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How do I Become a Recordkeeper?

Patrick Roland
Patrick Roland

In order to become a recordkeeper, you must have great organizational skills and a sharp attention to detail. Recordkeepers are important members of many industries because they ensure that when records are obtained, the information is accurate and properly stored. There is no formal educational requirement to be a recordkeeper in most places, but there is work experience that will help you prepare for this career.

There are many businesses that keep records on file, and that means recordkeepers are in demand in a variety of industries. If you want to become a recordkeeper, the best places to look for employment are medical offices and hospitals, law firms, government agencies and accounting firms. These types of businesses and many more all maintain meticulous records and filing systems that are run by recordkeepers.

Recordkeepers must have strong typing skills.
Recordkeepers must have strong typing skills.

If you want to become a recordkeeper, there are some basic skills that will help you succeed. Strong typing skills are essential, because data entry is a major part of recordkeeping. Many employers will test your words-per-minute typing ability and 10-key speed before hiring. An attention to detail also is necessary when proofreading entries to make sure that there are no errors in any of the digital or physical files. Organizing and creating filing systems also is important and requires a strong sense of order.

Recordkeepers can find employment in medical offices.
Recordkeepers can find employment in medical offices.

You usually do not need a college degree to become a recordkeeper. In many cases, a high school diploma or some vocational schooling is the only educational requirement. If you were strong in math and English in school, you will be able to apply those talents directly to the role of recordkeeper. There also are many professions that act as excellent training for recordkeeping jobs. Librarians, administrative assistants and legal assistants all utilize recordkeeping skills as they perform their daily tasks, and they can transfer these skills into recordkeeping.

In many situations, you must also have a clean criminal record to become a recordkeeper. Dealing with sensitive legal, medical or government files means you often will have security clearance. Many employers will prefer or maybe even require that you pass a background check before hiring you as a recordkeeper.

There are many skills necessary to become a recordkeeper. There also are many routes you can take to get the proper experience to excel in records management. If you want to keep a company organized and ensure that records are accurate, you will find these talents useful in recordkeeping.

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    • Recordkeepers must have strong typing skills.
      By: taa22
      Recordkeepers must have strong typing skills.
    • Recordkeepers can find employment in medical offices.
      By: Monkey Business
      Recordkeepers can find employment in medical offices.