Receptionist job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

10

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$38,010

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Receptionists and Information Clerks (O*NET-SOC 43-4171.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments. importance 4.7 of 5
2. Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations. importance 4.7 of 5
3. Receive payment and record receipts for services. importance 4.6 of 5
4. Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars. importance 4.4 of 5
5. Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine. importance 4.1 of 5
6. Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public. importance 4.1 of 5
7. File and maintain records. importance 4.1 of 5
8. Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided. importance 4.0 of 5
9. Collect, sort, distribute, or prepare mail, messages, or courier deliveries. importance 3.9 of 5
10. Perform duties, such as taking care of plants or straightening magazines to maintain lobby or reception area. importance 3.4 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Working with Computers, Getting Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates and Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Analyze data to determine answers to questions from customers or members of the public.
• Calculate and quote rates for tours, stocks, insurance policies, or other products or services.
• Keep a current record of staff members' whereabouts and availability.
• Schedule space or equipment for special programs and prepare lists of participants.
• Process and prepare memos, correspondence, travel vouchers, or other documents.
• Enroll individuals to participate in programs and notify them of their acceptance.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, English Language and Computers and Electronics.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Intuit QuickBooks. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a receptionist.

The most common answer among receptionists surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (49%).

Job title: Receptionist
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Receptionist to answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and employees within the organization.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
- Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
- Receive payment and record receipts for services.
- Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
- Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
- Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
- File and maintain records.
- Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in speaking, active listening and service orientation
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and Administrative
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $38,010 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $18.27. BLS estimates about 910,180 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Receptionists and Information Clerks to decline 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 105,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full receptionist salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real receptionist posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only receptionist work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (speaking and active listening); receptionist interview questions turns them into practice questions.