Receptionist

Receptionists welcome customers or other types of visitor. Sitting or standing behind a desk or counter, they greet people as they arrive, and deal with visitors’ enquiries. They might also have other duties, for example, word processing, making appointments, preparing bills, dealing with payments and handling enquiries made by telephone or email.

Work activities

The receptionist’s main role is to welcome members of the public as they arrive in the building’s reception area. Their duties vary from one job to another, depending on the type of organisation they work in, for example, an office, hotel, health centre, dental surgery, hospital, local authority department, school or college, public building, salon or leisure centre. They direct visitors to the person they wish to see, answer queries (face to face, on the telephone and by email), provide information or take messages for staff. In an office, receptionists greet people as they arrive, issuing them with a visitor’s identification badge. They might show visitors to a seat where they can wait until it is time for their appointment, or until the person they wish to see becomes available.

Some receptionists are responsible for providing visitors with refreshments such as water, tea and coffee. In hotels, receptionists register guests, issue keys and direct guests to their rooms. They provide guests with information about local attractions and areas of interest.

Dental, medical and optical receptionists book appointments; some use a computerised system and some call out the patient’s name when the doctor or dentist is free to see them. They often deal with confidential information. In a hair or beauty salon, spa or leisure centre, the receptionist takes bookings, welcomes customers, deals with payments and sells products. Receptionists might be responsible for keeping the reception area tidy. They might, for example, arrange reading material in a general waiting area, or display leaflets and health literature in a medical reception area.

Apart from greeting and dealing with visitors, receptionists could have a number of other duties, including:

• Booking meeting rooms.
• Preparing bills.
• Handling payments.
• Book-keeping.
• Word processing.
• Filing.
• Sorting and sending mail.
• Operating a computerised telephone switchboard.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As a receptionist, you’ll need to have:

• A friendly, efficient and helpful attitude.
• Strong communication skills, including clear speech and a professional telephone manner.
• Good organisational skills.
• An interest in your organisation’s work – this will help you to pass enquiries to the right person straight away.
• The ability to remain calm and polite, but assertive under pressure.
• Basic keyboard and IT skills.
• The ability to use office equipment such as photocopiers and telephone switchboards.

You might need basic number and accounting skills for calculating bills and dealing with money. Some receptionists need book-keeping skills. You might need to keep information confidential. The ability to speak a foreign language can be useful, especially for hotel receptionists.

Pay and opportunities

Receptionists’ salaries vary depending on their employer and responsibilities. Receptionists earn in the range of £15,000 - £22,000 a year.

Most receptionists work 38-40 hours, Monday to Friday. However, in some organisations, for example, in hotels and hospitals, you might need to work shifts, nights and at the weekend. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities are available.

Competition for reception work is strong, as this is a popular career choice for many people.

Where could I work?

Employers are organisations of every type, from small businesses employing just a few staff, to central and local government departments, and national and multinational corporations employing thousands of people. Opportunities for receptionists occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on job boards and employers’ websites, in local newspapers, and on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship services.

Entry routes and training

You can enter this career by applying directly for vacancies. An level 2 (intermediate) apprenticeship in the role of customer service practitioner is a great place to start.

Most employers provide on-the-job training for new entrants. Some trainees might work towards a qualification in business and administration, or in customer service.

There are also relevant college courses. The courses generally cover a variety of subjects including telephone techniques and switchboards, office equipment and technology, text processing, book-keeping, accounts and keyboard skills.

Some are more specialist courses, for example, for hotel or medical receptionists. The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMSPAR) offers Certificates and Diplomas in Medical Administration. Hotel receptionists might be able to work towards a diploma in front of house reception.

Receptionists can progress to team leader or supervisor posts after further training and experience. Some might move into administrative, secretarial or customer service posts.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Working as a receptionist in some settings, for example, with access to people receiving health services or in a school, is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

There is no minimum academic entry requirement, although many employers prefer a good general education with some GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English.  Employers often look for evidence of relevant skills, including keyboard skills, number, clerical and general IT skills. A work-related qualification in business or hospitality might be useful for entry to reception work.

If you wish to enter this career path through an intermediate apprenticeship, you'll need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your apprenticeship programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have a background in, for example, customer service, dealing with the public and/or administrative work. You might be able to take an intermediate apprenticeship in the role of customer service practitioner.

Colleges will usually consider applications from adults who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

Related careers

• Hotel receptionist
• Medical receptionist
• Office receptionist
• Telephonist