Receptionists

Summary

Receptionists provide information to the general public, customers, and visitors.

Quick Facts: Receptionists
2010 Median Pay	$25,240 per year $12.14 per hour
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Short-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	1,048,500
Job Outlook, 2010-20	24% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	248,500

What Receptionists Do

Receptionists perform various administrative tasks, including answering telephones and giving information to the public and customers. 

Work Environment

Although receptionists work in almost every industry, many are concentrated in healthcare and social assistance, including physicians' offices, hospitals, and nursing homes. Most work in a comfortable office setting. About 30 percent work part time.

How to Become a Receptionist

Most receptionists need a high school diploma and good communication skills.

Pay

The median hourly wage of receptionists was $12.14 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of receptionists is projected to grow 24 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Many job opportunities will arise from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Those with related work experience and good computer skills should have the best job opportunities.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of receptionists with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about receptionists by contacting these additional resources.

What Receptionists Do About this section

Receptionists greet walk-in customers in hospitals and doctor’s offices.

Receptionists perform various administrative duties, including answering telephones and giving information to the public and customers.  

Duties

Receptionists typically do the following:

• Answer, screen, and forward telephone calls
• Greet walk-in customers and other visitors and escort them to specific destinations
• Contribute to the security of the office by helping to monitor visitors' access
• Obtain or send information or documents using a computer, mail, or a fax machine
• Perform other administrative support tasks, such as keeping appointment calendars
• Copy, file, and maintain documents and records
• Collect, sort, distribute, and prepare mail and courier deliveries
• Process and prepare travel vouchers or other documents

Receptionists are often the first employee that the public or customer has contact with. They are responsible for making a good first impression for the organization, which can affect the organization's success.

Although some tasks are common to most receptionists, their specific responsibilities vary depending on their work establishment. For example, receptionists in hospitals and in doctors' offices may gather patients' personal and insurance information and direct patients to the proper waiting room. In corporate headquarters, they may greet visitors and manage the scheduling of the board room or common conference area.

In beauty or hair salons, they arrange appointments, direct clients to the hairstylist, and may serve as cashiers. In factories, large corporations, and government offices, receptionists may provide identification cards for visitors and arrange for escorts to take visitors to the proper office. Those working for bus and train companies respond to passengers’ inquiries about departures, arrivals, stops, and other related matters.

Receptionists use the telephone, computers, and other electronic devices. Despite the widespread use of voice mail or other automated systems, many receptionists still take messages and inform other employees of the public’s or customers’ arrivals or cancellations of appointments. When they are not busy with callers, most workers are expected to help other administrative employees by doing a variety of other office tasks.

Work Environment About this section

Receptionists are employed in virtually every industry.

Receptionists held about 1 million jobs in 2010.

Industries that employed the most receptionists in 2010 were as follows:

Although receptionists work in almost every industry, many are concentrated in healthcare and social assistance, including physicians' offices, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Receptionists who greet customers and visitors usually work in areas that are highly visible, clean, well-lit, and relatively quiet. The work that some receptionists do may be tiring, repetitious, and stressful as they may spend all day answering continually ringing telephones and sometimes encounter difficult or irate callers.

Work Schedules

Although most receptionists work full time, about 30 percent worked part time in 2010. Some receptionists, including those who work in hospitals and nursing homes, may have to work evenings and weekends.

How to Become a Receptionist About this section

Most receptionists have at least a high school diploma.

Although hiring requirements vary by industry and employer, most receptionists need a high school diploma.                     

Education and Training

Receptionists generally need a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Most receptionists receive their training on the job. They learn how to operate the telephone system and computers and learn the proper procedures for greeting visitors. While many of these skills can be learned quickly, those who give information to the public or customers may need several weeks to learn details about the organization.

Employers often look for applicants who know spreadsheets, word processing software, or other industry specific software applications. Some employers may prefer applicants who have some formal office education or training.

Advancement

Receptionists typically advance by transferring to an occupation with more responsibility or by being promoted to a supervisory position. Receptionists with especially strong computer skills, some postsecondary education, and several years of experience may advance to a better paying job as a secretary or an administrative assistant.

Important Qualities

Computer skills. Receptionists need a working knowledge of different software packages or industry-specific software applications.

Customer-service skills. Receptionists represent an organization. As a result, they must be courteous, professional, and helpful toward the public and customers.

Listening skills. Receptionists must be good listeners. They must listen patiently to the points being made, wait to speak until others have finished, and ask appropriate questions when necessary. 

Speaking skills. The ability to communicate clearly is essential for receptionists because much of their job involves conveying information over the phone or in person. 

Pay About this section

The median hourly wage of receptionists was $12.14 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.44, and the top 10 percent earned more than $17.75.

Median hourly wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of receptionists in May 2010 were as follows:

Although most receptionists work full time, about 30 percent worked part time in 2010. Some receptionists, including those who work in hospitals and nursing homes, may have to work evenings and weekends.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of receptionists is projected to grow 24 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.

Receptionists perform a wide variety of clerical tasks, so they should continue to be in demand. Furthermore, because they interact with people, their tasks are not easily automated, ensuring continued demand for their services in a variety of industries.

Employment growth is expected to result primarily from growth in the healthcare industry. Specifically, physicians' offices, dentists' offices, and community care facilities for the elderly are expected to add the most jobs. 

Technology will have conflicting effects on employment growth. The increasing use of voice mail and other telephone automation reduces the need for receptionists because one receptionist can now do the work that previously required several. At the same time, however, the increasing use of other technology has caused a consolidation of clerical responsibilities and growing demand for workers with diverse clerical and technical skills.

Job Prospects

Job opportunities are expected to be very good. Many job openings will arise from the need to replace those who transfer to other occupations. Those with related work experience and good computer skills should have the best job opportunities.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information about administrative professionals, including training and certification, visit

American Society of Administrative Professionals   

Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals

International Association of Administrative Professionals