How to hire a front desk office assistant

How to hire a front desk office assistant, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a front desk office assistant, 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

   A front desk office assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, front desk office assistants 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.

   Here's a comparison of front desk office assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Front Desk Office Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Front Desk Office Assistant	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$9-22
   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 Clerk	Office clerks are administrative employees who handle clerical activities for the organization. They are in charge of managing company records, organizing and storing documents, filing and sorting hard copies of documents, and liaising with other departments or external partners... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Front Desk
   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Phone Calls
   • Data Entry
   • Appointment Scheduling
   • Patient Appointments
   • Insurance Verification
   • Word Processing
   • Telephone Calls
   • Multi-Line Phone System
   • Office Equipment
   • Clerical Support
   • HIPAA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage front-line customer service efforts and deliver maximum revenue generation by scheduling patients and maintaining substantial client database.
   • Enter patient demographics into EMR.
   • Track patient files records, and other information including entry of data into EMR.
   • Follow health center and departmental protocols for communication with patients and providers.
   • Respond to incoming patient calls, including conducting phone triage to determine necessity of scheduling appointments
   • Enhance student body knowledge by researching key facts to create educational PowerPoint slides to be publish throughout campus

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your front desk office assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A front desk office assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, front desk office assistants' average salary in new mexico is 47% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level front desk office assistants earn 57% less than senior-level front desk office assistants.
   • Certifications. A front desk office assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a front desk office assistant's salary.

   Average front desk office assistant salary

   $15.08hourly

   $31,361 yearly

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   Entry-level front desk office assistant salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a front desk office assistant job description

   A front desk office assistant 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 front desk office assistant job description:

   Front desk office assistant job description example

   This administrative position earns a competitive wage of $13 - $16/hr .We provide our full-time employees with fantastic benefits , including health, dental, vision, paid time off (PTO), a 401(k) with employer match, employee discounts, professional development assistance, and a flexible schedule. If this sounds like the right pet care opportunity for you, apply today!

   
   
   

   ABOUT PENN ANIMAL HOSPITAL

   For years, we've provided quality veterinary services to West Grove and the surrounding communities. As pet lovers ourselves, we recognize that today's owners are busy and that finding the time for a trip to the veterinarian isn't always convenient. Our goal is to provide the best of both worlds for our clients and their pets. We provide state-of-the-art pet healthcare, using the latest technology and techniques, in a way that's convenient and readily accessible for today's busy families. Every day, we promise to take the time each client needs and to go the extra mile for our patients.

   Our employees play a big role in the success of our practice, and for that, we thank them with benefits that strengthen both the body and the mind . Our team also enjoys real mentorship from people who have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt to prove it. Our employees thrive in our supportive culture and appreciate that our practice is big enough to provide great pay and perks but is still private and family-run . In our practice, you matter , and we hope you will join our team!

   A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST / VET OFFICE ASSISTANT

   As a Front Desk Receptionist / Vet Office Assistant, you are the friendly face of our clinic! You love animals and people, and you genuinely enjoy forming relationships with our clients and their pets. Your customer service background serves you well as you warmly greet people and pets, putting them at ease. Competent and efficient, you handle administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, maintaining records, and managing transactions. When conducting phone calls or sending emails, you communicate clearly and tactfully. Knowledgeable about the items we stock, you educate clients about products and process sales.

   Thanks to your keen organizational abilities, our animal hospital runs seamlessly. Detail-oriented and organized, you coordinate with laboratories and courier services to ensure samples are collected and delivered in a timely manner. Our doctors and technicians appreciate your positive nature and your willingness to lend a helping hand. You enjoy interacting with our clients and patients each day, and you feel great knowing that you play an important role in the success of our practice!

   QUALIFICATIONS FOR A FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST / VET OFFICE ASSISTANT

   • 1+ years of customer service experience
   • Experience with laboratory and clinical techniques, including familiarity with veterinary drugs, instruments, and surgical and anesthetic monitoring equipment
   • Proficiency with computers and the ability to use veterinary software
   • Ability to meet the physical demands of the job, including lifting up to 50 pounds
   • Resident of the Newark area OR willingness to relocate or reliably commute

   Do you have a strong work ethic? Can you remain calm and professional in emergency situations? Are you a good problem solver with sound judgment? If yes, you might just be perfect for this administrative position with our veterinary practice!

   WORK SCHEDULE FOR A FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST / VET OFFICE ASSISTANT

   We are looking for an administrative professional who is available to work a variety of shifts, including nights and occasional weekends .

   ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM?

   If you feel that you would be right for this job at our animal hospital, please fill out our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application . We look forward to meeting you!

   Location: 19390

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find front desk office assistants 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 office assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit front desk office assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with front desk office assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 front desk office assistant

   Once you've found the front desk office assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new front desk office assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

How much does it cost to hire a front desk office assistant?