Clerical Skills
Filing & Alphabetizing
Organizing names and records in strict alphabetical order.
Questions use lists of similar surnames, alphanumeric record codes, and short text strings. Traps rely on near-identical names differing only in one letter, reversed digit pairs, and visually similar character swaps.
What the exam tests
Strict Alphabetical Ordering
Given a list of names (e.g., Johnson, Jackson, Johanson, Johnsen), identify the choice that puts them in correct alphabetical sequence.
Data Placement
Given a name or code and a sorted list, determine exactly where the item should be inserted (e.g., 'Dohoore' comes after 'Dohoor').
Alike or Different Comparisons
Examine two sets of alphanumeric data side-by-side to determine if they are identical or contain differences.
Accuracy Counting
Given multiple sets of alphanumeric codes, count exactly how many of those sets are identical.
Internal Pattern Logic
Count specific patterns within text, such as how many words in a sentence contain the same letter more than once (e.g., 'Jimmy' has two M's).
Systematic Sorting
Key rules
- ›Compare names character by character from left to right. Do not sort by sound or assumption.
- ›When all characters match up to a point, the shorter name comes first (e.g., 'Dohoor' before 'Dohoore').
Common traps
- !Sorting by how a name sounds rather than its exact spelling.
Detail-Oriented Scanning
Key rules
- ›For comparison questions, check every character position systematically. Do not stop at the first match.
- ›Use a tally mark for accuracy-counting questions rather than relying on memory.
Common traps
- !Declaring two strings identical after matching only the first few characters.
Subtle Suffix Recognition
Key rules
- ›Pay close attention to the final letters of very similar names (e.g., Johnsen vs. Johnson, where 'e' comes before 'o').
- ›When prefixes are identical, the tiebreaker is always the next differing character.
Common traps
- !Grouping names with identical prefixes without checking the suffix.
Transposition Traps
Key rules
- ›Watch for reversed number pairs (76 vs. 67). The digits look similar at a glance.
- ›Watch for transposed letters that look alike (U vs. V, I vs. 1, O vs. 0).
Common traps
- !Speed-reading through a string and missing a single swapped character.
Try one
Which of the following answers correctly states the names Johnson, Jackson, Johanson, Johnsen in alphabetical order?
Jackson (Ja-) sorts before all the Joh- names. Among the Joh- names, Johanson (a) precedes Johnsen/Johnson (n); Johnsen (e) precedes Johnson (o) at the next differing letter.
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