Collection clerks
Career Overview
Collectors:
- Collect payments on overdue accounts and bad cheques, and locate debtors to make collection arrangements
- Work for collection agencies, utility companies, department stores, loan companies, banks and credit unions, and by financial and licensing departments within governments
Job Titles
Duties
Collection clerks perform some or all of the following duties:
- Notify debtors of overdue payments and accounts by telephone, mail, and registered mail, and continue the notification process if reply is not received
- Resolve collection issues by making payment arrangements by telephone or visit to debtor
- Recommend legal action or stoppage of service in cases where payment is not expected
- Trace and locate debtors
- Contact debtors' friends, neighbours, relatives and employers to obtain information
- Answer correspondence, prepare reports and maintain records and files related to collection work
- Work with online accounts and systems
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,085% Employed Full Time
73%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.
Career Pathways
Promotion to senior or supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is required
- A business college diploma may be required
- A period of on-the-job training is often provided for collection clerks and collection officers
- A collections licence issued by the province or territory of employment is usually required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Business Administration/Management/Commerce
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,085Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 15 | 1.4% |
| Kootenay | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 730 | 67.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.9% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 115 | 10.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 205 | 18.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
460Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 340 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 40 | 0.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 70 | 0.5% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 80 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 80 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 70 |
| Wholesale Trade | 50 |
| Public Administration | 50 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.