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How to hire a lead receptionist

Lead receptionist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring lead receptionists in the United States:

  • There are currently 894,558 lead receptionists in the US, as well as 20,684 job openings.
  • Lead receptionists are in the highest demand in San Ramon, CA, with 3 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a lead receptionist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new lead receptionist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a lead receptionist, step by step

To hire a lead receptionist, 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 lead receptionist:

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

    The lead 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?

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

    Type of Lead ReceptionistDescriptionHourly rate
    Lead ReceptionistReceptionists perform administrative tasks, such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing general information about their organization to the public and customers.$12-18
    Front Desk CoordinatorA Front-Desk Coordinator is the point of contact in a commercial establishment or building such as offices, clinics, salons, and even government agencies. The primary responsibility of a Front-Desk Coordinator is to greet and assist clients of their needs, such as filling-up registrations, appointing schedules, directing clients, and bridging information in a building... Show more$12-18
    GreeterA greeter is a person who greets and welcomes customers and clients into an establishment. Since their job mostly is to greet customers, greeters must possess a friendly and positive attitude... Show more$9-15
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Customer Service
    • Front Desk
    • Data Entry
    • Phone Calls
    • Appointment Scheduling
    • Telephone Calls
    • Clerical Support
    • Word Processing
    • Multi-Line Phone System
    • Patient Appointments
    • Insurance Verification
    • Administrative Tasks
    • Computer System
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
    • Supervise all medical records, both receiving & sending using HIPPA guidelines.
    • Maintain medical records according to HIPPA compliance, filing physician notes, etc.
    • Insert additional data and contact notes as necessary to keep medical records current through an EMR system.
    • Create quarterly client and prospect Powerpoint presentations.
    • Provide education materials and information to patients at wellness health fairs about breast cancer awareness.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your lead receptionist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A lead receptionist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, lead receptionists' average salary in alabama is 37% less than in minnesota.
    • Seniority. Entry-level lead receptionists earn 34% less than senior-level lead receptionists.
    • Certifications. A lead 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 lead receptionist's salary.

    Average lead receptionist salary

    $15.04hourly

    $31,289 yearly

    Entry-level lead receptionist salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026
  4. Writing a lead receptionist job description

    A lead 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 lead receptionist job description:

    Lead receptionist job description example

    US--

    Type: Regular Full-Time
    Multiple Locations - Portland Metro

    Overview

    Clinic patients arrive with questions, concerns and hesitations. You put them at ease with a calm and friendly demeanor that exemplifies the Legacy mission. Physicians and other staff know they can rely on you to provide the best possible patient experiences, which is why you'll have an opportunity to mentor others as you grow with Legacy.

    Primary responsibilities for this role include scheduling, insurance verification, registration, balancing of copay money, and balancing of daily or weekly deposits. This position serves as a resource for other staff, problem solves independently and is self-directed. Responsibilities as a lead may include workflow coordination, problem solving and creating staff schedules.

    This resource pool position may be required to work in Oregon and/or Washington. Specific work location requirements may be based on location where candidate lives and can be discussed further if granted an interview.



    Responsibilities

    CSS Duties :

    Greets members, patients, visitors and others and provides complete and meaningful information. Participates in ensuring patient's comfort and personal care activities.

    Schedules patient appointments

    Makes confirmation calls to patients

    Provides basic information to patients about the clinic, directions to buildings, etc.

    Creates new patient packets including letters to new patients.

    Checks in walk-in patients

    Pulls, files and locates necessary charts, as needed. Assists medical records clerks if necessary

    Enters appropriate data into computer systems and creates reports as necessary

    Performs complex insurance verification and pre-verification of insurance including eligibility checks and complex phone calls to insurance companies

    May perform a limited amount of coding and charge entry, including using E-chart, AS400 and other appropriate systems

    Performs other clerical duties as necessary including, but not limited to printing forms, photocopying, faxing, answering phones, sorting and delivering mail, and ordering office supplies

    COORDINATION :

    Oversees the daily work load of the CSS staff, including assignments, work flow, problem-solving, etc.

    Create the staff schedule, including coverage for vacations and sick days

    Facilitates communication amongst staff, providers and management

    Collaborates with other areas, site coordinators, departments and customers in problem solving and project management

    Coordinates orientation of new staff

    Coordinates with contract services

    May serve as the payroll timekeeper

    CUSTOMER SERVICE/QUALITY :

    Addresses patient issues including inappropriate behavior, complaints and care concerns, following up as needed

    Prepares reports and monitors departmental success towards given targets and objectives

    LEADERSHIP :

    Assists manager with performance appraisals

    Identifies and initiates counseling regarding performance issues, notifying manager as appropriate

    Identifies staff needs and arranges in services/education as indicated

    Assists with the hiring process

    Plans and leads meetings, and participates in work groups and task forces as identified and negotiated with manager

    Assists with development and implementation of new and existing procedures and guidelines



    Qualifications

    Experience: A minimum of three years of progressively more responsible health care experience or equivalent education in at least one of the following areas required:

    • Admitting
    • Medical Records/Health Information
    • Applicable clerical support experience

    Skills: Communications skills. Basic computer/data entry skills. Work efficiently with minimal supervision, exercising independent judgment within stated guidelines.

    LEGACY'S VALUES IN ACTION:

    Follows guidelines set forth in Legacy's Values in Action.

    Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled



    PI193359614

  5. Post your job

    To find the right lead receptionist 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 lead receptionists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lead receptionists 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 lead receptionist job on Zippia to find and recruit lead receptionist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting lead receptionists 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.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead receptionist

    Once you have selected a candidate for the lead receptionist 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead receptionist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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How much does it cost to hire a lead receptionist?

There are different types of costs for hiring lead receptionists. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new lead receptionist employee.

The median annual salary for lead receptionists is $31,289 in the US. However, the cost of lead receptionist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a lead receptionist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $18 an hour.

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