How to hire an office receptionist

How to hire an office receptionist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step office receptionist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an office receptionist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new office receptionist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an office receptionist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your office receptionist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an office receptionist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An office receptionist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, office 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 shows salaries for various types of office receptionists.

   Type of Office Receptionist	Description	Hourly rate
   Office Receptionist	Receptionists perform administrative tasks, such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing general information about their organization to the public and customers.	$12-19
   Office Support Clerk	Office support clerks are professionals who provide clerical and administrative duties that support the daily activities of an organization's office setting. These clerks are required to answer incoming calls from clients while maintaining all office and cleaning supplies for the organization... Show more	$12-18
   Front Office Clerk	A front office clerk performs various administrative and secretarial duties, including welcoming and greeting clients and visitors, answering telephone calls, and managing the office budget. You will be responsible for monitoring, organizing, and forwarding emails and maintaining files and records... Show more	$12-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Phone Calls
   • Data Entry
   • Front Desk
   • Appointment Scheduling
   • HR
   • Office Equipment
   • Insurance Verification
   • Payroll
   • Office Procedures
   • Word Processing
   • Patient Appointments
   • Telephone Calls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Verify insurance information and manage medical records while ensuring confidentiality according to HIPAA requirements.
   • Answer phones, make copies, Microsoft, PowerPoint, scheduling, greet and interact with clients, filing and mailing.
   • Complete and audit payroll for accuracy.
   • Process payroll and monthly/quarterly sales tax liabilities.
   • Stock exam rooms, sterilize instruments and occasionally assist physician with patients.
   • Provide high-quality customer-service to patients by treating them respectfully and t with discretion.

   More office receptionist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, office receptionists' average salary in alabama is 46% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level office receptionists earn 34% less than senior-level office receptionists.
   • Certifications. An office 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 an office receptionist's salary.

   Average office receptionist salary

   $16.13hourly

   $33,554 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level office receptionist salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 16, 2026

   Average office receptionist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$42,309	$20
   2	Oregon	$42,270	$20
   3	District of Columbia	$39,954	$19
   4	New York	$38,948	$19
   5	Ohio	$38,881	$19
   6	California	$37,516	$18
   7	Illinois	$37,211	$18
   8	Montana	$36,300	$17
   9	Virginia	$35,730	$17
   10	Florida	$34,569	$17
   11	Colorado	$34,482	$17
   12	Utah	$34,345	$17
   13	Pennsylvania	$34,048	$16
   14	Missouri	$33,848	$16
   15	Iowa	$32,989	$16
   16	North Carolina	$32,620	$16
   17	Texas	$31,740	$15
   18	Georgia	$29,994	$14

   Average office receptionist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dairy Farmers of America	$42,690	$20.52	4
   2	Joy Corporation	$40,472	$19.46
   3	Ricoh	$36,641	$17.62	41
   4	Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc	$36,610	$17.60	14
   5	Claxton Hepburn	$36,524	$17.56	4
   6	MCR Health Inc	$36,384	$17.49
   7	UT Health San Antonio	$36,247	$17.43	6
   8	ProCare Systems	$36,088	$17.35	4
   9	Lake County	$36,084	$17.35	3
   10	Community Health Center	$35,941	$17.28	5
   11	Hartford Public Schools	$35,779	$17.20	8
   12	MTBC	$35,409	$17.02
   13	Arcadia Services, Inc	$35,322	$16.98
   14	Maricopa County	$34,731	$16.70
   15	Cave Creek Unified School District	$34,561	$16.62
   16	Lamar Advertising	$34,236	$16.46	1
   17	Heartland Dental	$34,146	$16.42	220
   18	Albemarle Hospital	$34,072	$16.38
   19	Circle International Inc	$34,059	$16.37
   20	IST Management	$33,948	$16.32	52

4. Writing an office receptionist job description

   An office 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 an office receptionist job description:

   Office receptionist job description example

   Pay is per $19.00-$22.71 hour depending on experience and education.

   Jefferson Hills:

   Jefferson Hills is a trail blazer in providing intensive residential programs since 1993. In 2011, we started our hospital alternative and child/youth crisis stabilization units. Through evidence-based practices and a therapeutic approach, we have served over 12,000 Colorado youth, ages 5-18 ½ in our CSU programs. Our multi-disciplinary team of psychiatrists, nurses, licensed clinicians, certified teachers, milieu counselors, teacher’s aides, and administrative personnel work together to meet the needs of our youth through New Vistas CSU and our day treatment program (Jefferson Hills Academy).

   Benefits:

   · Generous health, dental and vision plans for you and your family

   · Retirement investment option (403B) that we match up to 4% after one year

   · PTO plans start after your first month and increase the longer you stay

   · Free meals prepared by our wonderful dietary staff

   · Life insurance

   · Long term and short-term disability

   · Tuition reimbursement

   · Life Assistance Program

   · Ongoing professional development and learning

   Job Duties:

   · Work as a team to provide a structured and safe environment for each child/youth placed at our program.

   · Answer phones and often communicate with referral sources on available beds.

   · Sort through the mail and faxes that come through.

   · Greet clients and visitors.

   · Ensure each visitor has completed required documentation.

   · Order supplies and maintain the supply inventory.

   · Complete initial and on-going training.

   To be Considered:

   · Positive, patient, and empathetic

   · Strong documentation and communication skills

   · Healthy boundaries

   · Team player and adaptable

   · Motivated

   Education/Requirements

   · Associate’s degree and 3 years of administration work required.

   · Able to pass background checks and a drug test (including marijuana)

   · At least 21 years of age

   Jefferson Hills is an equal opportunity employer.

   COVID VACCINATION NOTICE: In accordance with Jefferson Hills’ duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, and in accordance with the Colorado State Board of Health’s Emergency Rules as a licensed facility with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), all new hires must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the time of hire or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption from Jefferson Hills prior to being hired to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and their families.

   Company DescriptionJefferson Hills provides a continuum of intensive services through inpatient, crisis stabilization, and Jefferson Hills Academy program (day treatment). All our programs focus on strengthening children, youth, and families through evidence based practices and data informed services. Safety, trauma informed care, family engagement, and hope are the cornerstones of all aspects of our care. Partnering with community providers, we link our services for aftercare and follow-up services.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right office receptionist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with office 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.

   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 office receptionist

   Once you've decided on a perfect office 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been 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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How much does it cost to hire an office receptionist?