How to hire data entry keyers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors. • Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered. • Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors. • Select materials needed to complete work assignments. • Store completed documents in appropriate locations. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong reading comprehension, active listening, monitoring and writing skills • Working knowledge of English Language, administrative, customer and personal service and law and government • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $19.88 an hour ($41,340 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for data entry keyers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to select materials needed to complete work assignments. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What data entry keyers do
- Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors.
- Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered.
- Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors.
- Select materials needed to complete work assignments.
- Store completed documents in appropriate locations.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for data entry keyers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -25.5% over ten years, declining · about 7,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay data entry keyers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $47,560 |
| Washington | $47,480 |
| Utah | $47,180 |
| California | $47,010 |
| New York | $44,860 |
| Alabama | $35,130 |
| Mississippi | $34,540 |
| Arkansas | $33,860 |
See data entry keyers pay in every state
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- Office Clerks, General
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.