How to become a correspondence clerk

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.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

What correspondence clerks do

• Maintain files and control records to show correspondence activities.
• Read incoming correspondence to ascertain nature of writers' concerns and to determine disposition of correspondence.
• Gather records pertinent to specific problems, review them for completeness and accuracy, and attach records to correspondence as necessary.
• Prepare documents and correspondence, such as damage claims, credit and billing inquiries, invoices, and service complaints.
• Compile data from records to prepare periodic reports.
• 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.

Skills that matter most

• Writing
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Mathematics
• Active Learning

Is correspondence clerk a good career?

On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 8% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Connecticut $61,310
• Oregon $61,160
• California $53,640
• Idaho $51,010
• Nebraska $49,800

Correspondence Clerks salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.