How to hire a front desk receptionist

How to hire a front desk receptionist, step by step

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

What does a front desk receptionist do?

Post a front desk receptionist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Type of Front Desk Receptionist	Description	Hourly rate
   Front Desk Receptionist	Receptionists perform administrative tasks, such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing general information about their organization to the public and customers.	$11-18
   Receptionist/Customer Service	Receptionists or customer service professionals are considered as the first contact point of the clients. They usually greet and welcome guests visiting an office or organization... Show more	$12-17
   Receptionist/Billing Clerk	A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Check-In
   • Phone Calls
   • Reservations
   • Customer Service
   • Appointment Scheduling
   • Patient Appointments
   • Office Equipment
   • Insurance Verification
   • Patient Charts
   • Computer System
   • EMR
   • Patient Demographics
   • Telephone Calls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Accomplish computer work using a PMS system; OperaXpress.
   • Collect and distribute mail and packages, prepare FedEx shipments and manage online postage machine.
   • Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic
   • Acquire knowledge of ICD-9 and CPT codes and achieve up-to-date knowledge of medical record practices, standards, and regulations.
   • Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
   • Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.

   More front desk receptionist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, front desk receptionists' average salary in south carolina is 41% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level front desk receptionists earn 38% less than senior-level front desk receptionists.
   • Certifications. A front desk receptionist 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 receptionist's salary.

   Average front desk receptionist salary

   $14.93hourly

   $31,050 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level front desk receptionist salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average front desk receptionist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$41,715	$20
   2	Oregon	$39,020	$19
   3	California	$38,829	$19
   4	District of Columbia	$37,216	$18
   5	New York	$36,188	$17
   6	Massachusetts	$35,835	$17
   7	Maine	$34,368	$17
   8	Minnesota	$34,295	$16
   9	Colorado	$33,724	$16
   10	Illinois	$32,836	$16
   11	Wisconsin	$32,708	$16
   12	Arizona	$32,020	$15
   13	Virginia	$31,118	$15
   14	Nevada	$30,524	$15
   15	Texas	$29,975	$14
   16	Pennsylvania	$29,579	$14
   17	Indiana	$29,546	$14
   18	New Mexico	$28,929	$14
   19	North Carolina	$28,401	$14
   20	Ohio	$27,989	$13

   Average front desk receptionist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SightMD	$44,106	$21.20	1
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$41,017	$19.72
   3	Tesoro	$39,246	$18.87
   4	Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy	$39,135	$18.81
   5	Rosin Eyecare	$39,042	$18.77
   6	Waters	$38,877	$18.69
   7	Community Health Connections	$38,766	$18.64	6
   8	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$38,050	$18.29
   9	eyecarecenter	$37,901	$18.22	1
   10	Long Island, FQHC, Inc	$37,894	$18.22	1
   11	New York Eye	$37,498	$18.03
   12	Ortho Montana	$37,280	$17.92	4
   13	Open Advanced MRI	$37,174	$17.87
   14	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$36,972	$17.77
   15	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$36,612	$17.60
   16	PROLIM	$36,513	$17.55
   17	Gastro Health	$36,503	$17.55	28
   18	Treasure Coast Community Health	$35,992	$17.30	1
   19	Clinica Sierra Vista	$35,954	$17.29	5
   20	Susquehanna International Group	$35,839	$17.23	2

4. Writing a front desk receptionist job description

   A front desk receptionist 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a front desk receptionist job description:

   Front desk receptionist job description example

   Front Desk Receptionist NHC HealthCare Bluffton is looking for an enthusiastic and friendly Receptionist to join our team . The ideal candidate will be able to create a great first impression for our customers, be able to interact professionally, have excellent organizational skills, be flexible, be able to learn new tasks and provide excellent customer service while multi- tasking numerous calls and responding to the needs of our customers. Position Highlights : Greet and assist visitors. Answer telephone in a pleasant clear voice, using proper English. Screen or transfer calls, taking and delivering messages when appropriate. Type correspondence as approved by Administrator, to include but not limited to, minutes of meetings and center newsletter. Complete and assemble admission package. Receipt all monies for the General Account and the Patient Trust Fund Account in their respective receipt books. Sell meal tickets to employees and visitors, keeping control and account of all monies. Make petty cash disbursements from Patient Trust Fund, keeping accurate records of each transaction. File various documents. Sort, open and date mail at Administrator's discretion. Make disbursement from the general petty cash fund. Dispense paychecks in sealed envelopes. Handle employee insurance claim forms, workers' compensation forms, and incident reports under the direction of the Administrator. Understand and follow Company and Center policies and procedures. Other duties as assigned from time to time. Qualifications: Prior experience performing receptionist duties and healthcare experience preferred Must be able to provide excellent customer service while multi-tasking numerous calls and responding to the needs of customers visiting our healthcare center Must have high school diploma or equivalent. Why NHC?
   We offer a culture of recognition, empowerment, and fun. At NHC, we are all partners (employees) in a family -oriented work atmosphere where growth and opportunities are promoted. We provide competitive compensation with performance wage rate increases. Benefits
   Earned Time Off
   Holiday Incentive Pay
   Health, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance
   401k with generous company contributions
   Competitive Pay
   Tuition Reimbursement Opportunities
   Advancement Opportunities Work Location:
   NHC HealthCare Bluffton
   3039 Okatie Highway
   Okatie, SC 29909 If you are interested in working for a leader in senior care, share NHC's values of honesty and integrity, and have a heart for the geriatric patient, please apply today and find out more about us at nhccare.com/locations/bluffton/ EOE

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find front desk receptionists 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 receptionists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level front desk receptionists 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 receptionist job on Zippia to find and recruit front desk receptionist 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 receptionist 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 receptionist

   Once you've decided on a perfect front desk receptionist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a front desk receptionist?