Receptionists are employees assigned at the entrances or lobbies of offices. They welcome guests, check identification, issue visitor badges, attend to questions or inquiries, and direct guests to where they are supposed to go. They also receive general mail or packages, answer calls, and manage schedules. Receptionists perform various clerical or administrative functions as assigned by their supervisors. They should have good client relations skills.

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Receptionist Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real receptionist resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • 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.
  • Answer student, alumni, and employer questions.
  • Develop new procedures to help ensure the desk run smoothly.
  • Use ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS coding references to code medical diagnoses and procedures.
  • Act as reliable DePaul resource by answering inquiries from students, parents, and other public.
  • Assist providers with information referring to processes, procedures, data elements, ICD-9 and CPT-4 codes.
  • Verify identification of those entering the building and act as a safeguard to the DePaul dormitory residents.
  • Schedule appointments -check patients in -Sent out patient invoices and EOB's to insurance carriers -work in medical records
  • Perform receptionist relate duties requiring the operation of a multi line international telephone system (PBX) and facsimile.
  • Assist guests with hotel check-in, reservations, breakfast, cleaning, and any other duties request by manager.

Receptionist Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a receptionist does, you may be wondering, "should I become a receptionist?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, receptionists have a growth rate described as "as fast as average" at 5% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of receptionist opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 59,300.

On average, the receptionist annual salary is $30,571 per year, which translates to $14.7 an hour. Generally speaking, receptionists earn anywhere from $24,000 to $38,000 a year, which means that the top-earning receptionists make $11,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a receptionist. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a support clerk, clerk, front office clerk, and office clerk.

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Receptionist Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 17% of Receptionists are proficient in Patients, Phone Calls, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Customer-service skills.

We break down the percentage of Receptionists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 17%

    Notified and supported patients with abnormal test results- scheduled follow-up testing and referrals to physicians.

  • Phone Calls, 14%

    Received and directed telephone calls and relayed conversations and pertinent messages, while maintaining accuracy, clarity, and confidentiality.

  • Customer Service, 9%

    Greeted customers/clients, provided quality customer service by answering customer inquiries, describing package of selected massage package.

  • Data Entry, 9%

    Completed general clerical duties including data entry and filing; operated office machinery.

  • Telephone Calls, 8%

    Directed office callers by answering telephone calls from customers; determined nature of business and directed callers to appropriate destination.

  • Front Desk, 8%

    Managed demanding front desk office, executed patient management, scheduled and maintained patient appointments.

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"patients," "phone calls," and "customer service" aren't the only skills we found receptionists list on their resumes. In fact, there's a whole list of receptionist responsibilities that we found, including:

  • The most important skills for a receptionist to have in this position are communication skills. In this excerpt that we gathered from a receptionist resume, you'll understand why: "receptionists must speak and write clearly when providing information and corresponding with customers." According to resumes we found, communication skills can be used by a receptionist in order to "focused on providing exceptional customer service to salon clientele including appointment scheduling, phone and email communication and register transactions. "
  • Another commonly found skill for being able to perform receptionist duties is the following: computer skills. According to a receptionist resume, "receptionists should be adept at using computers." Check out this example of how receptionists use computer skills: "sell memberships and products, appointment scheduling, customer interactions, clerical duties including answering phones and entering information into computer. "
  • Receptionists are also known for customer-service skills, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a receptionist resume: "receptionists represent the organization, so they should be courteous, professional, and helpful to customers and the public." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "provided customer service activities including greeting customers, provide doctor referrals, and appointment scheduling. "
  • In order for certain receptionist responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "integrity." According to a receptionist resume, "receptionists may handle confidential data, especially in medical and legal offices" As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "sorted and distributed inter or intra departmental/unit mail and courier deliveries.interim business office manager maintained resident trust fund accounts. "
  • As part of the receptionist description, you might find that one of the skills that might be helpful to the job is "interpersonal skills." A receptionist resume included this snippet: "receptionists should be comfortable interacting with people in different types of situations." This skill could be useful in this scenario: "greeted customers answered telephones scheduled appointments multi-tasked data entry exceptional interpersonal skills"
  • Lastly, this career requires you to be skillful in "organizational skills." According to receptionist resumes, "receptionists take messages, schedule appointments, and maintain employee files." This resume example highlights how receptionist responsibilities rely on this skill: "experienced organizational skills computer literate, including skills in e-mail communication, and word processing. "
  • See the full list of receptionist skills.

    Before becoming a receptionist, 28.3% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 1.9% receptionists went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some receptionists have a college degree. But about one out of every three receptionists didn't attend college at all.

    Those receptionists who do attend college, typically earn either a business degree or a health care administration degree. Less commonly earned degrees for receptionists include a psychology degree or a general studies degree.

    Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become a receptionist. We've found that most receptionist resumes include experience from Robert Half, Jetro Cash & Carry, and Genesis HealthCare. Of recent, Robert Half had 194 positions open for receptionists. Meanwhile, there are 132 job openings at Jetro Cash & Carry and 116 at Genesis HealthCare.

    If you're interested in companies where receptionists make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at Gensler, Cornerstone Research, and The PNC Financial Services Group. We found that at Gensler, the average receptionist salary is $45,965. Whereas at Cornerstone Research, receptionists earn roughly $43,642. And at The PNC Financial Services Group, they make an average salary of $43,079.

    View more details on receptionist salaries across the United States.

    We also looked into companies who hire receptionists from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Michigan State University, H&R; Block, and Marquette University.

    The three companies that hire the most prestigious receptionists are:

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    What Support Clerks Do

    A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also update databases, maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a support clerk, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure efficient and smooth workplace operations.

    In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take support clerk for example. On average, the support clerks annual salary is $4,588 higher than what receptionists make on average every year.

    While the salaries between these two careers can be different, they do share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both receptionists and support clerks positions are skilled in patients, customer service, and data entry.

    As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a receptionist responsibility requires skills such as "phone calls," "appointment scheduling," "direct calls," and "greeting visitors." Whereas a support clerk is skilled in "medical terminology," "patient care," "inventory control," and "provide clerical support." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

    Support clerks tend to make the most money in the government industry by averaging a salary of $35,567. In contrast, receptionists make the biggest average salary of $31,030 in the finance industry.

    On average, support clerks reach similar levels of education than receptionists. Support clerks are 1.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of a Clerk?

    Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.

    The next role we're going to look at is the clerk profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $592 higher salary than receptionists per year.

    A similarity between the two careers of receptionists and clerks are a few of the skills associated with both roles. We used resumes from both professions to find that both use skills like "customer service," "data entry," and "telephone calls. "

    In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, receptionist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "patients," "phone calls," "appointment scheduling," and "multi-line phone system." Meanwhile, a clerk might be skilled in areas such as "basic math," "math," "cleanliness," and "pos." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

    It's been discovered that clerks earn higher salaries compared to receptionists, but we wanted to find out where clerks earned the most pay. The answer? The health care industry. The average salary in the industry is $31,380. Additionally, receptionists earn the highest paychecks in the finance with an average salary of $31,030.

    When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than receptionists. In fact, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How a Front Office Clerk Compares

    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. Other duties include following company policies and procedures, organizing transportation for guests, and handling and resolving guest complaints. In addition, you will also be responsible for invoicing and billing guests for their stay and used services.

    The front office clerk profession generally makes a higher amount of money when compared to the average salary of receptionists. The difference in salaries is front office clerks making $480 higher than receptionists.

    By looking over several receptionists and front office clerks resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "patients," "customer service," and "data entry." But beyond that the careers look very different.

    Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from receptionist resumes include skills like "phone calls," "greeting visitors," "hr," and "collating," whereas a front office clerk might be skilled in "check-in," "patient care," "hipaa," and "hotel services. "

    Additionally, front office clerks earn a higher salary in the government industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $32,238. Additionally, receptionists earn an average salary of $31,030 in the finance industry.

    When it comes to education, front office clerks tend to earn similar education levels than receptionists. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of an 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. They are also in charge of handling and scheduling meetings and appointments, managing the reservation of office meeting rooms, and manning telephone lines. Office clerks may also be in charge of ordering office supplies, preparing purchase requisitions for office needs, sending out and receiving official company documents, and other correspondences.

    Now, we'll look at office clerks, who generally average a higher pay when compared to receptionists annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $356 per year.

    While both receptionists and office clerks complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer service, data entry, and telephone calls, the two careers also vary in other skills.

    Each job requires different skills like "patients," "phone calls," "appointment scheduling," and "greeting visitors," which might show up on a receptionist resume. Whereas office clerk might include skills like "payroll," "office machines," "scheduling appointments," and "purchase orders."

    Office clerks earn a higher salary in the transportation industry with an average of $31,504. Whereas, receptionists earn the highest salary in the finance industry.

    In general, office clerks reach similar levels of education when compared to receptionists resumes. Office clerks are 0.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What a Receptionist Does FAQs

    How To Be A Good Receptionist

    To be a good receptionist, you should be organized, personable, and reliable. Receptionists are critical for a business's daily operations to run smoothly. Receptionists have many moving parts, so it is crucial to find a solid organizational method to keep everything where it should be.

    What Are The Duties Of A Receptionist?

    The main duties of a receptionist are to receive visitors, answer phone calls, manage mail, do clerical work, organize meetings, and provide secretarial support.

    Receive Visitors

    • greet visitors appropriately

    • determine visitor needs in a professional manner

    • maintain visitor register

    • offer refreshments to visitors where appropriate

    • direct visitors to the correct person

    • ensure back up when absent from reception desk

    What Are The Qualifications For A Receptionist?

    There are no specific qualifications for being a receptionist. At a minimum, a high school or GED will suffice.

    However, unless you know someone, it may be hard for you to land a job as a receptionist, as you will need to have some work experience. However, If you have a bachelor's degree, you may be hired with minimal work experience. It doesn't matter if the past jobs involved receptionist duties.

    Why Should We Hire You For A Receptionist?

    You answer, "why should we hire you for a receptionist," by focusing on proving your worth to the company and highlighting your qualifications that match the job requirements. According to an HR consulting firm, it costs approximately $30,000 to replace a staff member. To that end, your answer needs to show why you are worth it.

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