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Admin Clerk

Admin Clerk CV example and template (South Africa)

Admin clerks keep an office running: filing, typing letters, capturing invoices, raising purchase orders, looking after petty cash and covering the switchboard when the receptionist is out. Almost every kind of employer needs one, from construction firms and car dealerships to schools, clinics and government departments. Because so many people apply, the CV that gets called is the one that names the exact systems and tasks you have done, such as "captured supplier invoices on Sage Pastel Partner", instead of only saying "general office work".

The example below is for an admin clerk with about five years of experience, including a government internship. If you are applying for a government post advertised in the DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular or on a provincial website, you will usually send a completed Z83 application form together with your CV, so make sure the dates and job titles on both match. Put your office administration qualification near the top: employers check for it, and it helps you stand out from applicants who only have matric.

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Admin Clerk CV example

Lerato Mabaso

Admin Clerk with 5 years' office experience and Sage Pastel Partner skills

072 555 0164 · lerato.mabaso@example.co.za · Polokwane, Limpopo

Profile

Organised admin clerk with five years' experience in a busy plant hire office in Polokwane and a year as an intern at the Limpopo Department of Education. Captures supplier invoices and purchase orders on Sage Pastel Partner, manages a R2,000 petty cash float, keeps a tidy filing system and takes minutes at weekly management meetings. Holds an N6 Management Assistant qualification and is looking for a senior admin clerk or office administrator post.

Work experience

Admin Clerk

Mphahlele Plant Hire (Pty) Ltd, Polokwane | Mar 2022 – Present

Capture about 150 supplier invoices a month on Sage Pastel Partner, matched to purchase orders and delivery notes
Raise purchase orders for parts, diesel and repairs after manager approval and keep the open-order register up to date
Manage the R2,000 petty cash float and balance the petty cash book every month-end
Take and type minutes of the weekly management meeting and send action lists the next morning
Cover the switchboard during the receptionist's breaks and leave
Set up a numbered filing system for 60 employee files and over 200 supplier files

Administration Intern

Limpopo Department of Education, Capricorn South District, Polokwane | Feb 2021 – Jan 2022

Opened, date-stamped and registered incoming post and routed it to the right section
Typed letters and memos on MS Word and kept the district's leave register on Excel
Filed school correspondence and retrieved files for officials on request
Helped prepare files and attendance registers for district meetings

Education

N6 Management Assistant (N4 to N6)

Capricorn TVET College, 2020

Subjects: Office Practice, Communication, Computer Practice, Personnel Management, Public Relations

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Pietersburg High School, 2017, NQF level 4

Subjects: English Home Language, Sepedi First Additional Language, Accounting, Business Studies, Mathematical Literacy, Computer Applications Technology, Life Orientation

Skills

Sage Pastel Partner invoice and purchase order capturing
MS Word, Excel and Outlook
Filing and records management
Petty cash control and reconciliation
Minute-taking
Switchboard and phone messages
Stationery ordering and stock control

Certificates

Sage Pastel Partner Accounting Course, Sage Pastel training partner, 2022
ICDL Workforce (Documents, Spreadsheets, Essentials), ICDL South Africa, 2021

Achievements

Prepared five years of scanned invoice files for the 2024 audit with no missing documents

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: Sepedi (Home language), English (Fluent), Xitsonga (Good)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: Full-time, Monday to Friday

References

Johannes Mphahlele

Managing Director, Mphahlele Plant Hire (Pty) Ltd

015 555 0128

Grace Maluleke

Assistant Director, Administration (internship supervisor), Limpopo Department of Education

015 555 0176

Admin Clerk CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

Organised admin clerk with five years' experience in a busy plant hire office in Polokwane and a year as an intern at the Limpopo Department of Education. Captures supplier invoices and purchase orders on Sage Pastel Partner, manages a R2,000 petty cash float, keeps a tidy filing system and takes minutes at weekly management meetings. Holds an N6 Management Assistant qualification and is looking for a senior admin clerk or office administrator post.

Skills to list on your Admin Clerk CV

Setting up and keeping paper and electronic filing systems
MS Word, Excel and Outlook for letters, spreadsheets and calendars
Capturing supplier invoices and customer invoices on Sage Pastel Partner or Sage Business Cloud
Raising purchase orders and matching them to delivery notes and invoices
Keeping a petty cash float, slips and a monthly petty cash reconciliation
Covering the switchboard and taking clear phone messages
Typing and taking minutes of meetings, then sending action lists
Ordering stationery and office supplies within budget
Scanning, archiving and retrieving documents quickly
Handling confidential records in line with POPIA
Booking travel, accommodation and meeting rooms
Following up on outstanding paperwork with suppliers and staff

Duties written as strong bullet points

Captured an average of 150 supplier invoices a month on Sage Pastel Partner and matched each one to a purchase order and signed delivery note
Raised purchase orders for parts, fuel and services after getting the manager's written approval, and kept a register of open orders
Managed a R2,000 petty cash float, filed every slip and balanced the petty cash book at month-end
Set up a new numbered filing system for employee, supplier and client files, cutting the time to find a file to under two minutes
Took and typed the minutes of weekly management meetings and sent out action lists within one working day
Covered the switchboard during lunch breaks and leave, transferring calls and taking accurate messages
Scanned and archived five years of paper invoices so they could be found quickly for the annual audit
Ordered stationery, cleaning materials and printer toner each month and kept spending within the office budget

Tips for a stronger Admin Clerk CV

Name the accounting package you used

Many admin clerk adverts ask for "Pastel experience". If you have captured invoices, receipts or purchase orders on Sage Pastel Partner, Sage Business Cloud Accounting or another system, write the exact name and what you captured. "Captured 150 supplier invoices a month on Pastel" tells an employer far more than "computer literate".

Show how you kept things in order

Admin work is about systems. If you set up a filing system, cleared a backlog of unfiled documents or prepared files for an audit, say so and add a number, such as how many files or how many years of records. It proves you are organised without you having to use the word.

Make your Z83 and CV match

For government posts your CV is read next to your Z83 form. A panel that sees different dates or job titles on the two documents may drop your application. Use the same job titles, employers and start and end months on both, and list every qualification the advert asks for.

Include your qualification level

Write the full name of your office qualification and its level, such as NC(V) Office Administration Level 4 or N6 Management Assistant. Shortlisting panels often compare applicants on the minimum qualification first, and a vague line such as "admin course" can be skipped.

Questions people ask

What qualifications do I need to be an admin clerk in South Africa?

Matric is the minimum for most private posts. Many employers and most government posts prefer an office qualification, such as the NC(V) Office Administration programme at a TVET college (NQF levels 2 to 4), the N4 to N6 Management Assistant or Office Administration courses, or a Higher Certificate in Office Administration (NQF level 5). A computer certificate, such as ICDL or End User Computing, also helps.

How do I apply for a government admin clerk post?

Government admin posts are advertised in the weekly DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular and on provincial department websites. Most ask for a completed and signed Z83 form plus a detailed CV, sent to the address or email in the advert before the closing date. Read each advert carefully, because the reference number and required documents differ from post to post.

What is the difference between an admin clerk and a receptionist?

A receptionist mainly works at the front desk, greeting visitors and answering calls. An admin clerk works mostly behind the scenes on filing, invoices, orders, petty cash and minutes, and may only cover the switchboard at times. If you have done both, list the admin tasks first when you apply for a clerk post.

Should I put my typing speed on an admin clerk CV?

Only if the advert asks for it or your speed is good, for example above 40 words per minute. Most admin clerk adverts care more about MS Office, filing and accounting software than typing speed, so put your strongest computer skills first.