Beyond typing correspondence and reports from rough drafts or recordings, the job includes proofreading for spelling, grammar, and formatting before anything goes out, and maintaining a filing system to store and retrieve completed documents. Workers also handle general clerical tasks like answering phones, sorting mail, and transmitting finished work electronically to other offices or locations. It's steady desk work with a premium on accuracy and following set procedures, and dealing with the occasional frustrated caller or colleague is part of the routine.
Pros
Only a high school diploma and some on-the-job training required to enter
Standard indoor desk work with a predictable, structured routine
Pay tops out at a respectable $65,150 despite the low education barrier
Cons
Employment is projected to shrink dramatically over the next decade (-36.1%), among the steepest declines in the catalog
A relatively small and shrinking number of positions nationwide
Precision and accuracy are essential, with little room for error in finished documents
A typical day
The morning inbox sets the queue: a 30-page report to format to house style, dictation files from two managers to transcribe, and a mail merge for 400 client letters. The transcription work rewards a trained ear -- catching that a mumbled phrase is a case citation and verifying it rather than guessing. Midday brings document surgery: fixing a contract's numbering that a dozen editors broke, styles and cross-references rebuilt properly. The afternoon ends with proofreading final copies against source, because in this role the last set of eyes is the job description.
Tasks at the job
Perform other clerical duties, such as answering telephone, sorting and distributing mail, running errands or sending faxes.
Check completed work for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format.
File and store completed documents on computer hard drive or disk, or maintain a computer filing system to store, retrieve, update, and delete documents.
Transmit work electronically to other locations.
Type correspondence, reports, text and other written material from rough drafts, corrected copies, voice recordings, dictation, or previous versions, using a computer, word processor, or typewriter.
Gather, register, and arrange the material to be typed, following instructions.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent sitting at a desk.
There's a regular, moderate amount of time pressure. Precision and accuracy are essential to the work, and the work is highly structured, following set procedures. You'll regularly deal with frustrated or upset people as part of the job.
Education necessary or common
High school diploma; some on-the-job training or apprenticeship