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General office support workers

OaSIS code 14100.01

General office support workers prepare correspondence, reports, statements and other material, operate office equipment, answer telephones and perform clerical duties of a general nature according to established procedures.

Overview

Also known as

  • Administrative clerk
  • General office worker
  • Office assistant
  • Office clerk
  • Warranty clerk

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Respond to telephone, in person or electronic enquiries or forward to appropriate person
  • Prepare correspondence, reports, statements, forms, presentations, applications and other documents
  • Process incoming and outgoing mail, manually or electronically
  • Photocopy and collate documents for distribution, mailing and filing
  • Send and receive messages and documents using fax machine or electronic mail
  • Maintain inventory of office supplies, order supplies as required and arrange for servicing of office equipment
  • Assist in preparing meeting agendas, attend meetings, and record minutes
  • Assist with administrative procedures such as budget submissions, contracts administration and work schedules
  • May sort, process and verify receipts, expenditures, forms and other documents
  • May organize the flow of work for other office support workers
  • May perform basic bookkeeping tasks such as preparing invoices and bank deposits.

Additional information

  • Progression to supervisory or office management positions is possible with experience.
  • Progression to officer level positions is possible with additional training and experience.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Supervisors, general office and administrative support workers (12010)
  • Administrative officers (13100)
  • Administrative assistants (13110)
  • Receptionists (14101)
  • Court clerks and related court services occupations (14103)
  • Data entry clerks (14111)
  • Accounting and related clerks (14200)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

1 – Business, finance and administration occupations

TEER

4 – Occupations usually require a secondary school diploma; or several weeks of on-the-job training

Major group

14 – Administrative and financial support and supply chain logistics occupations

Sub-major group

141 – Office, court, and data support occupations

Minor group

1410 – Office support and court services occupations

Unit group

14100 – General office support workers

Occupational profile

14100.01 – General office support workers

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Analyzing Data or Information
2 - Low Level
Assisting and Caring for Others
2 - Low Level
Clerical Activities
2 - Low Level
Communicating with Coworkers
2 - Low Level
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
2 - Low Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
3 - Moderate amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Standing
Duration
1 - Very little time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
4 - Highly important
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day

Workplaces/employers

  • Establishements throughout the private and public sector

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Arm-Hand Steadiness
2 - Low Level
Auditory Attention
2 - Low Level
Categorization Flexibility
2 - Low Level
Deductive Reasoning
2 - Low Level
Far Vision
2 - Low Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Management of Material Resources
3 - Moderate Level
Coordinating
2 - Low Level
Evaluation
2 - Low Level
Instructing
2 - Low Level
Learning and Teaching Strategies
2 - Low Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Collaboration
4 - Highly important
Active Learning
3 - Important
Adaptability
3 - Important
Analytical Thinking
3 - Important
Attention to Detail
3 - Important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: CER

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Realistic (R)

Realistic occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the explicit, ordered or systematic manipulation of objects, tools, machines and animals. Many of these occupations do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Clerical
3 - Advanced Level
Accounting
1 - Basic Level
Business Management
1 - Basic Level
Client Service
1 - Basic Level
Languages
1 - Basic Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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