Job description template
Receptionist Job Description
Receptionist job description template with receptionist duties, skills and requirements, plus variants for medical, dental, legal and hotel front desks.
The role in brief
A receptionist is the first point of contact for an organisation: they greet visitors, answer and route calls and emails, manage appointments and check-ins, and keep the front desk and reception area running. Most receptionists learn the job on the job, and employers usually look for strong communication, customer service and organisation skills rather than formal qualifications. In the UK and Australia the role is also called front of house or front desk; medical, dental, legal and hotel receptionists add sector-specific duties such as patient registration, confidentiality rules or guest check-in.
- Greet visitors, clients and patients, check them in and direct them to the right person or area
- Answer, screen and route phone calls, and manage the shared email inbox and messages
- Book, confirm and reschedule appointments and meeting rooms in the scheduling system
- Issue visitor passes and follow the building's sign-in, security and safety procedures
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Applying for a role like this? Practise the assessment free →Responsibilities
- Greet visitors, clients and patients, check them in and direct them to the right person or area
- Answer, screen and route phone calls, and manage the shared email inbox and messages
- Book, confirm and reschedule appointments and meeting rooms in the scheduling system
- Issue visitor passes and follow the building's sign-in, security and safety procedures
- Handle incoming and outgoing post and deliveries
- Keep the reception area tidy, stocked and presentable
- Update records, contact lists and files, and protect confidential information
- Take payments or process simple billing where the role requires it, such as in clinics or salons
- Support the office team with ad hoc administration such as data entry, document preparation and ordering supplies
Required skills
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Nice to have
Qualifications
- 1Secondary school education or equivalent; further qualifications are not usually required
- 2Previous experience in reception, customer service, hospitality or administration preferred
- 3For medical or legal receptionists, experience with patient or client confidentiality preferred
Work environment
Work environment
Career growth
Receptionists often move into office administrator, secretary or administrative assistant, office manager, practice manager or personal assistant roles.
Common questions
What are the duties of a receptionist?
Core receptionist duties are greeting and checking in visitors, answering and routing calls, managing appointments, handling post and deliveries, keeping reception tidy and doing light administration such as filing and data entry.
What qualifications does a receptionist need?
Usually none beyond a secondary school education. Employers look for communication, customer service and organisation skills, and most receptionists are trained on the job.
How is a medical receptionist job description different?
Medical and dental receptionists also register patients, collect personal and insurance details, manage appointment books and recalls, and may take payments. Because they handle health information, add the confidentiality and data protection rules that apply where you operate.
Is a front desk or front of house role the same as a receptionist?
Largely, yes. Front desk is common in the US and in hotels; front of house is common in the UK and Australia, and in hospitality can also include hosting and guest service duties. List the actual duties so candidates know which version you mean.
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