How To Become A Desk Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a desk assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A desk assistant is also known as a receptionist. They work in the customer service department at the reception desk of an office or building lobby. Primarily, your major duty is to greet people who enter the facility or building. As a desk assistant, you are to provide friendly service to every customer. Taking phone calls and taking messages for a company staff is also part of your responsibility. Also, you are to respond to changing needs and report maintenance problems. Furthermore, you could be required to complete various administrative duties like answering calls and correspondence, etc.

To be a successful desk assistant, you must possess various skills such as customer service, attention to detail, problem-solving, telephone etiquette, teamwork, organization, and computer competencies. You must hold at least a bachelor's degree in relevant fields such as business. These assistants make an average salary of $28,434 in a year.

ScoreDesk AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.1

Avg. Salary $27,353

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.38%

Asian 11.71%

Black or African American 11.76%

Hispanic or Latino 16.55%

Unknown 6.67%

White 51.93%

Gender

female 64.49%

male 35.51%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.3

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a desk assistant

Explore desk assistant education requirements

Most common desk assistant degrees

Bachelor's

72.5 %

High School Diploma

13.1 %

Associate

8.0 %

Start to develop specific desk assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	21.61%
Residential Life	17.62%
Phone Calls	16.47%
Front Desk Coverage	7.80%
Administrative Tasks	6.70%

Complete relevant desk assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New desk assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a desk assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real desk assistant resumes.

Gain additional desk assistant certifications

Desk assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific desk assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for desk assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research desk assistant duties and responsibilities

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
Fulfill front desk duties such as: customer service, operating cash register, scheduling reservations, answering phone calls and housekeeping
Check ids, close the weight room, put weights away, answer phones
Check in/out guests and operate hotel booking software.

Prepare your desk assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your desk assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a desk assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable desk assistant resume templates

Build a professional desk assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your desk assistant resume.