How to hire a front desk host

How to hire a front desk host, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the front desk host you need to hire. Certain front desk host roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect front desk host also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents front desk host salaries for various positions.

   Type of Front Desk Host	Description	Hourly rate
   Front Desk Host	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$12-17
   Room Service Server	A room service server is an employee employed in a hotel or lodging to provide various services to the room occupants in the hotel. They often deliver ordered food, drinks, or movies to the occupants' rooms... Show more	$8-18
   Host/Hostess	In a restaurant setting, a host/hostess serves as the clients' primary point of contact as they enter the premises. They mostly greet and welcome clients, process reservations, and assist by escorting them to their tables, providing them menus, and responding to any inquiries or concerns... Show more	$9-15

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Front Desk
   • Cleanliness
   • Greeting Guests
   • Hotel Services
   • Front Door
   • Merchandise Sales
   • Reservations
   • Wine
   • Phone Calls
   • Customer Service
   • Cash Handling
   • Guest Service
   • Credit Card
   • Guest Issues

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
   • Skil with scanners and cash registers, particularly POS machines.
   • Review arrivals, noting special requests and blocking rooms as necessary for VIP members and group check-ins.
   • Cashier, operate POS system, fax, handle multiple phone lines, and transfer calls to appropriate division.
   • Serve as resource for guests: make reservations and answer any questions in person, over the phone or via e-mail.
   • Coordinate all daily incoming calls and assist customers with reservations and room location.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, front desk hosts' average salary in oklahoma is 51% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level front desk hosts 32% less than senior-level front desk hosts.
   • Certifications. A front desk host 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 host's salary.

   Average front desk host salary

   $14.94hourly

   $31,080 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level front desk host salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a front desk host job description

   A job description for a front desk host 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 front desk host job description:

   Front desk host job description example

   Job DescriptionWe are currently looking for someone to work 15 hours a week. These shifts would include two night shifts during the week and one weekend afternoon of your choosing!
   
   The Front Desk employee is the face of the club; you are the person a member sees when he or she first walks
   
   into the club. It is important that this person has a positive, upbeat personality with great communication ability. The Front Desk employee wears many hats and should be able to multi task between answering phone calls, making a Retro Smoothies and assisting customers. Ideal candidates for the Front Desk position will possess the following:
   A positive upbeat personality. Effective ability to communicate with customers, coworkers and managers. The ability to multitask. Customer service oriented. Punctual, responsible and detail oriented. CPR/AED training preferred. Prior experience in a retail setting is preferred.
   
   Responsibilities of the Front Desk include but not limited to:
   
   Greeting and checking in members as they come in. Resolving customer issues in an effective manner. Membership sales and retention. Following up with prospects. Selling in store merchandise such as Retro Smoothies cooler drinks, pro shop items etc. Ensuring a safe and clean health club environment for members and staff. Opening and closing the facility if scheduled. Following company policies and procedures.
   
   All Front Desk employees are to wear company staff shirt along with either khaki pants or black athletic pant. Sneakers must be worn. No boots, heals or sandals. Front Desk staff should be well groomed and neat.
   
   Opening employees are required to be at club 15 minutes prior to the clubs opening time. This is to ensure all items on the Opening Checklist are performed before the clubs scheduled opening time. Closing employees are to close at the established time. Employees should not count money until all members have left the facility and the doors are locked.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find front desk hosts for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting front desk hosts 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 front desk host

   Once you've selected the best front desk host 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.

   To prepare for the new front desk host 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.

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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