How to hire a front office specialist

How to hire a front office specialist, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a front office specialist, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a front office specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a front office specialist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of front office specialists.

   Type of Front Office Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Front Office Specialist	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$11-19
   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:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Medical Terminology
   • Check-In
   • Patient Care
   • Telephone Calls
   • CPT
   • Data Entry
   • ICD-9
   • Cash Management
   • Patient Demographics
   • Patient Check
   • Safety Rules
   • Office Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage correspondence and documentation for OSHA compliance and hold some accounts payable responsibilities by coding invoices for processing and payment.
   • Present necessary medical information, such as researching and applying CPT and ICD-9 codes.
   • Code and post the patient encounters in accordance to ICD-9 regulations.
   • Maintain patient insurances and medical records in accordance with company and HIPPA guidelines.
   • Bill insurance companies for office visits and procedures using ICD 9 and CPT coding.
   • Keep close contact with Medicaid/Insurance companies, via email/phone and make sure all records are meet under HIPPA requirements.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, front office specialists' average salary in new mexico is 46% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level front office specialists 41% less than senior-level front office specialists.
   • Certifications. A front office specialist 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 office specialist's salary.

   Average front office specialist salary

   $15.24hourly

   $31,707 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level front office specialist salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a front office specialist job description

   A front office specialist 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 office specialist job description:

   Front office specialist job description example

   A nonexempt position responsible for greeting and directing patients, checking patients in and out, answering the telephone, data entry of patient demographic information and other administrative duties in support of the front office operations.
   JOB FUNCTIONS :
   Greets incoming and outgoing patients and visitors with a warm and friendly welcome. Answers the telephones by the third ring in a friendly, professional manner. Takes complete and accurate messages with the current date and time and delivers messages to the appropriate party as soon as possible. Schedules patient appointments for each physician, using their individual protocols. When booking a new patient appointment, sends a new patient information packet. At patient check-in, completes and or updates patient information in chart for the medical assistant; checks authorizations and scans into patient account; accepts co-payments; makes copy of insurance information/card, and; follows "Red Flag" policy confirming patient's identification, including taking patient's photo and verifying two forms of patient identification. At patient check-out, schedules any follow-up appointments with providers. Maintains, cleans and organizes the patient reception area as needed. Ensures video loop in waiting area is running. Performs data entry of patient demographics, referrals and billing information Sorts and distributes incoming faxes and mail. Balances cash drawer daily and prepares daily deposit. Maintains cash log records for manager's review. Makes patient confirmation calls as directed. Documents "no shows" in PCIS system and in the patient's chart. Calls or sends "no show" letter per office policy and retains copy of letter for patient's chart. Inventories and stocks office supplies. May be assigned referral coordination duties Provides back-up assistance to other office staff members and performs other administrative duties as assigned
   
   Requirements
   
   Education:
   High school diploma or equivalent. Completion of a medical front office assistant program preferred.
   Experience:
   Minimum One-two year's work-related experience. One year in a medical office preferred.
   Performance Requirements:
   Knowledge: Knowledge of medical terminology. Basic knowledge of MS Office, Word and Excel. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Skills: Skill in using computer programs and applications. Abilities: Ability to use multi-line phone system, including transferring calls. Ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Ability to speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard and understood by callers and patients. Ability to establish effective working relationships with patients, employees, physicians and the public.
   Physical Requirements:
   Involves sitting approximately 80 percent of the day, walking or standing the remainder. Some bending, stooping and must be able to lift up to 35 pounds. Ability to assist patients from a sitting position to exam room and/or exam table.
   Equipment Operated:
   Standard office equipment including computers, fax machines, copiers, printers, telephone systems, etc.
   Work Environment:
   Position is in a well-lighted office environment.
   Safety:
   All employees are responsible for complying with safe and healthful work practices as outlined in CCFMG's Employee Safety and Injury and Illness Prevention Program and policies and procedures specific to their department needs.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right front office specialist 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 front office specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit front office specialists 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 front office specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit front office specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit front office specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 office specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the front office specialist 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 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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