Word Processors and Typists
Use word processor, computer, or typewriter to type letters, reports, forms, or other material from rough draft, corrected copy, or voice recording. May perform other clerical duties as assigned.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Time Management
- Social Perceptiveness
Key knowledge
- English Language
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Communications and Media
What the work involves
- Check completed work for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format.
- Perform other clerical duties, such as answering telephone, sorting and distributing mail, running errands or sending faxes.
- Gather, register, and arrange the material to be typed, following instructions.
- Type correspondence, reports, text and other written material from rough drafts, corrected copies, voice recordings, dictation, or previous versions, using a computer, word processor, or typewriter.
- File and store completed documents on computer hard drive or disk, or maintain a computer filing system to store, retrieve, update, and delete documents.
- Print and make copies of work.
- Keep records of work performed.
- Collate pages of reports and other documents.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Conventional, Realistic, Artistic.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (65.9% of expert ratings)
- Related experience
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (34.5%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (27.8%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Word Processors and Typists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | High | Higher on contact with others than 66% of occupations compared | 69% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | High | Higher on dealing with the public than 61% of occupations compared | 30% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Lower on teamwork than 58% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 71% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | High | Higher on time pressure than 64% of occupations compared | 63% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very high | Higher on conflict situations than 88% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | High | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 76% of occupations compared | 60% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Higher on consequence of error than 53% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: high
- Conflict situations: very high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: high
- Consequence of error: moderate
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 5.9%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 24.91%
- Constant contact with others: 69.19%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 5.04%
- Fairly important: 9.92%
- Important: 26.07%
- Very important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Extremely important: 30.13%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 4.62%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 15.76%
- Very important: 33.22%
- Extremely important: 46.4%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 4.62%
- Limited freedom: 26.71%
- Some freedom: 43.14%
- A lot of freedom: 25.53%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 2.31%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 13.46%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 63.28%
- Every day: 20.95%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: 5.85%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 20.96%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 13.37%
- Once a week or more but not every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Every day: 31.89%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 9.92%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 7.3%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 22.96%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 59.82%
- Every day: 0%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 21.62%
- Fairly serious: 13.55%
- Serious: 31.92%
- Very serious: 7.07%
- Extremely serious: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 15, Incumbent 08/2026
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O*NET-SOC 43-9022.00 · SOC 43-9022 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8