Education:
49%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
26%
Some College Courses
Receptionist
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Job Outlook:
Little or no change
Education:
High school diploma or equivalent
Salary
High:
$46,220.00
Average:
$34,600.00
Hourly
Average:
$16.64
What they do:
Answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and employees within the organization.
On the job, you would:
- Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
- Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
- Receive payment and record receipts for services.
Important Qualities
Communication skills. Receptionists must speak and write clearly when providing information and corresponding with customers.
Computer skills. Receptionists should be adept at using computers.
Customer-service skills. Receptionists represent the organization, so they should be courteous, professional, and helpful to customers and the public.
Integrity. Receptionists may handle confidential data, especially in medical and legal offices. They must be trustworthy and protect clients’ privacy.
Interpersonal skills. Receptionists should be comfortable interacting with people in different types of situations.
Organizational skills. Receptionists take messages, schedule appointments, and maintain employee files. They need good organizational skills to manage their diverse responsibilities.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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89% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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86% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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85% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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82% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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80% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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80% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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79% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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75% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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75% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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75% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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71% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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70% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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69% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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66% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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61% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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53% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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95% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. | |
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72% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
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78% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
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75% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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72% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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72% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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69% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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66% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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60% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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53% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Schedule appointments.
Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information.
Collect deposits, payments or fees.
Proofread documents, records, or other files to ensure accuracy.
Operate computers or computerized equipment.
Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
Respond to customer problems or complaints.
File documents or records.
Send information, materials or documentation.
Schedule appointments.
Analyze operational or research data.
Discuss goods or services information with customers or patrons.
Record personnel information.
Sort mail.
Distribute incoming mail.
Calculate costs of goods or services.
Send information, materials or documentation.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Prepare business correspondence.
Schedule operational activities.
Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
Guide patrons on tours.
Clean facilities or equipment.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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97% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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89% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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87% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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85% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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84% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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83% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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83% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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78% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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76% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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74% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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72% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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70% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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69% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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68% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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66% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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61% | Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? | |
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57% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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56% | Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
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89% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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84% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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82% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. | |
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78% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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73% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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67% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. | |
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67% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. | |
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65% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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65% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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64% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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62% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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61% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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59% | Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. | |
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57% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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57% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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56% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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52% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
What Receptionists Do
Receptionists greet patients in hospitals and doctors' offices.
Receptionists do administrative tasks, such as answering phones, greeting visitors, and providing general information about their organization.
Duties
Receptionists typically do the following:
- Answer the telephone and take messages or forward calls
- Schedule and confirm appointments and maintain calendars
- Greet customers, clients, and other visitors
- Check in visitors and direct or escort them to their destinations
- Inform other employees of visitors’ arrivals or cancellations
- Enter customer information into the organization's database
- Copy, file, and maintain paper or electronic documents
- Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence
Receptionists are often the first employee of an organization to have contact with a customer or client. They are responsible for making a good first impression for the organization.
Receptionists’ specific responsibilities vary by employer. For example, receptionists in hospitals and doctors’ offices may collect patients’ personal information and direct patients to the waiting room. Some handle billing and insurance payments.
In large corporations and government offices, receptionists may have a security role. For example, they may control access to the organization by issuing visitor passes and escorting visitors to their destination.
Receptionists use telephones, computers, and other office equipment, such as shredders and printers.
Work Environment
Receptionists held about 1.1 million jobs in 2022. The largest employers of receptionists were as follows:
| Healthcare and social assistance | 45% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 |
| Personal care services | 6 |
| Administrative and support services | 4 |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 4 |
Receptionists are employed in nearly every industry.
Receptionists usually work in areas that are visible and accessible to the public and other employees, such as the front desk of a lobby or waiting room.
Some receptionists face stressful situations. They may have to answer numerous phone calls or deal with difficult visitors.
Work Schedules
Most receptionists work full time. Some receptionists, such as those who work in hospitals and nursing homes, work evenings and weekends.
Getting Started
How to Become a Receptionist
Receptionists need to be good at communicating with people.
Although hiring requirements vary by industry and employer, receptionists typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and good communication skills.
Education
Receptionists typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, and employers may prefer to hire candidates who have experience with certain computer software. Proficiency in word processing and spreadsheet applications may be particularly helpful.
Training
Most receptionists receive short-term on-the-job training, usually lasting a few days up to a month. Training typically covers procedures for greeting visitors, answering the telephone, and using the computer.
Advancement
Receptionists may advance to other administrative occupations with more responsibilities, such as secretaries and administrative assistants.
Job Outlook
Employment of receptionists is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.
Despite limited employment growth, about 142,600 openings for receptionists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Growing healthcare industries are projected to lead demand for receptionists, particularly in physicians’ and dentists’ offices and in outpatient care centers.
Employment growth of receptionists in other industries is expected to be slower as organizations continue to automate or consolidate administrative functions. For example, many organizations use computer software, websites, mobile applications, or other technology to interact with the public or customers.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about training for receptionists and those in other administrative careers, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of receptionists.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Customer Service Representatives |
Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $37,780 |
|
General Office Clerks |
General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $38,040 |
|
Information Clerks |
Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers. |
See How to Become One | $38,710 |
|
Library Technicians and Assistants |
Library technicians and assistants help librarians with all aspects of running a library. |
See How to Become One | $35,280 |
|
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants |
Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $44,080 |
|
Tellers |
Tellers are responsible for accurately processing routine transactions at a bank. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $36,380 |