Information clerks gather information from and provide information to the public. Depending on the organization, they may be known as hotel and motel desk clerks, interviewing clerks, new accounts clerks, receptionists, reservation agents, transportation ticket agents, or travel clerks.
Although their day-to-day duties vary widely, many information clerks greet customers, guests, or other visitors, determine their needs, and either assist them or refer them to someone who can help. Other clerks answer telephones or elicit information from the public. Most information clerks use automated office equipment, such as multiline telephones, fax machines, and personal computers, in the course of their work. While this equipment allows them to process more information, it does not alter the basic requirement of their job communication and human interaction. More detail on these occupations is available in the statements that appear later in this section.
Those information clerks who greet customers and visitors usually work in areas that are highly visible and carefully designed and furnished to make a good impression. Working conditions usually are pleasant; work stations are clean, well lighted, and relatively quiet. Reservation agents generally work away from the public, in a space that a number of agents share, and as a result may be crowded and noisy.
Although most information clerks work a standard 40-hour week, some work irregular schedules. Some jobs those in the transportation industry, hospitals, and hotels, in particular may require working evenings, late night shifts, weekends, and holidays. Employees with the least seniority may be assigned the least desirable shifts.
The work of information clerks may be tiring, repetitious, and stressful. For example, receptionists may spend all day answering a continuously ringing telephone. Reservation agents and travel clerks use computer systems which may be electronically monitored by management. These workers also may have their telephone calls monitored or tape recorded by management, and may be subject to limitations on the time that they can spend on each call and quotas on the number of reservations which are made. Such practices can make stress-related complaints more common. Prolonged exposure to a video display terminal may lead to eye and musculoskeletal strain as well as complications to pregnancy.
Both hotel and motel desk clerks and ticket agents may be on their feet most of the time, and ticket agents may have to lift heavy baggage. During holidays and other busy periods, these clerks may find the work hectic due to the large number of people to be served. When service does not flow smoothly because of cancelled flights or mishandled reservations, for example these clerks act as a buffer between the establishment and its customers. Trying to serve the needs of difficult or angry customers can be emotionally draining.
Information clerks held over 1.3 million jobs in 1992. The following tabulation shows 1992 employment for the individual occupations.
Receptionists and information clerks.............................904,000
Interviewing and new accounts clerks.............................175,000
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks...131,000
Hotel desk clerks................................................122,000
These workers are employed throughout the economy, but are concentrated in hotels and motels, the health services industry, banks and savings institutions, firms providing business or real estate services, and the transportation industry. This type of work lends itself to part-time schedules more so for receptionists, interviewing and new accounts clerks, and hotel and motel desk clerks than for reservation and transportation ticket agents. About 3 out of every 10 information clerks work part time.
Although hiring requirements vary from industry to industry, a high school diploma or its equivalent often is required. However, not all jobs require a high school diploma. Some high school and college students work part time as information clerks outside of school hours. For some jobs, such as airline reservation and ticket agents, some college education is preferred.
With the exception of airline reservation and transportation ticket agents, orientation and training for information clerks generally are given on the job. Hotel and motel desk clerk job orientation usually is brief, and includes an explanation of the job duties and information about the establishment, such as room location and available services. They learn job tasks through on-the-job training under the guidance of a supervisor or an experienced clerk. They often need additional training to use computerized reservation, room assignment, and billing equipment and systems.
Receptionists generally receive on-the-job training. They learn how to operate the telephone system, personal computers, and the proper procedures for greeting visitors, and distributing mail, fax, and parcel deliveries.
Most airline reservation agents learn their skills through formal company training programs. They spend some time in a classroom setting, learning company and industry policies, computer systems, and ticketing procedures. They learn to use a computer to obtain information on schedules, seat availability, and fares; to reserve space for passengers; and to plan passenger itineraries. They must learn airport and airline code designations, and are tested on this knowledge. Since reservation agents are expected to limit the time spent on each call without alienating customers, learning how to carry on a conversation in an organized, yet pleasant manner is an important part of their training. After completing classroom instruction, new agents work with supervisors or experienced agents for a period of time. During this period, monitoring of telephone conversations may serve as a training device to improve the quality of customer service. In contrast, automobile clubs, bus lines, and railroads either train their travel clerks on the job, without formal classes, or conduct short in-house classes that can last several days. Most information clerks continue to receive instruction on new procedures and company policies after their initial training ends.
Because many information clerks deal directly with the public, a good appearance and a pleasant personality are imperative, as are problem solving ability and good interpersonal skills. A clear speaking voice and fluency in the English language are essential because these employees frequently use the telephone or public address system. Courses useful to persons wanting to enter these occupations include basic math, English, geography, U.S. history, psychology, communications, and public speaking. Good spelling, typing ability, and computer literacy often are needed. Some employers may require applicants to take a typing and spelling test to gauge their skills, with a minimum typing speed of 35 to 50 words per minute often required for employment. It is increasingly helpful for those wishing to enter the hotel and motel industry to learn a foreign language.
Advancement for information clerks generally comes about either by transfer to a more responsible occupation or by promotion to a supervisory position. For example, receptionists, interviewers, and new accounts clerks with typing or other clerical skills may advance to a better paying job as a secretary or administrative assistant. In the airline industry, a ticket agent may advance to lead worker on the shift. Additional training frequently is helpful in preparing information clerks for promotion. In the lodging industry, for example, clerks can improve their chances for advancement by taking home or group study courses in lodging management, such as those sponsored by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association. In some industries, such as lodging, workers commonly are promoted through the ranks. In many industries, a college degree may be required for advancement to management ranks.
Overall employment of information clerks is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. In addition to the many openings that will occur as businesses and organizations expand, numerous jobs for information clerks will result from the need to replace experienced workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Replacement needs will create large numbers of job openings, reflecting relatively high turnover. Many young people work as information clerks for a few years before switching to other, better paying jobs. This work is well suited to flexible work schedules, and many opportunities for part-time work will continue to be available.
Economic growth and general business expansion are expected to stimulate demand for these workers. Employment of receptionists, hotel and motel desk clerks, hospital admitting clerks, and reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks should grow more rapidly than that of new accounts clerks. The slower growth projected for new accounts clerks reflects slow growth among commercial banks and savings institutions, where employment is heavily concentrated.
In 1992, median weekly earnings of full-time information clerks were about $320. The middle 50 percent earned between $260 and $420. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $210, while the top 10 percent earned more than $580. Earnings vary widely by occupation and experience. For example, weekly earnings ranged from less than $180 for the lowest paid hotel clerks to over $775 for the highest paid reservation agents. Salaries of reservation and ticket agents tend to be significantly higher than for other information clerks, while hotel and motel desk clerks tend to earn quite a bit less, as the following tabulation of median weekly earnings shows.
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks.....$400
Interviewing and new accounts clerks............................... 350
Receptionists...................................................... 310
Hotel and motel clerks............................................. 250
In 1993, the Federal Government commonly paid beginning receptionists with a high school diploma or 6 months' experience salaries ranging from $11,900 to $14,600 a year. The average salary for all receptionists employed by the Federal Government was $18,600 a year in 1993.
Earnings of hotel and motel desk clerks depend on the location, size, and type of establishment in which they work. Large luxury hotels and those located in metropolitan and resort areas generally pay clerks more than less expensive properties and those located in less populated areas. In general, hotels pay higher salaries than motels or other types of lodging establishments.
In addition to their hourly wage, full-time information clerks who work evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays may receive shift differential pay. Some employers offer educational assistance to their employees. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks receive free or very low cost travel on their company's carriers for themselves and their immediate family and, in some companies, free uniforms. Relatively few information clerks belong to unions.
A number of other workers deal with the public, receive and provide information, or direct people to others who can assist them. Among these are dispatchers, security guards, bank tellers, guides, and telephone operators.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor