Receptionist Job Description

Salary Range

$33,960 - $45,130

Experience

Entry-level

Work Environment

Front desk or reception area

What Does a Receptionist Do?

Visitors and callers get their first impression of an office at the front desk, often before they meet anyone else who works there. Receptionists staff that desk in medical offices, schools, companies and government buildings. Between greeting arrivals and answering a busy multi-line phone, they also book appointments, sign for deliveries and point people to the right office, building or staff member.

Also known as: Office Assistant Receptionist, Senior Office Assistant Receptionist

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Clerk Specialist, Front Desk Receptionist, Greeter, Information Assistant (Info Assistant), Medical Receptionist, Member Services Representative (Member Services Rep), Office Assistant, Registration Clerk.

Receptionist Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a receptionist include:

• Greet visitors, check them in and issue badges or parking passes where required.
• Answer and transfer calls on a multi-line phone system and take accurate messages.
• Schedule appointments and meeting rooms in shared calendars and send reminders.
• Direct visitors, students or patients to the right office, building or staff member.
• Sign for deliveries and let recipients know when items arrive.
• Keep the reception area tidy, stocked with forms and ready for the next visitor.
• Collect payments or documents at the counter and record them in the office log.
• Handle routine email inquiries and forward complex ones to the right colleague.
• Follow building security steps for unexpected visitors, after-hours callers and emergencies.
• Update staff directories, visitor lists and the office's out-of-office notices.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a receptionist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Multi-line phone systems and call transfer
• Microsoft Outlook calendars and Word
• Visitor sign-in software such as Envoy
• A warm, clear speaking voice
• Calm with upset or confused visitors
• Memory for names, faces and office layouts
• Discretion with private information
• Spanish or another second language, a plus in many areas

Education and Training

Friendliness, organization and a steady voice on a busy phone line are what employers check for first at the front desk. A high school diploma is enough for most posts, and BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical, so new receptionists learn the phones, calendars and visitor rules at the desk itself. Senior office assistant, office manager and executive assistant jobs can follow.

Salary and Job Outlook

BLS projects employment of receptionists and information clerks to decline about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 105,100 openings a year. Answering calls is often less of the job than it used to be because automated phone menus and online booking take many of them. Visitors still need a person. Clinics, schools and offices with steady foot traffic will keep hiring receptionists who can also handle scheduling and payments.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Receptionists and information clerks.

Receptionist Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Receptionists

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($49,060), Alaska ($44,720), Washington ($44,710), California ($44,100), Massachusetts ($43,870). Pay is lowest in Alabama ($32,590), West Virginia ($31,920), Mississippi ($31,160).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as receptionists and information clerks about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 100% are on the phone every day
• 84% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 76% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
• 72% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 68% use email every day
• 64% spend more than half the workday sitting
• 47% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Receptionists Use

Tools and equipment

• Credit card processing machines
• Data input scanners
• Desktop computers
• Dictation equipment
• Electric typewriters
• Filing Cabinets
• Handheld calculators
• Laser facsimile machines
• Multi-line switchboards
• Multi-line telephone systems

Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Windows
• 3M Post-it App
• Alpha Software Alpha Five
• Appointment scheduling software
• Automated information system software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Active Listening, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness.

Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Office Specialist job description
• Customer Service Representative job description
• Call Center Agent job description
• Service Advisor job description
• Administrative Associate job description
• Secretary job description
• Administrative Assistant job description
• Graduate Program Coordinator job description

Applying for a Receptionist Job

• Job application letter sample
• How to write the skills section of a resume
• How to describe your work experience
• Job interview tips
• Interview thank-you note

The Job Explorer never charges candidates any money. If someone asks you to pay to apply for a receptionist job or to get hired, treat it as a warning sign.