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Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
Select a State
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U.S.
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$20,040
($9.63)
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$33,020
($15.88)
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$27,410
($13.18)
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Annual figures are on top. Hourly figures are below in parentheses.
N/A = Information not available
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Overall employment of order clerks is expected to decline rapidly through the year 2016 due to improvements in technology and office automation. However, numerous job openings are expected because some of the clerks who leave the occupation will need to be replaced.
Employment change. Employment of order clerks is expected to decline rapidly by 24 percent from 2006 to 2016 as improvements in technology and office automation continue to increase worker productivity.
Growth in electronic commerce, and the use of automated systems that make placing orders easy and convenient, will decrease demand for order clerks. The spread of electronic data interchange, which enables computers to communicate directly with each other, allows orders within establishments to be placed with little human interaction. In addition, internal systems allowing a firm's employees to place orders directly are becoming increasingly common. Outside orders placed over the Internet often are entered directly into the computer by the customer; the order clerk is not involved in placing the order. Some companies also use automated phone menus to receive orders. Others use answering machines. Developments in voice recognition technology may further reduce the demand for order clerks.
Furthermore, increased automation will allow current order clerks to be more productive, with each clerk able to handle an increasingly higher volume of orders. Sophisticated inventory control and automatic billing systems permit companies to track inventory and accounts with much less help from order clerks than in the past.
Job prospects. While overall employment of order clerks is expected to decline through the year 2016, numerous openings will occur each year to replace order clerks who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Many of these openings will be for seasonal work, especially in catalog companies or online retailers catering to holiday gift buyers.
Order clerks held about 271,000 jobs in 2006. Over half of all order clerks were employed in wholesale and retail trade establishments, and another 15 percent were employed in manufacturing firms. Approximately 1 out every 10 order clerks worked in the electronic shopping and mail order houses sector of retail trade. Other order clerk jobs were in industries such as information, warehousing and storage, couriers, and business support services.
Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience maybe helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer could benefit from experience in installing dry wall, but an inexperienced person could learn the job fairly easily.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job related course work. In some cases, you may need an associate's or bachelor's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Examples
Drywall installers, fire inspectors, flight attendants, pharmacy technicians, retail salespersons, and bank tellers.
In these occupations you can often use your knowledge and skills to help others.
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State employment service offices and agencies can provide information about job openings for order clerks.
Sources: O*Net data version 12.0
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Department of Labor
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