A receptionist works at a front desk of an organization and is responsible for being the first to interact with customers as well as assist senior staff members in the completion of various clerical and administrative tasks. They receive visitors by greeting them at the front desk, directing them to the appropriate offices and appointments, and announcing them to fellow employees. The receptionist also receives and sorts daily mail, maintains office security, and arranges meetings, travel plans, and accomadations.
How To Become a Receptionist
Summary. We reviewed real candidate profiles to learn the best path to become a receptionist. We'll guide you through the education, experiences, and skills hiring managers look for in a receptionist.
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It's important to have relevant work experience, with typical job requirements ranging from 1-2 years in related fields.
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Common job titles before becoming a receptionist include cashier, sales associate, and customer service representative.
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Hiring managers expect a receptionist to have soft skills such as communication skills, computer skills, and customer-service skills.
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Once you have all the required skills and experience, it takes an average of less than 1 month of job training to become a receptionist.
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Getting a certification as a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) will help you to earn more as a receptionist.
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To become a receptionist, you typically do not need formal education.
We've found that 28.3% of receptionists have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 1.9% earned their master's degrees before becoming a receptionist. While it's true that some receptionists have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every three receptionists did not spend the extra money to attend college.
The receptionists who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and health care administration, while a small population of receptionists studied psychology and general studies.
How to become a Receptionist in 5 steps:
- Step 1: Explore receptionist education
- Step 2: Develop receptionist skills
- Step 3: Complete relevent training/internship
- Step 4: Research receptionist duties
- Step 5: Prepare your resume
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Key Steps To Become a Receptionist
Explore Receptionist Education
If you're interested in becoming a receptionist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 28.3% of receptionists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 1.9% of receptionists have master's degrees. Even though some receptionists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Develop Receptionist Skills
It'll be a good idea to develop receptionist skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in receptionist job descriptions:
Skills Percentages Patients 16.99% Phone Calls 13.80% Customer Service 8.91% Data Entry 8.87% Telephone Calls 8.39% Complete Relevent Training/Internship
Receptionists spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new receptionists learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time it takes to gain competency as a receptionist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real receptionist resumes.
Average Amount Of Time At Training
Research Receptionist Duties
When you decide to become a receptionist, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most receptionist jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:
- Manage invoicing with QuickBooks, taking customer calls and helping with any issues, parts and equipment delivery/pickup/ordering.
- Manage multiple employee/resident databases utilizing an EMR system.
- Verify insurance information and manage medical records while ensuring confidentiality according to HIPAA requirements.
- Manage desk operations for the YMCA, organizing and documenting members' payments and collating operational documents
- Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
- Bill patients for medical services provide by various doctors using ICD-9 and CPT-4 coding.
Prepare Your Resume
Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Receptionist Resume templates
Build a professional Receptionist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Receptionist resume.Apply For a Receptionist Job
Receptionist Jobs
Becoming a Receptionist FAQs
How To Get A Receptionist Job
To get a receptionist job, you must craft your resume, determine whether you have the right soft skills, present yourself well, and be organized enough to answer the phone, schedule appointments, and deal with clients.
What Should I Study To Become A Receptionist?
To be a receptionist, you should study skills like typing, email communication, and customer service. Some jobs might require you to have completed an educational program related to office administration or that you hold a certificate in various computer programs.
Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.