Records Clerk

Career Guide
A Records Clerk manages the creation, filing, retrieval, and secure storage of physical and digital records. The role supports smooth day to day operations by keeping information accurate, organized, and easy to find while following retention and privacy rules.

Key Responsibilities

  • File and organize records in physical and digital systems
  • Enter and update record information with high accuracy
  • Retrieve records quickly for internal teams and approved external requests
  • Scan, label, and index documents for digital storage
  • Maintain logs for record check out and return
  • Apply retention schedules for archiving and disposal
  • Protect confidential information and follow privacy policies
  • Perform regular audits to correct missing or misfiled records
  • Respond to basic records requests by email, phone, or in person
  • Support projects such as office moves, system cleanups, or digitization efforts

Top Skills for Success

Attention to Detail
Organization
Time Management
Written Communication
Customer Service
Data Entry
Document Scanning
File Naming Standards
Records Retention
Privacy Compliance
Information Security Awareness
Database Basics

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Administrative Assistant
Office Coordinator
Medical Records Technician
Legal Administrative Assistant
Billing Specialist
Transition Opportunities
Records Coordinator
Records Supervisor
Information Governance Specialist
Document Control Specialist
Compliance Coordinator

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
Records RetentionPrivacy ComplianceElectronic Records ManagementIndexingQuality ControlAudit Preparation
Development SuggestionsBuild confidence with electronic records systems, learn basic retention and privacy practices, and practice consistent indexing and quality checks. Ask to support a small digitization or cleanup project to show impact and gain experience.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 32,000 to 40,000
Mid LevelUSD 38,000 to 50,000
Senior LevelUSD 48,000 to 62,000
Growth Trend
Stable demand. Hiring is steady across healthcare, government, education, and legal services, with gradual growth in roles focused on digitizing and managing electronic records.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
Hospitals and health systemsCity and county government officesCourts and public safety agenciesUniversities and school districtsLaw firmsInsurance companiesBanks and credit unionsConstruction and engineering firmsManufacturing companiesLogistics and transportation companies
Industry Sectors
HealthcareGovernmentEducationLegal ServicesFinancial ServicesConstructionManufacturingTransportation and LogisticsInsurance

Recommended Next Steps

1
Update your resume with measurable outcomes such as files organized, records processed per day, and error rate improvements
2
Strengthen spreadsheet skills using sorting, filtering, and data validation
3
Learn basic records retention and privacy rules used in your industry
4
Practice consistent file naming and indexing methods for faster retrieval
5
Create a simple work sample such as a mock filing structure and indexing plan
6
Apply to roles in high volume records environments such as healthcare, government, and insurance to build experience quickly