Career: Financial Clerks
In the days of Wild West bank robber Jesse James or Depression-era duo Bonnie and Clyde, bank tellers took their lives in their hands just by showing up for work.
Happily, those days are long gone. However, bank tellers and other financial clerks must still be on the alert. They have to keep track of numbers as they interact with customers, ensuring that important financial transactions are completed properly.
Bank tellers, bookkeepers, and other financial clerks keep track of money.
Did You Know?
- Financial clerks can be found in settings as varied as banks and casinos.
Are You Ready To...?
- Use computers
- Work with numbers
- Process paperwork
- Interact with customers
- Keep private data confidential
- Continue learning on the job
It Helps to Be...
Someone who loves working with numbers, computers, and details. You'll rely on good communication skills to work with customers and coworkers. And you'll need to be trustworthy and discreet.
Make High School Count
- Build solid math skills.
- Sign up for accounting, business, and computer classes.
- Practice your communication skills in English, drama, and speech classes.
- Look for summer or after-school employment in an office.
- Run for class treasurer.
- Create a budget and stick to it, keeping track of your expenses using a logbook or a computer spreadsheet program.
- Visit the website for an organization such as the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers to learn more.
Did You Know?
- In the wake of major financial scandals, such as that involving Enron, financial clerks are more important than ever, helping to ensure that financial transactions are both safe and legal.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for financial clerks to be as fast as the average for all careers through 2016. Technology will continue to slow growth in this field. Thanks to computers, clerks can complete more work in less time.
Some financial clerks will fare better than others. Due to increased debt, bill collectors will be in demand. So will health care billing clerks, since health care services are growing and their billing is complex. Bookkeepers who can do it all, including much of the work traditionally done by accountants, should find work as well. Tellers will also be needed as banks expand their hours.
Compensation
Salaries and benefits range widely. Compensation varies not only between regions of the country and types of employers, but also between entry-level jobs and high-level positions. Some clerks belong to clerical workers' unions, which may mean that they receive higher pay and better benefits.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, financial clerks averaged the following salaries in 2006:
- Bill and account collectors: $30,640
- Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks: $31,780
- Payroll clerks: $33,140
- Tellers: $22,810
