Kontorista

Kontorista is a term used in several Central and Eastern European languages to denote an office worker, typically a clerk performing routine administrative tasks. The role is usually mid- to lower-level and may include data entry, filing, document preparation, handling correspondence, scheduling, basic bookkeeping, and customer service. Kontorista typically works in office settings within sectors such as finance, public administration, retail, or manufacturing, and may perform reception duties or other support tasks.

The word derives from kontor or kantoor, meaning office or counting house, with the -ista suffix forming a job title. Historically, kontorista worked in merchant offices and trading houses, and the term reflects the administrative labor of such environments. Through trade and administrative practice, the word spread into related languages and remains in use in historical or formal contexts.

In contemporary usage, kontorista can be considered somewhat dated in some languages, with administrative assistant, office clerk, or data entry clerk as more common labels. Variants reflect gender and language-specific forms, but the occupation remains broadly similar: a desk-based clerical worker providing support to an organization.

Typical sources include administrative offices, banks, government agencies, and corporate back offices. The role emphasizes accuracy, organization, and reliability rather than decision-making authority.

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