Nature of the Work

Order clerks receive and process orders for a variety of goods or services and inform customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays. Order clerks also prepare simple contracts and handle customer complaints.

Education and Training

Most order clerks are trained on the job. Employers prefer workers with a high school diploma or its equivalent, and who are computer literate and proficient in word-processing and spreadsheet software.

Job Outlook

Employment change. Employment is expected to decline rapidly. Improvements in technology and office automation continue to increase worker productivity and decrease the need for order clerks.

Job prospects. Favorable opportunities are expected. Despite employment declines, 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.