Receptionist Skills to Land a Job Quickly

To become a receptionist or advance in this career, one needs a specific set of hard and soft skills. In this post, you’ll find all essential receptionist skills that will help you craft a winning resume and highlight relevant accomplishments.

We will also discuss how long it takes to excel in specific skills for receptionist and how to properly showcase them in a cover letter or resume. Learn what receptionists can do and how they perform their duties perfectly.

Who Is a Receptionist?

So, what do receptionists do? The receptionist job requirements include the ability to multitask, organize, and manage communications. These competencies are necessary to handle phone calls and written communication. Receptionists welcome guests, greet them, engage in small talk, and answer questions.

Other experiences in such positions include maintaining security in the office with specific procedures and logging all visitors. They also provide administrative and clerical support, including handling various documents. For example, they scan something or design and print materials.

Receptionist Technical Skills

A great receptionist skill set includes particular hard skills. The exact software one needs to be experienced at may vary depending on the industry, but overall receptionist technical skills are the following:

• strong computer skills and experience with office software, like MS Office, Word, Excel, etc.;
• fast and excellent typing (WPM);
• work with different types of information management software;
• experience with industry-specific logging or tracking solutions;
• knowledge of multiline telecommunication systems;
• supply management.

The receptionist technical skills can also include working with management and organization systems and automation of specific data.

Receptionist Non-Technical Skills

Of course, the top-notch skills of a receptionist who wants to grow as a professional also include soft skills. A front desk receptionist is a first impression of the company on visitors and potential clients. It means that such an employee is proficient in all types of communication. Other soft skills include the following:

• organization and management;
• strong multitasking;
• desire to learn (being self-motivated for improvement);
• knowledge of customer service best practices and principles;
• problem-solving approach;
• attention to detail;
• excellent listening skills;
• time management;
• ability to resolve conflicts.

Job seekers in this field may have any hobbies, but at work, they need to focus on professionalism and efficiency.

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Top Skills for Landing a Receptionist Job

Recruiting firms look not only for relevant work experience but also for top skills for receptionist and specific accomplishments. An applicant needs to impress recruiters with their resume and cover letter to stand out.

Here are the top skills for receptionist to include in a resume.

• Hard skills – name all software solutions and tech you have worked with.
• Focus on automation tools and programs.
• Highlight communication and experience in customer service.
• Indicate receptionist education or professional certification.

Now, let’s define the essential soft skills in detail.

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Communication Skill

The first thing to come to mind answering the question about what skills does a receptionist need is communication. Interacting with customers, visitors, and other employees is a huge part of their daily routine. It is important to always be polite, empathetic, and helpful.

When describing this skill in a resume, focus on customer satisfaction. Show measurable results – 95% satisfaction according to a survey or 3 years without complaints.

Organization Skill

The next crucial part of receptionist requirements is the ability to organize and manage. Keeping lots of files and various types of information in a clear system is a part of the job. Present the results of your automation or organization systems for previous employers.

A front desk professional needs to be able to find any document fast, know exactly where it is stored, and keep everything tidy.

Multitasking Skill

Usually, receptionist education and experience include multitasking, for example, answering calls, greeting visitors, or preparing coffee or water for a meeting. The ability to manage several tasks at once is essential for effective job performance. It also means dealing with lots of different information, like logging visitors, keeping the schedules correct, and control of office supplies.

Multitasking comes hand in hand with automation, organization, and using different systems to make all these processes smooth and effective.

Customer Service Skill

Customer service experience is highly valued among receptionist qualifications. A receptionist is the face of a business, and they need to show professional behavior and attention to clients and visitors.

Front desk professionals make sure that visitors have a pleasant experience and get assistance with any inquiries they might have. It is important to be polite, helpful, and treat all the customers with respect.

Problem-Solving Skill

Problem-solving is one of the top job requirements for almost any position, and the front desk is no exception. One needs to learn to prioritize issues and tasks and address any errors fast. It might be anything, from a shortage of paper to printer error that requires instant action.

Receptionists also need a problem-solving approach when dealing with both customers and the company’s staff. For example, they apply this ability when they need to introduce a new file management system or keep the schedules for meetings in check.

An Efficient Way of Becoming a Receptionist

To hone good receptionist skills, one needs to dedicate time and effort. It is very useful to get professional education and certification. One can also follow online courses on management, organization, or particular software. All of that will make you stand out from the competition, as well as experience or education in a business department.

Another great way to invest in your career is to get professional help with your resume. Our service can craft a winning resume for you that will make you stand out.

Follow an Online Educational Program

Whether you are interested in training courses or a full degree, there are many online options. Getting an online education is beneficial in many ways. It offers a fast-paced environment, flexibility, and lower prices. In many cases, it is much more accessible for students and professionals all over the world. It also allows combining work and education, so one can get qualifications and experience at the same time. The data shows that with the right motivation in place, online education is as effective as a traditional one.

Receptionist in the Workplace

The receptionist requirements align with the work peculiarities for such employees. The individuals work in a fast-paced environment while tackling lots of small tasks every day. It is essential to be able to perform under stress and stay concentrated.

The job outlook for front desk employees is pretty good, as almost any business wants to employ receptionists. It is a necessity for a company’s administration department. So, it is definitely quite possible to land a job, but there is still competition for top positions.

How to get a job if you’re an entry-level specialist? Check cover letter examples career change if you’ve recently switched industries. Align your past work experience with the one of a receptionist. If this doesn’t help, learn how to present your skills in a Functional format below.

How to Showcase Your Skills

To land a dream job and ensure career growth, you should learn to present yourself. Receptionist skills and qualifications are great, but it is essential to know how to showcase them in a resume and cover letter.

We’ll talk about some tips and tricks in this regard. But the main point is to always focus on results, measurable achievements, and the impact of your work on the company’s performance.

Skills for Resume [Example]

The receptionist cover letter and resume need to highlight the skills and show why you are the top pick for this position. Put the recent work experience on top and showcase your achievements instead of describing work responsibilities. Look at the two examples below.

Good: Achieved 96% customer satisfaction according to follow-up surveys. Managed internal and external company communication for 3 years without complaints.

Bad: Managed calls and emails and welcomed visitors. Maintained telecommunication systems and performed file organization.

The good example focuses on measurable results and impact. And the bad one simply states the work duties that any receptionist has.

Skills for the Job Interview

It is also important to showcase the skills needed for a receptionist in a job interview. Expand the data given on the resume to a recruiter and give examples of the tasks you’ve managed. When you discuss some aspects of a position, illustrate your experience with relevant cases.

Also, remember that the interview is a great way to illustrate your communications skills. A company wants to employ a professional who is great at all types of communication, problem-solving, and multitasking.

Sample for Receptionist Resume Skills Section

The skills section of a successful receptionist resume needs to be specific and straight-to-the-point. Do not list duties, but present the level of your skills for a future position. This is the main reason to hire you.

Divide the section into soft and hard skills. Put the essential ones first.

Receptionist Skills in a Resume Skills Section

Here is an example of a resume skills section for job seekers in this field.

Soft Skills

• Verbal and written communication (expert);
• Time management (advanced);
• Organization (advanced);
• Attention to detail (proficient);
• Problem-solving (advanced).
  

Hard Skills

• Data entry (advanced);
• Scheduling (proficient) ;
• Shipping (expert);
• Customer relationship management (advanced).

You can name all the key skills that helped you out in similar positions and work experience. Do not stop at only the top-required ones but add something representative of you specifically.

Presenting Receptionist Skills in Work Experience Section

You can also present skills for receptionist in a work experience section of your resume. It is one of the perfect career resources as it can highlight how you managed to apply your skills in previous positions.

Here is a corresponding sample of this section.

2018 to present

• Maintained files and data in an organized system for all visitors, clients, and meetings for 3 years.
• Consulted on the implementation of a new scheduling solution, saving 15% more time for organized meetings and events.
• Managed all external communication with 96% of customer satisfaction based on follow-up surveys.

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To Sum Up

To attract recruiters, you should highlight all the hard and soft receptionist skills you have in your resume. However, make sure they are relevant to the job description. Resume samples are useful, but you should demonstrate your unique personality to stand out from others.

If you struggle with composing a perfect job application, you can get online resume edit service help with your document and cover letter to apply for the job of your dreams. Our experienced resume writers know exactly how to present your skills and experience in the best light. And while we are busy crafting an outstanding resume for you, you can hone skills to be a receptionist of an advanced level.

Learn more about resume samples.