How To Become a Receptionist in 2024

Becoming a Receptionist (also known as a Front Desk Agent) is a great way to start your career in hospitality. In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to land a job as a Receptionist.

The average salary for Receptionists in the United States is $36,590 per year. In certain areas, such as California and the District of Columbia, the average salary can go up to $43,000 per year or higher, depending on your experience and the establishment you work at.

How To Become a Receptionist With No Previous Experience

The job of a Receptionist is to greet customers and pick up the phone when people call to make a reservation or ask questions regarding a service.

As such, they play an important role in making a good first impression on visitors and helping them with any inquiries they may have.

But what if you are interested in pursuing a career as a Receptionist yet you have no experience in this role? 

In this article, we discuss how to become a Receptionist with no experience. It comes with a step-by-step guide to help increase your chances of landing the Receptionist job you want.

Here are seven steps that will help increase your chances of getting a job as a Receptionist, even if you have not worked in this role before.

1. Get Your High School Diploma or GED 

Becoming a Receptionist doesn’t require any formal qualifications. If you have a high school diploma or GED, you’re halfway there. 

Most employers don’t require you to have any higher formal education and are mainly interested in your interpersonal skills and your ability to do the job.

2. Develop Interpersonal Skills

As already mentioned, having interpersonal skills is essential for working as a Receptionist. After all, you’ll be dealing with people for the majority of your workday, whether that’s in person or through the phone. 

For that reason alone, knowing how to communicate and collaborate effectively is essential. 

If your interpersonal skills are lacking and you want to improve them, you can do so by watching YouTube videos. Then, practice in front of a mirror or with friends and family.

Below is a video that explains what makes a great Receptionist. This will give you a better idea about the importance of the Receptionist role, how having the right attitude separates good Receptionists from bad ones and how to excel at the job.

3. Understand What a Receptionist Does

Get familiar with the job duties of a Receptionist. Some of the most common job duties of Receptionists are:

• Greeting and welcoming guests
• Providing guests with general information
• Answering calls and questions and forwarding calls
• Scheduling appointments and meetings
• Keeping track of schedules
• Other administrative tasks

It’s important to understand what the role entails so you can make a well-informed decision about whether becoming a Receptionist is the right career path for you.

4. Review Common Interview Questions for Receptionists

If you’ve decided that the Receptionist career path is right for you, great! 

But before you start sending out job applications, make sure you get an idea of how interviews for Receptionists go. 

To help you prepare, we’ll list some of the most commonly asked interview questions:

• Why are you interested in this role?
• What are the skills that qualify you as a Receptionist?
• How do you stay organized in a fast-paced environment?
• How do you prioritize tasks?
• How good are your computer-related skills?
• How do you ensure a positive work environment for guests as a Receptionist?

To find sample answers to these questions and more, see our Receptionist interview question and example answers article.

5. Consider Applying for Receptionist Internships First

This is more of an optional step that could help you in your journey. 

If you aren’t confident in your abilities to hold a full-time Receptionist job or you aren’t sure it’s the right career path for you, you can always apply for internship opportunities. 

Going through an internship will help you get some hands-on experience that you can later add to your resume. 

6. Create a Receptionist Resume and Cover Letter

Putting together a good resume can go a long way in ensuring you get the job you’re applying for. But what makes a good resume? 

Well, the resume needs to be concise. That means it should be an easy-to-read, one-page summary specifically tailored to the position you’re applying for. 

Assuming you have no relevant work experience, you should list your educational background and soft skills that can translate well to the Receptionist role. Additionally, you can include your computer skills, such as Microsoft Office and the ability to create and send faxes and use printers.

If you have previously done secretarial or administrative tasks for, say, school clubs or events then you can add these to your resume as well. 

While not every employer will ask for a cover letter, it’s still a good idea to have one just in case. We have a great article detailing how to write a cover letter, with example cover letters that can help you write yours.

7. Apply for as Many Receptionist Jobs as Possible

Let’s be honest — landing your first job may take a while. Some employers just don’t want to give the opportunity to someone with no experience, and that’s completely fine. It’s important to not get discouraged along the way. 

Apply for as many Receptionist jobs in your area as you can. Take every interview as an opportunity to learn about the role, what employers want and to improve your interpersonal skills, which you will need down the line anyway. 

How To Become a Good Receptionist: Tips and Tricks

Here are a few simple tips that will help you become a good Receptionist:

Be Open to Learning

The Receptionist role requires learning on the job. Every company has its unique company policies, guidelines on how to interact with customers, software and so on. 

Ask your supervisor or employer about what success looks like in this role along with a list of primary responsibilities. 

Overall, be open to learning as you go along. 

Practice Active Listening

Active listening is a big part of the job. You’ll be interacting with customers and colleagues for the majority of your workday. 

Here are a few tips to help you be a better active listener:

• Focus on the speaker.
• Nod to acknowledge that what they said is understood.
• Summarize and repeat what they said to ensure understanding.

Pro tip: Write down as much information as you can catch to make sure you get everything right, and to have a reference point in case you need it.

Below is a video that talks about what being an active listener entails.

Speak Slowly and Clearly

When communicating with customers or colleagues, make sure to speak slowly and clearly. 

Always look people directly in the eyes and don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat themselves if you didn’t hear them clearly the first time. 

In this line of work, communication is key. 

Be Polite and Helpful

Your main responsibility is to help people, whether it’s through the phone or in person. To do that successfully, you always need to be polite and professional. 

If you don’t have the answer to a client’s question, say “I’ll find out and get back to you in a moment.” This shows commitment to providing great customer service.

Different Types of Receptionists

There are several different types of receptionists depending on the establishments they’re employed in. Here are the main ones and what you need to focus on in order to get a job for each type.

How To Become a Hotel Receptionist

To become a Hotel Receptionist, you’ll need to start by gaining experience in customer service roles in retail or hospitality. Another good way of getting relevant experience is by taking hospitality courses or earning a certification in hotel management.

Apply for entry-level positions in hotels and demonstrate your professionalism and eagerness to assist guests. As you gain experience, you can advance to more senior roles within the hospitality industry.

How to become a Front Desk Receptionist

To get a job as a Front Desk Receptionist, the minimum requirement would be having a high school diploma. You’ll also need strong communication and organizational skills and knowledge of basic office software and phone systems.

Look for entry-level receptionist roles in various industries, including hospitality, emphasizing your ability to greet clients, manage appointments and handle inquiries efficiently.

How To Become a School Receptionist

To start working as a School Receptionist, having experience in office administration or customer service within an educational institution is beneficial. Familiarize yourself with school policies and procedures and consider taking courses in office administration or education.

Start applying for positions at schools and make sure to highlight your ability to manage front office tasks, assist students and maintain a welcoming environment.

How To Become a Medical Receptionist

To become a Medical Receptionist, previous customer service or office administration experience in the medical industry is often considered a major benefit. You can enhance your knowledge of medical terminology and office procedures by attending courses or earning certifications in medical office administration.

Apply for positions in healthcare settings, making sure to showcase your ability to manage patient appointments, handle medical records and provide a friendly and professional environment for patients.

How To Become a Dental Receptionist

To find work as a Dental Receptionist, familiarize yourself with dental terminology and office procedures through educational programs or certifications in dental office administration. Again, previous experience within the industry would be considered a plus.

Start looking for jobs in dental practices, making sure to point out your ability to schedule appointments and manage patient records efficiently.

Career Path After Becoming a Receptionist

Becoming a Receptionist can be a stepping stone for your career. After gaining enough experience, you can move to different positions, such as:

• Secretary
• Executive Assistant
• Customer Relations Specialist
• Event Planner

OysterLink recently did an interview with Carolina Franco, a Human Resource Director. When asked “What is a realistic career progression path in hospitality?”, this was her response.

“In the hospitality industry, career progression takes time and experience. When I started as a Front Desk Agent (Receptionist), I received my first promotion within two years. That’s a realistic timeline for entry-level roles, like front desk agents or Food and Beverage staff, to move up to an Operations roles.

For someone just starting, I’d say it usually takes about 2-3 years to get your first promotion. To reach higher levels like department head or director, it’s more realistic to expect about five years of solid experience, with strong performance, of course.”

Carolina Franco, Human Resource Director