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Receptionist Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Receptionist, or Telereceptionist, is someone who acts as the first point of contact for employees or clients in a company. The role of a Receptionist is to create a welcoming environment for the organization, its clients, and guests.

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What does a Receptionist do? 

The role of a Receptionist is to help a company present their brand in a positive and pleasant way to clients, employees, and customers. In large organizations, there may be multiple Receptionists for different divisions. In a small company, the role of a Receptionist could overlap with an Administrative Assistant.

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Receptionist Job Description Examples:

Receptionist duties and responsibilities

When writing a job description for a Receptionist, it’s important to consider the main job requirements of the role. Note that these can also vary depending on the size of a company or its industry. Below is a list of important duties for the job and responsibilities needed to excel for a Receptionist:

  • Creates a welcoming environment by greeting guests, answering phone calls, directing visitors, and taking messages for employees
  • Takes customer complaints or issues and pass them on to the appropriate parties
  • Creates and distributes company memos through email, letters, or telephone calls
  • Schedules and maintains the calendar of company executives
  • Coordinates the booking and setting up of meeting rooms
  • Organizes and files company documents either electronically or with a paper filing system
  • Provides support for teams when necessary

Receptionist skills and qualifications: 

A successful Receptionist candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications needed for duties for this job. After posting the functionalities and duties required by a Receptionist, follow up with the skills and responsibilities required to perform those tasks. A successful Receptionist candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications needed for the duties performed in this role. Some examples of the skills used in a Receptionist role include: 

  • Time management skills to be able to prioritize activities, especially when there is a high volume of tasks
  • Attention to detail to ensure that all company memos are free of any errors
  • Positive attitude for greeting customers and clients in a friendly and warm manner upon arrival to the office or through the phone
  • Communication skills to be able to communicate with internal team members or clients and understand their needs
  • Strong organizational skills to keep multiple calendars organized
  • Administrative skills to be able to use basic computer programs including Microsoft Office
  • Flexibility to be able to move between activities and duties quickly if priorities change

Receptionist experience requirements

It is typical to hire a receptionist who has under three years of experience. Large organizations may require someone with more experience. It is also possible to consider hiring someone with no previous experience if the company will provide training upon hiring.

Receptionist education and training requirements

Generally, the minimum educational requirement for a Receptionist job is a high school diploma. However, some organizations may look for candidates who have a secondary degree in secretarial studies, administration, or any Bachelor of Arts degree.

Receptionist salary expectations

According to Indeed salaries, the average salary for a Receptionist is $16.28 per hour. The salary can fluctuate depending on experience, location, or the company that is hiring.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Receptionist isn’t quite what you are looking for, other related job positions include:

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Receptionist job description FAQs

What is the difference between a Receptionist and an Administrative Assistant?

The main difference between a Receptionist and an Administrative Assistant is that a Receptionist will generally be placed at the front of the office to welcome guests. A Receptionist is also responsible for answering phone calls. An Administrative Assistant, however, will often answer phone calls or take messages on behalf of their immediate supervisor. A Receptionist’s role involves quite a bit of customer service whereas an Administrative Assistant would be more focused on administrative duties like scheduling appointments and creating memos.

Do Receptionists have different responsibilities in different industries?

The job of a Receptionist doesn’t differ too much between industries, but it may differ based on the size of the business. It is common for the role of a Receptionist to be much broader in scope in a small business since these companies don’t have an Administrative Assistant. In this case, a Receptionist may have additional tasks such as note-taking in meetings, overseeing the personal calendar of the company President, or booking travel for company executives.

How can you make your Receptionist job description stand out?

A great way to make a Receptionist job stand out is to be specific with the job tasks and duties. Give the applicant a detailed vision of what they will be doing on a day-to-day basis. Another great way to make a job description stand out is to specify the benefits of working at the company such as free parking, snacks, paid-time-off, or discounts on company products.

What should you look for in a Receptionist resume?

When looking at resumes for a Receptionist, look for previous work experience. If the person in your role will be working for a larger company, it may be advantageous to look at how large the companies they worked at before were. Any education that is specific to the role of a Receptionist like administration or business management is also a great thing to look for. If the role is entry-level, try looking for some of the key soft skills a Receptionist should have.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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