Stock Clerk

Imagine the neatly lined shelves of your local Target, Winco, Walmart, or True Value Hardware store, and the vast array of products they hold. Each of those products starts out in some sort of manufacturing facility, followed by train, truck, plane, or ship travel to a warehouse or production facility. Once there, it’s ready for the next phase of manufacturing, or available for purchase by consumers.

A Stock Clerk is in charge of making sure all that happens. If the shelves are empty or the production line stops due to lack of parts, the blame falls on the Stock Clerk. To avoid that mark on your Stock Clerk employee transcript, you constantly stay on top of the inventory, both inside the warehouse (or backroom) and in the store aisles. You walk around with your laser gun, ready to scan any low inventory.

In addition to monitoring what is already on the shelf, you estimate what might be needed for upcoming sales, promotions, holidays, or seasonal activities. Then you place orders with different vendors, paying special attention to delivery dates. Once the merchandise arrives, you check the order for accuracy, inspect for damage, sign delivery invoices, and monitor the unloading process.

Inside the warehouse, you unpack the boxes, and place the products in the appropriate bins, shelves, or displays. You might also apply labels or prices, and typically update the computer system to represent changes in inventory.