Attendance Clerk Responsibilities

In every educational institute, a large number of students enroll for various programs. Keeping a track of the students attending the classes is very important for the institute. This task is managed by an attendance clerk and his responsibilities include the management of attendance records for various courses pursued by the students.

Going by the title of this profession, it might seem that recording attendance is the only task of an attendance clerk. However, his job includes many more tasks that come along with the primary responsibility. Students not attending the classes regularly need to be reported to the administration so that the necessary disciplinary measures can be taken to avoid repeat incidents of absence. Here the attendance clerk may be asked to communicate with the parents and inquire whether their child has been absent for a genuine reason or has misguided parents about his attendance as well.

The attendance clerk includes the names of new students in the attendance register and file leave applications. He has to update the records if a student withdraws from a course and make necessary changes in the digital records as well. His job may be extended to maintain and report staff attendance to the administration.

Attendance clerk responsibilities have been explained in different headings below. You will be able to identify the requirements of this job once you are aware of all the duties assigned in this job.

Preparing Attendance Register

The attendance clerk prepares the register and includes names of all the students in a particular course. He has to make changes in the register when a new student is admitted or a student opts out from the course.

Filing Attendance Records

The primary responsibility of every attendance clerk is the preparation and maintenance of attendance registers. The attendance clerk is required to present accurate records of attendance of every class and help in identifying the students who are frequently absent.

Filing Leave Applications

The attendance clerk is also required to receive and file the leave applications of the students. He has to retrieve these applications if asked for by the administration.

Sharing Attendance Reports

The attendance clerk is required to share the attendance reports of individual students with the administration and parents as well. He may do so at regular intervals as stated in the institutes policy or if a student is found to be absent frequently with or without prior permission of the authorities.

Skills of an Attendance Clerk

As an attendance clerk, an individual is required to be:

• Proficient in using applications used for preparing and maintaining attendance records in an organization
• Proficient in using devices such as fax and photocopy machines
• Skilled in communicating with students, parents, and the staff
• Unbiased in approach so that it becomes easy for him to prepare and present accurate records without partiality
• Able to manage, present and explain large amounts of information to the administration as and when required

Becoming an Attendance Clerk

Employers recruit individuals who have completed their high school diploma or have pursued some college education. Previous experience of working in a clerical position is not mandatory for most of the jobs. However, it can be an added advantage if the number of applicants is high.

Career Scope for an Attendance Clerk

An attendance clerk can earn an average annual income of $30,000. Salary differs largely depending on the qualifications of the individual and on the job location as well.

Attendance clerk responsibilities are more than just an introduction to this job. You must have realized while reading the information provided above that this job is an excellent opportunity to earn and grow if you have just completed your high school diploma or a degree.