Relevant education and training for being a data entry clerk is largely dependent on industry specifics and responsibilities required for the position. Standard requirements are:
Education
Educational requirements for data entry clerk differ according to the position and what it entails. For entry level positions a high school diploma is enough. However, if a professional wish to advances to a more administrative position with more responsibilities, it is a good idea to further your studies to a bachelor’s degree in business or a related field. Moreover, those who have studied course in computer applications such as word processing and spreadsheet software have an advantage as it aid to their skills.
Training
Often data entry clerks are trained on the job. Their training consists of office and clerical procedures, the use of computer applications, best processes for organisation, the use of office equipment, usage of databases and other technical requirements. This training may last holdout up to one month.
Skills
Data input person must consist of various skills to be successful. The applicable and crucial skills they should develop are:
- Paying attention to detail: the input of large amounts of data into spreadsheets or online databases and reviewing data for accuracy requires precision. Therefore, productive data entry clerks will need to be detail-oriented in order to achieve accuracy and minimize time spent checking data against source documents.
- Flexibility: Lots data input work in fast-paced environments that needs them to be flexible and efficient while keeping accuracy. Duties may demand that the professional should put work on hold on data entry in order to regain a file or report.
- Computer literacy: Data entry is a main task for these clerks; Therefore, they must maintain efficiency through accuracy and speed. Additionally, data entry individual work with various computer systems and online databases, which require a basic computers skill and the ability to quickly learn new systems.
- Organization: Data entry clerks must rapidly and efficiently retrieve and update database files and other digital documents. They may also be required by their duties to sort and arrange physical documents that they digitize or enter in the online system. The ability to build and manage organisational and easy to use filing system helps these professionals to excel in the workplace.
- Communication: These clerks also must interact with people inside the company, such as leadership or operations staff. If the clerk is customer facing, in order to obtain and update the information database, they will have to connect with the clients. These types of tasks may require the practitioner to change their style of communication to obtain the data they need.