About a couple weeks back, we talked about hiring a virtual assistant. There was an article on what you should look for, the kinds of virtual assistants out there, and so on.
There’s no doubt about it. Virtual assistants or VA’s are pretty much the gateway to building your remote team. Once you get a good one, you’ll wonder how you ever got on without them as well as how you can benefit from other remote specialists.
So, today, we’ll talk about another fairly popular but slightly misunderstood remote work position: the (not-so) humble data entry clerk.
What Does a Data Entry Clerk Do?
Basically, a data entry clerk is in charge of entering and updating information in a company’s database. This could entail anything from editing changes in the company handbook, updating customer accounts, or scanning documents.
There are also advanced tasks, particularly those that involve medical or legal transcriptions. Data entry clerks for these jobs typically have more experience and may even have a medical or legal background.
The position is typically considered an entry-level one. However, in a lot of cases, a data entry clerk ends up playing a really crucial role. While they don’t really take part in major decision-making, their work certainly does. Think about it. Can you really make the right decision if the data you based it on is wrong? Obviously not.
How Do You Hire a Good One Remotely?
One of the best things about data entry jobs is that they can be done remotely. For a business owner like you, this can translate into two primary benefits: cost savings and convenience.
First, hiring remote data entry clerks from the Philippines means the exchange rate is in your favor. AUD paychecks will certainly go much farther there, so it’s a win-win situation for both parties.
Secondly, hiring remotely expands your talent reach exponentially. When you’re unfettered by geographical boundaries, you’d be casting a wider net with a wider array of talent at your fingertips.
Now that we’ve established that, how do you go about hiring your data entry rock stars? Here are some strategies you can employ:
1. Write down key hard and soft skills.
A good data entry clerk should have the following hard skills:
- Basic computer literacy. They should be able to run key software programs like Microsoft Excel or popular data entry programs like AutoEntry and ZedAxis.
- Decent typing speed. This is half the equation. There’s no point in being accurate if it takes you forever to get your work done on time. A good typing speed is about 50 words per minute (wpm), but if you’ll require bigger volumes of data entry work, 70 wpm might be a better minimum speed.
- Top-notch comprehension. Contrary to popular belief, data entry is not always a purely mechanical task. Good data clerks should also be alert to notice erroneous entries or to spot mistakes as they go about their job.
- Good communication skills. This goes for both verbal and written skills. You want your data clerk to be able to communicate any issues clearly, for one.
A solid grasp of grammatical rules and correct spelling is crucial for transcription work too. Incorrect entries, particularly in the legal or healthcare industries, could have catastrophic consequences.
Don’t forget to take soft skills into consideration as well. Time management skills, attention to detail, and meticulousness are all green flags for this position.
2. Post job openings on several online channels.
Statistically speaking, you would probably need to gather about 100 applicants to get around 2 good data entry clerks. That sounds like a huge number, but if you post job openings in all the right places, it’s manageable.
Thus, you can post job openings on classified ads, online job market sites, freelancer sites, and other social media networks.
3. Sift through your candidates using a four-point criteria.
Once you’ve gotten a good number of applicants, you can sort out the good ones by applying the following criteria:
- Hard/soft skills;
- Work experience;
- Relevant certifications/special training
- Educational attainment (i.e., medical/legal background, if necessary).
4. Design your qualifying process and implement it.
This varies from client to client, but here’s an example you can use to build yours:
- CV scan – Skim their resume or CV for skills, certifications, and other relevant information.
- Preliminary interview – Delve into the contents of their CV and get a feel of their personality and communication skills. Video interviews are also great for gauging the stability of their internet connection.
- Data entry test – Think of it as a practical exam. Have them upload 300-500 names and details onto a spreadsheet, for instance. Check for speed and accuracy.
One last thing, it helps to give the training process equal effort and focus as the recruitment process. This is particularly true if your data entry clerks will need to use proprietary software to do their jobs. Ideally, you should give them about a week to get the hang of it, preferably with adequate supervision at this time.
Once you are confident in their proficiency, do track their progress as well. You can print out records and reports that measure their accuracy and work capacity. If necessary, you can have them undergo further training later on.
Lastly, for the ultimate hassle-free hiring process, why not try signing up with Remote Staff? Our diverse Filipino talent pool has some of the best and most dedicated data entry clerks out there. Best of all, we pre-qualify all our talents and can take care of everything from onboarding to payroll to dispute resolution for you.
Give us a call today and experience this for yourself.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
