Best Clerical CV Examples, Tips & Guide for 2025

Attention to detail is one of the most important skills you need to highlight in your clerical CV. Clerical work is detail-oriented because a single secretarial mistake can negatively impact a company. Proofread your office clerk CV thoroughly and pay attention to the specific skills in the job description for best results.

Your CV structure will depend on the CV format that you choose. If you have plenty of experience, choose the chronological format, which is the most common format, but if you don’t have much experience, the functional format or combination format might be better. Regardless of the CV format you choose, these are the sections you’ll typically use.

 

 

The CV header is technically part of the CV design, but it is important. This header includes your full name and contact information with your phone number and professional social media links, like your LinkedIn profile.

 

 

The summary or objective is at the top of your CV. This is a two-to-three sentence paragraph. In a summary, you include your most important achievements. If you have little to no experience, use the objective, which features your top skills and states your career goals.

 

 

Here are a few related skills you should consider for this section:

• Data entry
• Communication skills
• Filing system knowledge
• Multitasking abilities
• Office management
• Problem-solving skills
• Managing spreadsheets
• Time management skills
• Answering phone calls
• Bookkeeping
• Computer skills
• Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint
• Managing office equipment
• Ordering office supplies
• Record keeping
• High WPM
• Providing clerical support
• Management skills
• Writing and handling memos
• Organisational skills
• Handling accounts receivable

A clerk CV has a wide variety of skills, including both hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (interpersonal and intangible traits), so it’s important to list both types of skills. Just match your skillset with what’s listed in the job description.

 

 

Next is the work experience section. A strong work experience section shows a track record of success, allowing recruiters to see that you’ve had these skills for a long time and you’ve benefited other companies through your job titles. For each job, be sure to include the company name, your job title, and dates of employment, as well as three to five bullets listing your most important accomplishments while you worked there.

 

 

List your top academic accreditation (e.g., college degree) here. It’s also a good idea to list any certifications related to clerical work, such as certifications in common software like QuickBooks and MS Office applications. List these certifications in your education section as well.

Keep these additional tips in mind when writing your clerical CV:

 

Do:

• Showcase specific skills you excel at. Clerical CV examples often include many of the same types of skills, but including your best skills is a much better option in general.
• Include specific skills that are necessary for clerical positions. For example, a fast typing speed may be important in an office clerk CV.
• Add managerial skills and assistant skills to your CV. Not only does this show a wide range of clerical skills, but it also alerts hiring managers that you might be good for future promotions.

Don’t:

• Fill out your CV with basic skills. Including Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook skills doesn’t impress anyone.
• Be vague about past jobs you’ve held. Instead, showcase specific job duties and responsibilities you held.
• Write your CV without looking at CV samples first. Browse some of our CV examples to get a feeling for how people feature their qualifications for similar jobs.