How to hire a data entry/receptionist

How to hire a data entry/receptionist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step data entry/receptionist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a data entry/receptionist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new data entry/receptionist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a data entry/receptionist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a data entry/receptionist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a data entry/receptionist that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of data entry/receptionist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Data Entry/Receptionist	Description	Hourly rate
   Data Entry/Receptionist		$9-16
   Office Worker	An office worker is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the daily operations of the business. Office workers assist in receiving calls to respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, as well as welcoming visitors, verifying their appointments, and leading them to the appropriate personnel and department for their business needs... Show more	$11-34
   Office Support Clerk	Office support clerks are professionals who provide clerical and administrative duties that support the daily activities of an organization's office setting. These clerks are required to answer incoming calls from clients while maintaining all office and cleaning supplies for the organization... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Customer Service
   • Telephone Calls
   • Computer Database
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Front Desk
   • Computer System
   • Payroll
   • Multi-Line Phone System
   • Purchase Orders
   • Telephone Switchboard
   • Direct Calls
   • Order Entry
   • Office Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
   • Fill and enter sales orders in QuickBooks.
   • Create top notch PowerPoint presentations and portfolios for superiors.
   • Enter documents, bills, and gain/loss into QuickBooks.
   • Post company memos, place announcements onto PowerPoint kiosks and all bulletin boards in the facility in a timely manner.
   • Enter demographic/insurance information for billing process into EMR.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your data entry/receptionist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A data entry/receptionist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, data entry/receptionists' average salary in new mexico is 44% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level data entry/receptionists 43% less than senior-level data entry/receptionists.
   • Certifications. A data entry/receptionist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a data entry/receptionist's salary.

   Average data entry/receptionist salary

   $13.08hourly

   $27,212 yearly

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   Entry-level data entry/receptionist salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a data entry/receptionist job description

   A data entry/receptionist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a data entry/receptionist job description:

   Data entry/receptionist job description example

   Bartos Industries has been serving engineers, architects, owners, and contractors as a manufacturer’s representative since 1964. Our broad product offering of air movement, air treatment, and noise/vibration elimination equipment is without peer in our market.

   About the Opportunity

   Build your career here and experience the advantages that come with working for one of the most respected Company in the Commercial Engineering industry. The Company is like a family in which all employees are truly valued and treated with respect. Everyone here wears many hats and gets exposed to a variety of challenges. You'll be working with an award-winning team with an impressive track record.

   Essential duties and responsibilities include

   Seeking a full-time receptionist who must be dependable with great telephone skills and a positive attitude to support a fast-paced Sales operations by welcoming visitors, other main duties include:

   Forwarding sales information by answering the phone

   Receiving and processing mail

   Maintaining & updating data information in system

   Deposits

   Inventory and ordering supplies

   Booking lunch & learns

   Booking travel arrangements

   Ordering printing material

   Maintain Break Room and Conference Room

   Service calls on equipment

   Other duties as assigned

   Qualifications

   Accuracy and detail oriented, strong multi-tasking skills, complete several concurrent tasks, manages time effectively and prioritizes tasks to meet deadlines, strong responsible work ethic, uses time productively to accomplish work goals, learns quickly on the job, is open to changing situations of tasks, and has excellent attendance. Computer skills and working with numbers are a must (word, excel, outlook and other manufacturer specific software used daily).

   Benefits

   We recognize people as our most valuable asset. Our competitive salary and benefits package include 401K, dental insurance, medical insurance, prescription drug coverage; a vision-care plan, paid company holidays and paid vacations.

   
   M-F, 7:30AM - 4:30PM

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find data entry/receptionists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any data entry/receptionists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level data entry/receptionists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your data entry/receptionist job on Zippia to find and recruit data entry/receptionist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit data entry/receptionists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new data entry/receptionist

   Once you've selected the best data entry/receptionist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new data entry/receptionist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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