How to hire a desk attendant

How to hire a desk attendant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step desk attendant hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The desk attendant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A desk attendant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, desk attendants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of desk attendants.

   Type of Desk Attendant	Description	Hourly rate
   Desk Attendant		$8-15
   Ride Operator	A ride operator is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the people on motorized riding vehicles. Ride operators provide safety instructions before, during, and after the ride, regular inspection of machines, operating ride controls, assisting the riders with their inquiries, evaluating the riders on the eligibility for some specific passages, and following the restricted quantity riders... Show more	$12-21
   Front Desk Receptionist	Front desk receptionists are usually the first contact of clients or visitors in an office or building. They are responsible for welcoming and receiving guests, documenting guests' arrival and updating the visitor logbook, informing hosts and other involved employees that the guests have arrived, and directing the guests to where they should go next... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Front Desk
   • Customer Service
   • Cash Control
   • CPR
   • Residential Life
   • Security Cameras
   • POS
   • Computer System
   • IDS
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Telephone Calls
   • Direct Calls
   • Greeting Guests
   • Incident Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Grind maintenance, snow removal and mowing.
   • Assist on special projects consisting of transferring reservations to new internal booking system and balancing advance deposits
   • Perform lifeguard duties, such as water rescues and administers first aid as necessary.
   • Help to maintain office organization and functionality

   More desk attendant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the desk attendant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A desk attendant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a desk attendant in Nevada may be lower than in Maine, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level desk attendant. Additionally, a desk attendant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average desk attendant salary

   $11.90hourly

   $24,747 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level desk attendant salary

   $18,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

   Average desk attendant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$29,976	$14
   2	New York	$29,799	$14
   3	Massachusetts	$28,766	$14
   4	North Carolina	$24,738	$12
   5	South Carolina	$23,775	$11
   6	Kansas	$23,636	$11
   7	Missouri	$23,202	$11
   8	Michigan	$23,079	$11
   9	Illinois	$22,453	$11
   10	Indiana	$22,124	$11
   11	Virginia	$22,098	$11
   12	Maryland	$21,864	$11
   13	Wisconsin	$21,740	$10
   14	Florida	$21,426	$10
   15	Minnesota	$21,324	$10
   16	Arizona	$20,748	$10
   17	Georgia	$20,482	$10
   18	Ohio	$19,348	$9
   19	Alabama	$18,995	$9
   20	Texas	$18,551	$9

   Average desk attendant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayo Clinic	$32,037	$15.40	44
   2	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$31,576	$15.18
   3	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$31,298	$15.05	67
   4	Bridgewater State University	$31,112	$14.96
   5	Compass Group USA	$30,000	$14.42	740
   6	Sparrow Health System	$29,576	$14.22	7
   7	Arden Hills: A Wellness Resort	$28,446	$13.68
   8	PSEA	$27,959	$13.44	9
   9	The Marcus Corporation	$27,247	$13.10	47
   10	AT&T Hotel and Conference Center	$26,854	$12.91
   11	McCormack Baron Salazar	$25,822	$12.41
   12	Cedar Fair	$25,547	$12.28	3
   13	Wheaton Park District	$25,482	$12.25	2
   14	Chumash Casino Resort	$25,206	$12.12	5
   15	Troon	$24,909	$11.98	240
   16	Boston Public Health Commission	$24,874	$11.96	1
   17	Keuka College	$24,842	$11.94
   18	Hilton	$24,731	$11.89	395
   19	Canyon Ranch	$24,692	$11.87	19
   20	Black Butte Ranch	$24,427	$11.74

4. Writing a desk attendant job description

   A job description for a desk attendant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a desk attendant job description:

   Desk attendant job description example

   The RISD Museum is looking to hire On-Call Visitor Services Desk Attendants to ensure and promote a positive visitor experience by welcoming and greeting a wide variety of clientele, including but not limited to students, general visitors, tour groups, parents, and/or alumni. On-Call Visitor Services Desk Attendants process transactions such as issuing memberships, admissions tickets, event registrations, and group sales; collect payments and distribute the appropriate change, information, and collateral material. On-Call Visitor Services Desk Attendants respond to routine questions about the Museum, the RISD community and greater Providence, promotes Museum programs, classes and events, and actively solicits museum membership sales. Other administrative tasks may include supporting the External Affairs team with marketing, development, or membership projects and initiatives.
   Essential Functions
   Receives and greets incoming guests, visitors, tour groups, parents, alumni, and corporate members. Processes financial transactions for visitors including but not limited to admissions, membership sales, special events and Museum courses. Accepts payments via cash, check or credit card using Altru POS system and issues appropriate receipts and/or change.Checks in groups for guided and self-guided visits. Uses Altru POS system to complete the group check-in and payment process.Complete opening and closing cash drawer procedures including counting and balancing drawer daily.Utilizes knowledge of RISD Museum, RISD community and Providence area to help answer routine customer service questions and visitor inquires regarding Museum events, exhibition and gallery locations, RISD campus events and local attractions. Actively promotes Museum programs, classes and events.Actively solicits museum membership sales by explaining benefits, program details, additional opportunities, discounts and incentive options and overall structure. Maintain brochure racks, ensure brochure information is available, current and in stock. Answer general Museum and RISD campus inquiries via the front desk telephone and respond accordingly.Maintain guest book Ensure the safety and cleanliness of front desk area and report any issues to supervisor, Facilities or Public Safety as appropriate.
   
   Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience
   High School diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience. One to three years of progressively responsible customer service experience in a retail or service-oriented environment Understanding and experience working in academic settings preferred. Demonstrated ability to help meet sales goals and targets. Understanding of RISD and Providence community preferred. Ability to build relationships and rapport. Must be able to resolve visitor issues, complaints, and problems. Ability to work with numbers. Ability to work within a team to accomplish program goals. Ability to communicate relevant information about current and future Museum programming to visitors. Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication skills and proficiency with internet, Microsoft Word, Excel, database management, PC-based and web-based applications.
   
   Union:
   No
   
   Work Schedule:
   Variable; On-Call assignment.
   
   Employment Status:
   On-Call; Part-time; Non-Exempt. On-Call employees are required to work a minimum of 48 hours per quarter.
   
   Grade:
   N/A-H
   
   Documents Needed to Apply:
   Resume
   Cover Letter
   
   Salary Grade Structure
   
   Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.
   
   The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.
   
   RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
   
   For internal use only - Job Family:
   On-Call

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right desk attendant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with desk attendants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit desk attendants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your desk attendant job on Zippia to find and recruit desk attendant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting desk attendants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 desk attendant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the desk attendant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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