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How to become a Receptionist

Receptionist

Career progression and salary expectations for a Receptionist

1

Junior Receptionist

| Up to £18,000
2

Receptionist

| Up to £22,000
3

Office Manager

| Up to £30,000

The role of a Receptionist

Looking put your admin and organisational skills to good use? You should be a Receptionist…

Receptionists offer administrative support to companies of all sizes, helping to ensure everything in the organisation runs smoothly and efficiently.

They could work in a variety of different settings, ranging from big office buildings and corporate events, through to schools, hospitals and hotels. However, no matter where they find themselves working, Receptionists are ambassadors for their business – and they should always aim to positively reflect the brand values at all times.

Typical duties for a Receptionist could include:

  • Welcoming and directing new visitors
  • Answering telephone and email enquiries
  • Passing phone calls and mail on to the relevant people
  • Booking meetings and maintaining meeting rooms
  • Issuing security passes
  • General admin and bookkeeping tasks
To become a Receptionist, you’ll need excellent interpersonal skills, being able to communicate confidently and professionally with any new visitors that come in.

In fact, as the first point of contact for clients, how you come across could greatly impact how your business is perceived. And, aside from giving off the right impression, good Receptionists help make their companies – and staff – more efficient in the work that they do.

Other key skills for a Receptionist could include:

  • Positivity
  • A professional appearance
  • Excellent organisation skills
  • Attention to detail
  • IT, admin and written communication skills
  • The ability to work well under pressure
"When I left school, I wasn’t really too sure what I wanted to do. I just knew I didn’t really want to work in retail, and the office environment has always appealed to me. Becoming a Receptionist turned out to be the perfect career move. I love meeting new people every day, and helping people out. And I get to put my organisational skills to good use, in a professional setting – which I certainly didn’t get when I worked in retail. I’m hoping to become a PA once I’ve built up enough experience – and I love that there’s real progression."

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