How to hire a front desk attendant

Front desk attendant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring front desk attendants in the United States:

HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
The median cost to hire a front desk attendant is $1,633.
Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per front desk attendant on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
There are currently 139,138 front desk attendants in the US and 107,058 job openings.
Miami, FL, has the highest demand for front desk attendants, with 13 job openings.
New York, NY has the highest concentration of front desk attendants.

How to hire a front desk attendant, step by step

To hire a front desk attendant, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a front desk attendant:

Here's a step-by-step front 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 front desk attendant job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new front desk attendant
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a front desk attendant do?

A front desk attendant serves as the primary point of contact in a building or establishment, ensuring customer satisfaction. Their duties mainly revolve around greeting visitors, responding to inquiries, handling calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, and coordinating with various building offices and departments. Moreover, a front desk attendant's responsibilities will vary on the line of work or one's industry of employment. There are instances in a hotel setting where they must handle check-in and check-out processes, make reservations, and offer amenities.

Learn more about the specifics of what a front desk attendant does

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Identify your hiring needs

Before you post your front desk attendant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a front desk attendant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

Determine employee vs contractor status

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

A front desk attendant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, front 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 presents front desk attendant salaries for various positions.

Type of Front Desk Attendant	Description	Hourly rate
Front Desk Attendant	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$9-16
Guest Services Agent	Guest services agents are the ones who communicate with hotel guests who want to reserve or cancel bookings. Their job includes welcoming guests upon arrival, assigning them their rooms and suites, issuing their room keys, and collecting payment information... Show more	$11-17
Guest Service Representative	A guest service representative is responsible for supporting the front desk operations, assisting guests with their needs, and handling guests' inquiries. Guest service representatives duties' include processing payments, leading the guests to their respective rooms, responding to the guests' requests, escalating high-level complaints, maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of the common areas, performing administrative duties, and suggesting recommendations for improving the guests' experience... Show more	$9-16

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Reservations
- Customer Service
- Cleanliness
- Phone Calls
- Work Ethic
- Guest Satisfaction
- Cash Handling
- Facility Tours
- Guest Complaints
- Room Rates
- CPR
- Guest Inquiries
- Cash Drawers
- Membership Sales
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Manage confidential information and documentation, including financial data, and credit card information and payroll checks.
- Perform extensive customer service, including communicating with members, scheduling reservations, and fielding complaints.
- Count and identify clothing to charge correctly on POS system, rack clothing in order on conveyor belt.
- Serve guests in a timely and professional manner, handle money/make change, and work with a POS system.
- Monitor cleanliness and organization of yoga studio and lobby areas.
- Assist on special projects consisting of transferring reservations to new internal booking system and balancing advance deposits
More front desk attendant duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your front desk attendant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A front desk attendant can vary based on:

Location. For example, front desk attendants' average salary in mississippi is 49% less than in california.
Seniority. Entry-level front desk attendants 43% less than senior-level front desk attendants.
Certifications. A front desk attendant 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 front desk attendant's salary.

Average front desk attendant salary

$12.92hourly

$26,874 yearly

Entry-level front desk attendant salary

$20,000 yearly salary

Updated December 20, 2025

Average front desk attendant salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$37,931	$18
2	Washington	$34,678	$17
3	New York	$33,077	$16
4	Massachusetts	$32,878	$16
5	Connecticut	$29,990	$14
6	Colorado	$29,599	$14
7	Minnesota	$29,099	$14
8	Illinois	$27,793	$13
9	Arizona	$27,095	$13
10	Alaska	$26,853	$13
11	Pennsylvania	$26,718	$13
12	Utah	$26,247	$13
13	Florida	$24,746	$12
14	Virginia	$24,691	$12
15	Montana	$24,477	$12
16	Ohio	$23,638	$11
17	Texas	$23,411	$11
18	Wyoming	$23,041	$11
19	Missouri	$22,982	$11
20	North Carolina	$22,516	$11

Average front desk attendant salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Lone Star Circle of Care	$33,790	$16.25	4
2	Radisson Hotels International Inc	$33,378	$16.05
3	Hyatt Hotels	$33,198	$15.96	226
4	Skokie Country Club	$33,137	$15.93
5	DoubleTree by Hilton Portland	$32,724	$15.73	15
6	Hof's Hut Restaurant & Bakery	$31,973	$15.37	23
7	Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc	$31,953	$15.36	2
8	Radisson	$31,764	$15.27
9	Hotel Services	$31,661	$15.22	32
10	Banner Health	$31,527	$15.16	16
11	Advanced Dermatology Associates	$31,170	$14.99	1
12	Arden Hills: A Wellness Resort	$31,122	$14.96
13	The Joint Chiropractic	$31,058	$14.93	409
14	Columbine Health Systems	$31,044	$14.93
15	Sentry	$30,815	$14.81	6
16	LOBEL FINANCIAL	$30,623	$14.72
17	Mental Health Association Oklahoma	$30,584	$14.70	1
18	Marriott International	$30,562	$14.69	716
19	Randstad North America, Inc.	$30,538	$14.68	4
20	Colonial Williamsburg Foundation	$30,307	$14.57	3

Writing a front desk attendant job description
A good front desk attendant job description should include a few things:
- Summary of the role
- List of responsibilities
- Required skills and experience
Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a front desk attendant job description:
Front desk attendant job description example
Starting Wage $12.00+
Eligible for Associate Bonus Program

True North Hotel Group , an award-winning management and development company, is seeking a Front desk Associate to join our team at our TownePlace Suites in Leavenworth, Kansas . This family-owned organization has a uniquely remarkable culture and is conveniently headquartered in Overland Park, KS.

What do we have to offer? Excellent healthcare benefits, work-life balance (paid time off, flexibility, family atmosphere), 401k with matching, great team members and more!

So, what is the role and requirements? Looking for an individual who is attentive to detail, has a high interest in customer satisfaction and values communication.

RESPONSIBILITIES
- Greets guests and checks them into hotel, issuing room keys, directing guests to rooms and other areas.
- Responds to guest questions either in person or over the phone
- Fulfills guests’ needs, ensuring their stay is as enjoyable as possible; assists with dining, entertainment, and transportation reservations, as needed.
- Resolves guest problems/complaints
- Clerical duties including answering phone calls, taking messages, entering reservations, filing, photocopying, faxing, and mailing
QUALIFICATIONS
- High school diploma or general education degree (GED), or one to three months related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
- Must be able to move, lift, carry, push, pull and place objects weighing less than or equal to 50 pounds without assistance
We look forward to hearing from you!

True North is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or genetic information.
Post your job
To find front desk attendants 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 front desk attendants they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level front desk attendants 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 front desk attendant job on Zippia to find and recruit front desk attendant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Recruiting front 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.
Send a job offer and onboard your new front desk attendant
Once you have selected a candidate for the front 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.
To prepare for the new front desk attendant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.
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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How much does it cost to hire a front desk attendant?

Hiring a front desk attendant comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting front desk attendants involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of front desk attendant recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

Front desk attendants earn a median yearly salary is $26,874 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find front desk attendants for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $9 and $16.

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Updated December 20, 2025

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How to hire a front desk attendant