Whether you’re looking for your first full time or temp to perm receptionist role, you’re looking to change your career to become a receptionist, or you’re looking to hire a receptionist, you’re in the right place. This article will cover the key receptionist duties and responsibilities, plus the key skills of a receptionist.
While at first glance receptionist duties may not seem difficult, not everyone is actually suited to do the job properly - as it requires a mix of soft and hard skills and professional experience. Let’s dive straight into the key duties and responsibilities of a receptionist.
Receptionist Duties and Responsibilities
As Mary-Kate Williams from All Top Reviews puts it, “Receptionist job duties are not too difficult for someone with relevant experience, but they can take a while to learn for those who haven’t had a job like this before. That’s why it’s important to be prepared beforehand.”
So, what are the duties of a front desk receptionist? Here’s a quick rundown of everything a receptionist usually does:
- Perform a variety of duties at the front desk. They usually spend most of their time in the reception area rather than moving around a lot.
- Receive visitors by greeting and welcoming them. Then, they usually direct them and announce them when appropriate.
- Provide customer support by answering the phone and replying to emails in a timely manner. They could also receive and sort incoming and outgoing mail.
- Provide administrative support via phone or email. They answer, screen, and forward incoming phone calls and direct visitors to the right person or department.
- Maintain the office and keep all the office equipment in check as well as order any necessary office supplies.
- Responsible for maintaining office security and communicating with the security guards if needed.
- Manage calendars by scheduling important meetings, arranging travel and accommodation, and so on.
- Perform other clerical receptionist duties such as photocopying, transcribing, filing, keeping records of office expenses, sorting and distributing paperwork, and so on.
- Interact with their colleagues to resolve important administrative matters and the like.
It is important to remember that the receptionist is the first point of contact between the visitor and the company. This is why having skilled receptionists is so important. Even if the person isn’t experienced, they need to learn the necessary skills to provide the best experience for the visitor who just came in.
See here for a receptionist job description template, that includes a full account of all requirements of a standard receptionist role.
The Key Skills of a Receptionist
Whether you want to be a receptionist for career development or you have other goals in mind, being a receptionist requires you to have certain skills. Like any other profession, being a receptionist entails having duties and responsibilities which can only be performed properly if you have the required skills for this job.
Here’s what you can expect a receptionist job to require from you:
- Education or Experience: Either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or have experience as a receptionist, front office representative, or in a similar role.
- Practical Skills: Hands-on experience with office equipment such as printers, laptops, phones. A receptionist should also be proficient in relevant software such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
- Soft Skills: Soft skills such as management and time management skills, organisational skills, communication skills, multitasking skills and customer service skills.
- Professional Dress: Professional dress that looks neat and tidy.
As Gregory Longbottom from Best Writing Sites explains, “By far the best thing you can do when looking for a receptionist job or looking for a receptionist to hire is to turn to the experts. After all, recruitment experts are the people who know what they are doing, so they will definitely be able to help you find what you are looking for.” Read our article dispelling the common misconceptions about working with a recruitment agency.
Searching for Your Dream Receptionist Roles? Or Looking To Hire A Receptionist? We Can Help You!
Indeed, becoming a receptionist is relatively easy if you look for job postings in the right place. You can check out our job board to find currently open positions for receptionists. These job postings are coming from reliable employers who can provide the best opportunities for their employees.
Alternatively, you can contact us directly to discuss job opportunities and the high calibre candidates we have available at the moment.
