Correspondence Clerks
Compose letters or electronic correspondence in reply to requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit and other information, delinquent accounts, incorrect billings, or unsatisfactory services. Duties may include gathering data to formulate reply and preparing correspondence.
Sample of reported job titles:
Chargeback Specialist, Claims Correspondence Clerk, Correspondence Clerk, Correspondence Coordinator, Correspondence Representative (Correspondence Rep), Correspondent, Dispute Resolution Analyst, Dispute Specialist, Office Technician (Office Tech), Technical Clerk
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Tasks
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Maintain files and control records to show correspondence activities.
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Read incoming correspondence to ascertain nature of writers' concerns and to determine disposition of correspondence.
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Gather records pertinent to specific problems, review them for completeness and accuracy, and attach records to correspondence as necessary.
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Prepare documents and correspondence, such as damage claims, credit and billing inquiries, invoices, and service complaints.
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Compile data from records to prepare periodic reports.
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Compose letters in reply to correspondence concerning such items as requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit information requests, delinquent accounts, incorrect billing, or unsatisfactory service.
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Route correspondence to other departments for reply.
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Ensure that money collected is properly recorded and secured.
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Process orders for goods requested in correspondence.
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Present clear and concise explanations of governing rules and regulations.
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Review correspondence for format and typographical accuracy, assemble the information into a prescribed form with the correct number of copies, and submit it to an authorized official for signature.
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Compute costs of records furnished to requesters, and write letters to obtain payment.
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Compile data pertinent to manufacture of special products for customers.
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Type acknowledgment letters to persons sending correspondence.
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Complete form letters in response to requests or problems identified by correspondence.
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Confer with company personnel regarding feasibility of complying with writers' requests.
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Prepare records for shipment by certified mail.
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Technology Skills
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Cloud-based data access and sharing software — Microsoft SharePoint
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Data base user interface and query software — Microsoft Access
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Electronic mail software — Microsoft Outlook
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Enterprise application integration software — Electronic data interchange EDI software
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Enterprise resource planning ERP software — SAP software
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Graphics or photo imaging software — Imaging software
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Medical software — Electronic health record EHR software; GE Healthcare Centricity EMR; Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
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Office suite software — Microsoft Office software
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Operating system software — Microsoft Windows
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Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
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Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
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Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.
In Demand skills are frequently included in employer job postings for this occupation.
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Work Activities
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Working with Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
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Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
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Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
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Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
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Communicating with People Outside the Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
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Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
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Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
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Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
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Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
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Detailed Work Activities
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Prepare cash for deposit or disbursement.
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Maintain operational records.
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Read materials to determine needed actions.
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Compile data or documentation.
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Prepare business correspondence.
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Check data for recording errors.
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Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
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Package objects for shipping.
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Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
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Proofread documents, records, or other files to ensure accuracy.
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Calculate costs of goods or services.
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Route mail to correct destinations.
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Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
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Work Context
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Electronic Mail — 100% responded “Every day.”
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Contact With Others — 79% responded “Constant contact with others.”
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Face-to-Face Discussions — 87% responded “Every day.”
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Telephone — 79% responded “Every day.”
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Spend Time Sitting — 63% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
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Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 66% responded “Extremely important.”
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Structured versus Unstructured Work — 59% responded “A lot of freedom.”
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Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 65% responded “Extremely important.”
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Work With Work Group or Team — 50% responded “Extremely important.”
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Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 78% responded “Every day.”
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Freedom to Make Decisions — 53% responded “Some freedom.”
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Letters and Memos — 41% responded “Every day.”
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Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 39% responded “Very important results.”
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Frequency of Decision Making — 48% responded “Every day.”
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Deal With External Customers — 36% responded “Very important.”
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Time Pressure — 40% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
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Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 34% responded “More than half the time.”
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Duration of Typical Work Week — 60% responded “40 hours.”
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Coordinate or Lead Others — 34% responded “Fairly important.”
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Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 28% responded “Every day.”
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Frequency of Conflict Situations — 38% responded “Once a year or more but not every month.”
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Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 27% responded “Moderate responsibility.”
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Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 40% responded “Once a year or more but not every month.”
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Degree of Automation — 33% responded “Highly automated.”
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Job Zone
- Title
- Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Related Experience
- Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
- Job Training
- Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
- Job Zone Examples
- These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
- SVP Range
- (4.0 to < 6.0)
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Training & Credentials
- State training
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- Local training
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- Certifications
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Apprenticeship Opportunities
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Skills
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Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
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Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
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Knowledge
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Administrative — Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
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English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
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Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
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Abilities
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Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
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Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
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Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
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Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
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Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
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Interests
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Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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Enterprising — Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
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Work Values
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Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
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Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
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Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
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Work Styles
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Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
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Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
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Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
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Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
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Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
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Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
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Wages & Employment Trends
- Median wages (2023)
- $20.25 hourly, $42,120 annual
- State wages
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- Local wages
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- Employment (2022)
- 6,000 employees
- Projected growth (2022-2032)
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Decline (-2% or lower)
- Projected job openings (2022-2032)
- 600
- State trends
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- Top industries (2022)
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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 wage data
external site and 2022-2032 employment projections
external site.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2022-2032). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
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Job Openings on the Web
- State job openings
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- Local job openings
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Professional Associations
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
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National Associations
Accreditation, Certification, & Unions
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