Anybody have a clue an approximate hourly wage clerical work at a doctor's office?

[Connonym]

I applied for a job and they want to know what my salary requirement is. I have no freaking clue what's even a ballpark figure. I've worked for doctors before but always been paid by productivity as an independent contractor. This is an hourly position w/o benefits. Can anyone help?!!

[suninvited]

1. You could always call your own doctors office, if you

are familiar with any of the staff, and ask for their advice. I am sure it varies from area to area.

[LanternWaste]

2. Clerical work would be (I imagine)

Clerical work would be (I imagine) in the $10.00-$12.00/Hr range in a Doctor's office.

That's 10-12 Texas dollars-- I've heard our cost of living is retarded, so it may be higher or lower depending where you are.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Here it's between $12 and $15 an hour.

To answer the phone, make appointments, file, that type of thing. No treatment of patients at all.

[flvegan]

7. Wait, doesn't "clerical" mean diagnosis/treatment of the patients?

If not, I'm a little embarrassed. I've been disrobing for the clerical staff at my doctor's office for a couple years now.

[Connonym]

8. ya pev!

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Actually, the parking valet is responsible for dx and tx plan.

So, you would disrobe for them.

At least that's how it is here.

[NewEnglandGirl]

4. Depends on so many things

I've seen it be as low as $10 but if you have a lot of experience here in the NE I know a few people who are making up to $25 but that includes some insurance work etc. Maybe you should ask on the high side and then you could always come down. Good luck !! :)

[Gormy Cuss]

5. You need to know what the going rate is locally.

However, since you have a history of making money this way as an independent, do this calculation if you can. Estimate your average productivity rate per hour and convert it into dollars paid. That's a rough estimate of what you were worth to other doctors. There are some expenses involved when you're on the payroll such as mandatory UI or workers comp but since taking an employee position should involve bettering your earnings rather than lowering them, just go with the value of your hour on a production basis. You can choose to lower it slightly in a negotiation but it's unlikely that you will have the opportunity to increase it after you state a number.

If you were being offered a position with benefits you'd need to discount the wage quite a bit (generally between 25 and 50 percent depending on how generous those benefits were) but with no benefits I'd stick to your actual earnings as an independent.

[Connonym]

6. I crossed my fingers and replied

the job description isn't exactly the same but I've been in the field for 10 years so I've got a lot of experience. I ended up figuring it out this way -- I don't need benefits, they didn't say that they were offering them but I did tell them that I did not require that. I aimed a little high, told them that depending on the amount of editing and proofing I'd have to do that I would need $17 but I'd be willing to reduce that if the editing and proofing weren't in the job description. We'll see what happens. It'd be nice as a secondary job because the hours are flexible to a degree but otoh I have been telecommuting for 10 years and this would require me to have to actually drive across town so I had to factor in the whole notion of drive time and fuel. I guess in the end I have to decide what it's worth for ME to do all that and if they aren't willing to pay me that then I'll keep looking for something closer to home where the cost of fuel won't be so much a factor.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

[Gormy Cuss]

12. What it's worth to you is really what it's about.

Granted, many of us do need to take less than what we think we're worth sometimes in order to get the work, but when we're not desperate there's no need to sell ourselves short. Good for you that your worth is a rate that kept them interested!

Good luck.

[Connonym]

9. Well, I got a response within 15 minutes of my email

and they'd like to interview me so I guess I didn't get too far out of the ballpark with my figure.
Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll keep you posted!

If this works out I should be able to move into my own place by winter. WOOOOOOT! Because seriously, I'm going insane in my current living conditions.

[joneschick]

10. congratulations and good luck!

I really need to find something by last week at the latest! :hi:

[LeftyMom]

13. Clerical work here starts at about $12/hour if you have any experience at all.

With no benefits it's reasonable to expect a bit more.