Commercial Clerk EFZ

About the job

1st year of apprenticeship: CHF 835.–

2nd year of apprenticeship: CHF 1050.–

3rd year of apprenticeship: CHF 1520.–

As a Commercial Clerk EFZ, you take on administrative tasks. These vary depending on the company and your role. You handle business correspondence and accounting, such as recording bookings or checking payments. You place orders and prepare invoices, welcome customers, and manage the secretariat.

Tasks

• Receive, sort and distribute mail internally to employees
• Check, organise, scan and archive letters, files, orders and reports
• Prepare files, reports, minutes or correspondence based on notes, records or dictations, which may also be in a foreign language
• Respond to mail, for example information, offer or job enquiries or order confirmations
• Check invoices and record them in accounting
• Create documents related to the receipt of an order, such as invoices with VAT calculation and shipping costs, delivery notes or customs forms
• Check paid and received amounts using booking documents and administrative software
• Send payment reminders and, if necessary, inform a debt collection agency to claim unpaid invoices
• Manage appointment calendars for meetings and appointments
• Update databases such as customer, order and supplier directories
• Welcome customers or visitors, answer phone calls and handle emails
• Support other apprentices, EBA commercial clerks and interns

Work environment

As a Commercial Clerk EFZ, your tasks vary depending on the company. In small teams, you have many different tasks. In large departments, the tasks are less varied. You mainly work on the computer. Working hours are regular but depend on the company.

Depending on the chosen industry and your foreign language skills, you take on different tasks in your first job. After several years of professional experience, you can specialise in a particular area, such as insurance, banking, financial consulting, marketing, human resources, sales and product management or tourism. Depending on your skills, you also have the opportunity to take on management positions. Part-time work is common in this profession.

Requirements and interests

• Teamwork skills
• A flair for numbers
• Good memory
• Willingness to work on call
• Systematic working method
• A flair for writing
• A flair for languages
• A sense of hospitality
• Working indoors
• Working with numbers
• Using languages
• Working in a team
• Advising

Training

1-2 days per week at cantonal vocational schools

In several cantons: 8-16 days over 3 years

• Apprenticeship in the company: 3 years
• Commercial middle school: 4 years
• Compulsory schooling completed
• Some companies require an aptitude test

With very good school performance, apprentices can also attend the vocational baccalaureate school.

Commercial Clerk EFZ

Further education

Courses

Offers from the Commercial Association

Professional examination

• Specialist in finance and accounting BP
• Marketing specialist BP
• E-commerce specialist BP
• HR specialist BP
• Trustee BP
• Executive assistant BP
• Insurance specialist BP
• Social insurance specialist BP
• Health insurance specialist BP

Advanced professional examination

• Expert in accounting and controlling HFP
• Marketing manager HFP
• Head of human resources HFP
• Head of foreign trade HFP
• Real estate trustee HFP

Advanced technical college

University of applied sciences

Different admission requirements apply depending on the university of applied sciences.