Order Clerks
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
AI Impact Summary
Order Clerks faces moderate AI displacement risk with a score of 47/100. This occupation has higher AI displacement risk than 95% of all analyzed occupations. Of 19 analyzed tasks, 11 are highly automatable, particularly routine cognitive tasks. Strong protective factors — including social intelligence, creativity, or regulatory barriers — significantly reduce effective risk.
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Negotiation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
AI-Augmented Skills (7)
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Order Clerks skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
Get personalized recommendations. Answer a few questions about your experience and skills to get course suggestions tailored specifically to you.
Upskill to Reduce Risk
Courses addressing your most AI-vulnerable skills
Google Technical Writing
by Google
Estimated Impact
AI-Augmentation Tools
Learn to work alongside AI and boost your productivity
Creative Writing Specialization
by Wesleyan University
Estimated Impact
Strengthen Your Edge
Double down on skills AI can't replicate
Customer Service Fundamentals
by Knowledge Accelerators
Estimated Impact
We may earn a commission when you enroll through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the Takeover Tracker.
Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
How AI Impacts Each Task
19 tasks analyzed
Verify customer and order information for correctness, checking it against previously obtained information as necessary.
Receive and respond to customer complaints.
Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing.
Inform customers by mail or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays.
Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.
Prepare invoices, shipping documents, and contracts.
Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs.
Confer with production, sales, shipping, warehouse, or common carrier personnel to expedite or trace shipments.
Compute total charges for merchandise or services and shipping charges.
Direct specified departments or units to prepare and ship orders to designated locations.
Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications.
Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise.
Collect payment for merchandise, record transactions, and send items such as checks or money orders for further processing.
File copies of orders received, or post orders on records.
Attempt to sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits.
Adjust inventory records to reflect product movement.
Notify departments when supplies of specific items are low, or when orders would deplete available supplies.
Recommend type of packing or labeling needed on order.
Calculate and compile order-related statistics, and prepare reports for management.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verify customer and order information for correctness, checking it against previously obtained information as necessary. | 31.35Observed | 61.7% | 10% | |
| Receive and respond to customer complaints. | 39.65Observed | 30.9% | 8% | |
| Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 8% | |
| Inform customers by mail or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays. | 41.93Observed | 66.0% | 8% | |
| Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms. | 37.15Observed | 64.1% | 10% | |
| Prepare invoices, shipping documents, and contracts. | 46.9Observed | 68.0% | 6% | |
| Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs. | 63.6Observed | 40.4% | 5% | |
| Confer with production, sales, shipping, warehouse, or common carrier personnel to expedite or trace shipments. | 40Estimated | 31.0% | 5% | |
| Compute total charges for merchandise or services and shipping charges. | 60.42Observed | 73.4% | 5% | |
| Direct specified departments or units to prepare and ship orders to designated locations. | 97Estimated | 88.0% | 4% | |
| Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications. | 72Estimated | 78.0% | 3% | |
| Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 5% | |
| Collect payment for merchandise, record transactions, and send items such as checks or money orders for further processing. | 90Estimated | 85.2% | 4% | |
| File copies of orders received, or post orders on records. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 4% | |
| Attempt to sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits. | 30Estimated | 27.0% | 4% | |
| Adjust inventory records to reflect product movement. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 3% | |
| Notify departments when supplies of specific items are low, or when orders would deplete available supplies. | 100Estimated | 89.2% | 3% | |
| Recommend type of packing or labeling needed on order. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 3% | |
| Calculate and compile order-related statistics, and prepare reports for management. | 97Estimated | 88.0% | 2% |
Protective Factors
Total protective discount: 29.0%
Essential Soft Skills
Traits that are hard for AI to replicate
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$44,660
per year
Mean Wage
$46,270
per year
Employment
83K
workers
Wage Range
$33,530 - $61,680
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
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Recommendations
Skills to Develop
These skills are at risk from AI automation. Order Clerks professionals should diversify beyond them.
- Reading Comprehension
High reliance on Reading Comprehension is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Information Ordering
High reliance on Information Ordering is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Mathematics
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
- Memorization
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Skills to Leverage
These human-centric skills remain difficult for AI to replicate. Double down here.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Service Orientation
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Leadership
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Social Perceptiveness
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
- Coordination
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Tools to Adopt
AI can amplify these skills. Learn the tools that augment rather than replace your work.
- Monitoring
Monitoring will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Writing
Writing will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Active Learning
Active Learning will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
- Judgment and Decision Making
Judgment and Decision Making will be enhanced by AI. Develop expertise in using AI tools for this skill to increase productivity.
Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change