Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Itinerary Planning • Report Generation • Statistical Compilation

Physical Filing

Term from Clerical Services industry explained for recruiters

Physical Filing is a traditional office organization system where paper documents are sorted, labeled, and stored in folders, cabinets, or storage boxes. While many offices are moving towards digital systems, physical filing remains important in many industries, especially those dealing with legal documents, healthcare records, or where paper copies are required by law. It's similar to digital filing but involves handling actual paper documents instead of computer files. Other terms that describe this include "paper-based filing," "manual filing system," or "traditional filing."

Examples in Resumes

Managed Physical Filing system for over 10,000 client records

Reorganized company's Paper Filing system to improve retrieval time by 50%

Maintained confidential Manual Filing systems following HIPAA guidelines

Typical job title: "File Clerks"

Also try searching for:

File Clerk Records Clerk Filing Clerk Document Clerk Records Management Clerk Administrative Assistant Office Clerk

Where to Find File Clerks

Professional Associations

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you design a filing system for a large organization from scratch?

Expected Answer: A senior file clerk should explain the process of analyzing department needs, creating a logical organization system, implementing filing codes or categories, and training others on the system. They should also mention considerations for security, accessibility, and compliance requirements.

Q: How do you handle the transition from physical to digital filing systems?

Expected Answer: Should discuss experience in managing hybrid systems, coordinating scanning projects, maintaining document integrity during transition, and training staff on new procedures while keeping existing files accessible.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What systems do you use to track file locations and maintain inventory?

Expected Answer: Should describe experience with checkout systems, tracking logs, or database systems used to monitor file locations. Should mention methods for following up on overdue files and maintaining accurate records.

Q: How do you ensure confidentiality in a filing system?

Expected Answer: Should explain practical measures like locked cabinets, access logs, proper disposal methods, and understanding of confidentiality policies and procedures.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic types of filing systems you're familiar with?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain alphabetical, numerical, and chronological filing systems and give examples of when each might be used.

Q: How do you handle misfiled documents?

Expected Answer: Should describe the process of properly identifying the correct location, updating any tracking systems, and taking steps to prevent future misfiling.