How To Write A Receptionist Job Description (With Examples)

When it comes to many businesses, the face of their organization is the professionals who interact directly with their customers. These are the basic duties of a receptionist. A receptionist’s role is crucial because their skills can either fortify a company’s strong standing with clientele or totally destroy it.

When hiring a new person for an open receptionist role, it’s crucial to narrow down the applicants to the most qualified individuals that demonstrate abilities in customer service and organization.

What Does a Receptionist do?

A receptionist is in charge of managing the front desk of a business. This could involve tasks like:

• Answering and forwarding phone calls

• Greeting customers as they walk in

• Taking down information to send it on the computer or fax it

• Performing administrative tasks like setting appointments

• Sorting and distributing mail

• Making travel arrangements

There are a wide variety of companies that hire people to fulfil this role. Some examples of common places of employment for receptionists include:

• Medical offices

• Universities

• Law firms

• Real estate offices

• Retail locations

The common tasks that receptionists are required to handle on a daily basis involve a variety of hard and soft skills. Some of the most crucial attributes for a receptionist to have are interpersonal skills and customer service. These qualities keep an organization’s customer base happy when they come to visit the office.

The Parts of a Receptionist Job Description

Hiring the perfect receptionist to handle front desk responsibilities starts by attracting the right pool of applicants. To do this, a hiring manager needs to write up a compelling and detailed job description.

1. The company introduction. The first aspect to address in a receptionist job description is making an initial introduction to the company that you’re hiring for. Talented applicants need to be wooed into applying with a particular company.

   This starts by providing a detailed introduction to the organization, its industry, and its basic values.

   Oftentimes, the introduction will list off the impressive attributes of the business. It makes potential candidates think to themselves, “I want to work with this organization.” However, try not to go overboard when writing the company introduction. Real statistics are acceptable but don’t go extreme.

   Since a receptionist will be acting as the face of an office or business location, applicants must understand the field and company immediately.

2. The role objective and responsibilities. The next details to address in a receptionist job description are the objectives and responsibilities of the role.

   While receptionists have general tasks that they’re expected to handle, every job has its own specifics. Including these in a job description lets a candidate know if they’re qualified to apply, saving a lot of time for themselves and the hiring company.

   When describing a receptionist role objective, accurately depict their place within the organization. The candidate should be able to picture themselves in the position and understand what their overall goals will be.

   The responsibilities should be explained in the form of a bullet point list to accommodate the limited space of a job description. Be brief but direct when detailing the job’s responsibilities. There will be more time to go into detail about a projective receptionist’s responsibilities in an interview.

   Examples of common receptionist responsibilities include:

   • Opening and closing the office’s lobby

   • Answering incoming calls and taking messages

   • Assisting with the office newsletter or memos

   • Handling various administrative tasks

   • Spreadsheet preparation

3. The requirements. Every job has a list of qualifications that need to be fulfilled for a person to be hired for the role. Usually, these requirements are educational or experience-based, but they could also include soft skills or certifications.

   For a receptionist role, the most common requirements include:

   • Years of experience as a receptionist

   • Experience handling multiple phone lines

   • A college degree

   • Additional certifications

   • Fluency in a particular language or being bilingual

   • A positive and professional attitude

4. The additional details. Lastly, a receptionist job description needs to include any additional important details that a candidate might want to know about the job. It all rolls into informing the candidate about the position before they submit an application.

   Examples of relevant information that can be included in a receptionist job description include:

   • Compensation Range

   • Benefits Included

   • Schedule Required

   • Equal Opportunity Employer Status

   • Job Type

An Example of a Receptionist Job Description

Author

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.