 TEMPORARY-HELP AGENCY REFERRAL CLERKS compile and record information about temporary job openings, review records to locate registered workers who match the employers' requirements, and refer workers to the jobs.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Personnel Clerks may work alone or as members of a large personnel department, depending on the size of the organization. They usually receive general supervision from personnel officers and/or personnel managers.

Their work is performed in a well lighted and comfortably heated or air-conditioned office setting.

They usually work 35-40 hours a week on a regular day schedule.

Many may be members of unions or associations which represent employees where they work. Clerks who belong to unions or associations pay periodic dues or fees.

You Should Prefer

• Activities involving the communication of information to others

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities of a routine, concrete, and organized nature

You Should Be Able To:

• Reason and think logically

• Know the meaning of words

• Communicate effectively when interviewing job applicants

• See detail/errors in numbers/spelling/punctuation in written

materials

• Deal effectively with people beyond giving and receiving instructions

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

• Rate information using standards that can be measured or checked

• Keep personnel information confidential

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If a person makes $5.25 an hour and he or she worked 32 hours, what is their gross pay?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Annual performance reviews will be conducted each year near the anniversary date of your hire provided that you are not promoted at any time.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report explaining an error that might have occurred by you or by a colleague.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the most efficient way to complete your job so that you do not waste any of the company's time.

Although experience is not usually required, some employers prefer applicants with typing and calculator skills and knowledge of office procedures. Personal computer skills are becoming desirable. A passing score on a civil service exam is usually required for permanent civil service employment.

[back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond High School) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2200 MATH , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript  

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military website at http://www.myfuture.com

PERSONNEL MANAGERS

As with civilian employers, the military tries to find the best person for each job and encourages each individual to realize his or her full potential. Personnel managers direct programs to attract and select new personnel for the services, assign them to jobs, provide career counseling, and maintain personnel records.

What They Do

Personnel managers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Plan recruiting activities to interest qualified young people in the military

• Direct testing and career counseling for military personnel

• Classify personnel according to job aptitude and interest and service need

• Direct the assignment of personnel to jobs and training

• Direct personnel recordkeeping operations

• Establish standards to determine the number of people to assign to activities

• Study military jobs to see how they can be improved and kept up-to-date with technology

• Plan for hiring, training, and assigning personnel for the future

• Develop programs to prevent and resolve equal opportunity problems

Special Requirements

A 4-year college degree is normally required to enter this occupation.

Work Environment

Personnel managers work in offices.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful fields of study include personnel management, organizational development, industrial psychology, and labor relations. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in working closely with people

• Interest in planning and directing the work of others

• Interest in working with computers

Training Provided

Job training consists of 5 to 16 weeks of classroom instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Military personnel policies and objectives

• Automated personnel systems

• Career development programs

• Equal opportunity problems

• Management and organizational concepts

Further training occurs in advanced courses.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian personnel managers work for all types of businesses and industries, as well as for government agencies. They perform duties similar to those performed by military personnel managers. Depending on their specialty, they may also be called employment relations directors, employment managers, occupational analysts, industrial relations directors, equal employment opportunity representatives, or affirmative action coordinators.

Opportunities

The services have about 3,500 personnel managers. On average, they need 100 new personnel managers each year. After job training, personnel managers may be assigned to many different types of work, depending on their specialties. Usually, they begin by working under experienced personnel managers. In time they may advance to senior management and command positions.  

E-Learning Courses and Programs

[back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer jobs with federal, state, or local government agencies or private employers may offer related experience. Related experience might be found in military service.

            School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Personnel Clerk employer

internships

volunteer work with a Personnel Clerk employer

community service work with an agency

To enter Personnel Clerk jobs, you may apply directly to employers, take and pass civil service tests, or contact a local union. Assistance may be obtained from school placement offices and local offices of Michigan Works! ( http://www.michiganworks.org ). Newspaper want ads list openings in this occupation. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank ( http://www.michworks.org/mtb/user/MTB_EMPL.EntryMainPage )

Classifieds Employment ( http://www.classifieds2000.com )   

Yahoo! Careers ( http://careers.yahoo.com/ )

MONSTER.COM  ( http://www.monster.com )

FlipDog.com ( http://www.flipdog.com/home.html )  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

[back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Salaries of Personnel Clerks vary depending on the size and location of the employer and the individual's experience and level of responsibility. Earnings tend to be higher in urban areas than earnings in rural areas.

Nationally, the median salary for all levels of Personnel Clerks was $28,030 per year in 2001.  The median yearly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $31,044 in 2001.

In Michigan, Personnel Clerks earned an average annual income between $23,800 and $37,400 (2001).

The yearly salary for Personnel Clerks working for the City of Detroit ranged from $23,400 to $26,800 in early 2002.

Personnel Clerks employed by the State of Michigan are classified as Personnel Management Assistants. In mid 2002, Personnel Management Assistants earned a yearly salary between $28,188 and $38,335.

Personnel Clerks working in various Michigan areas had the following estimated annual earnings in 2001:

In addition to their regular earnings, some Personnel Clerks receive bonuses based on the number of years worked, job performance, or company profits.

Fringe benefits received by Personnel Clerks usually include health and life insurance, retirement plans, sick leave and paid vacations and holidays. Other benefits may include dental insurance, vision care plans, and full or partial reimbursement for educational expenses. Some employers may offer stock purchase/saving plans for salaried employees.

With experience, Personnel Clerks may sometimes advance to positions with more difficult duties or to supervisory jobs. Experience, education, and job performance are important factors in advancement. Workers can advance within their own company or transfer to another employer.

[back to top]

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 177,200 Personnel Clerks were employed in 2000. Employment of Personnel Clerks is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2010. The industry distribution for Personnel Clerks looked like this:

Openings will occur each year as Personnel Clerks retire, die, or transfer to other types of work.

There are approximately 3,425 Personnel Clerks employed in Michigan. About 81.7% worked in urban areas. Personnel Clerks were employed in almost all industries.

Employment of Personnel Clerks in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2008. An average of 60 annual openings is expected, all due to replacement of Personnel Clerks who die, retire, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Some additional openings will occur as workers change occupations. The increasing use of computer terminals for storage and retrieval of personnel records and other information by Personnel Clerks has increased their productivity. Therefore, companies may not need to increase the number of Personnel Clerks significantly in order to handle higher employment levels or reporting requirements. As office automation continues to affect both machine and office procedures, the best opportunities should exist for individuals who have additional skills and are familiar with a wide range of office procedures and machines.  

MICHIGAN'S AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008  

EMPLOYMENT                               NUMBER                     PERCENT                     PROJECTED YEARLY   REGION                                           EMPLOYED                GROWTH                      JOB OPENINGS     

  Ann Arbor Area                             140                                 -0.7                                3

  Battle Creek Area                          105                                 -3.8                                2

  Benton Harbor Area                       65                                    3.1                                1

  Central Michigan                            60                                    3.4                                 1

  Detroit MSA                                 1,470                              -1.7                                28

  East Central Michigan                   15                                     0.0                                 0

  Flint Area                                      95                                     3.1                                 2

  Grand Rapids Area                       370                                   4.1                                 9

  Jackson Area                                75                                    0.0                                 1

  Kalamazoo Area                          130                                  -3.8                                2

  Lansing MSA                               270                                  -8.8                                5

  Muskegon Area                           55                                    -7.5                                1

  Northeast Lower Peninsula          30                                     -6.9                                1

  Northwest Lower Peninsula         75                                      4.0                                1

  Saginaw MSA                           100                                     0.0                                 2

  Thumb Area                               40                                      0.0                                 1

  Upper Peninsula                        100                                    -5.0                                 2

  West Central Michigan               25                                      4.0                                 0  

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area   

[back to top]

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

SUMMARY PROFILE

The occupation of Personal Clerk can be summarized by the following:

Copyright © 2003 Michigan Department of Career Development