What does a Support Staff do?
School support staff provide specialized instructional and student support while utilizing school facilities. They often include diverse staff members whose main role is to ensure that students learn in a supportive and safe learning environment. It is also their duty to enhance school climate by promoting the involvement of parent and family in education as well as to encourage trusting, positive student relationships. They should inhibit positive behavior and send uplifting messages to students as they often connect with them throughout the day.
Support staff responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real support staff resumes:
- Manage SharePoint inventory repository and assign access levels to new hires as needed.
- Provide companionship to the consumer.
- Tutor students in various science courses, English and GED prep classes.
- Maintain a safe, supportive and therapeutic environment which fosters growth and rehabilitation.
- Work with students at various levels of mathematics knowledge within the same teaching environment.
- Work with students who have graduated from the developmental mathematics program on more advance mathematics classes.
- Perform glucose testing's, log in patient record, and apply first aide/ CPR as needed.
- Order, receive, and stock incoming supplies, secure building, by checking for unlock doors and windows.
- Work with people with autism, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, paranoia, and other psychoses.
- Clean windows, glass partitions, and mirrors, using soapy water and other cleaners, sponges, or squeegees.
- Provide companionship to mentally challenge clients, assist with exercise and recreational activities, assist with toileting, and feed clients
- Perform administrative support tasks, such as proofreading, transcribing handwritten information and computer work with invoices or other documents.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations for campaign events.
- Conduct qualifying assessments for prospective GED exam candidates.
- Communicate effectively with other departments to ensure comfortable transitions for patients.
Support staff skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Desk Clerks Supervisors are proficient in Customer Service, Developmental Disabilities, and Mental Health. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Integrity, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Desk Clerks Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 9%
Provided Customer Service Registered clients into classes Managed database and memberships Introduced customers to facility Enforced facility rules and regulations
- Developmental Disabilities, 7%
Provide direct quality care including daily monitoring, recording and evaluating of medical conditions of adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities.
- Mental Health, 6%
Maintained security of shelter, performed administrative duties and counseled victims of domestic violence with mental health/substance abuse related problems.
- Meal Preparation, 6%
Develop and implement daily agenda's while assisting with meal preparations and distributing prescribed medications at designated times.
- Direct Care, 6%
Provide direct care to individuals served, by assisting medical appointments, implementation of clinical programming, and maintaining accurate documentation.
- Home Maintenance, 6%
Provided a variety of personal care, home maintenance, and hygienic care.
Common skills that a support staff uses to do their job include "customer service," "developmental disabilities," and "mental health." You can find details on the most important support staff responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a support staff to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what desk clerks supervisors do because "home health aides and personal care aides must adhere to specific rules and protocols and carefully follow instructions to help take care of clients." Additionally, a support staff resume shows how desk clerks supervisors use detail oriented: "wash and sanitize dishes bus, clear and clean tables food preparation restaurant detail cleaning"
Integrity. Another essential skill to perform support staff duties is integrity. Desk clerks supervisors responsibilities require that "home health aides and personal care aides should make clients feel comfortable when they tend to personal activities, such as helping a client bathe." Desk clerks supervisors also use integrity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "care and look after children cpr certification build trusting relationship with parents and kids follow through with state regulations. "
Physical stamina. desk clerks supervisors are also known for physical stamina, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to support staff responsibilities, because "home health aides and personal care aides should be comfortable performing physical tasks." A support staff resume example shows how physical stamina is used in the workplace: "assist and advocate for people with physical and/or mental illnesses and disabilities"
The three companies that hire the most support staffs are:
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Compare different desk clerks supervisors
Support staff vs. Eligibility specialist
An eligibility specialist is responsible for reviewing applicants' documents to verify their eligibility for qualifying for various organization programs. Eligibility specialists organize files accurately, communicate with other institutions for fact-checking, follow-up with the applicants for missing requirements, respond to the applicants' inquiries and concerns, and recommend alternatives, especially for financial assistance. An eligibility specialist must have excellent communication and record-keeping skills and extensive knowledge of the aid programs and company policies for processing applications.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, support staff responsibilities require skills like "customer service," "developmental disabilities," "mental health," and "meal preparation." Meanwhile a typical eligibility specialist has skills in areas such as "medicaid," "patients," "provide technical assistance," and "social work." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Eligibility specialists earn the highest salaries when working in the government industry, with an average yearly salary of $38,476. On the other hand, desk clerks supervisors are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $32,113.On average, eligibility specialists reach similar levels of education than desk clerks supervisors. Eligibility specialists are 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Support staff vs. Service aide
A family service aide is an individual social worker who addresses the behavior of clients as well as utilizes crisis intervention techniques in the effort to assist with symptom management and stabilization. Family service aides are required to monitor the progress of clients and prepare reports in preparation for court cases if needed. They must participate in community outreach events to recruit volunteers and promote awareness of child abuse. Family service aides must also conduct detailed investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real support staff resumes. While support staff responsibilities can utilize skills like "home maintenance," "direct support," "medication administration," and "emotional support," service aides use skills like "patients," "rehabilitation," "patient rooms," and "culinary."
On average, service aides earn a lower salary than desk clerks supervisors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, service aides earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $35,085. Whereas desk clerks supervisors have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $32,113.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Service aides tend to reach similar levels of education than desk clerks supervisors. In fact, they're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Support staff vs. Staffing supervisor
A staffing supervisor monitors work procedures and manages staff. They are responsible for hiring and training staff. They also create schedules and assign duties to junior staff members. They must ensure a positive work environment.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from support staff resumes include skills like "customer service," "developmental disabilities," "mental health," and "meal preparation," whereas a staffing supervisor is more likely to list skills in "administrative tasks," "performance reviews," "eeo," and "loss prevention. "
When it comes to education, staffing supervisors tend to earn similar degree levels compared to desk clerks supervisors. In fact, they're 0.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Support staff vs. Staff supervisor
A staff supervisor is responsible for supervising staff and organizing work procedures. Their main duty is to monitor staff. They maintain staff by recruiting, training, and coaching them. They may also gather budget information. They must have good communication skills and be team-oriented.
Types of support staff
Updated January 8, 2025
