According to the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), a typical receptionist makes between $21,250 and $28,000 per year. However, a receptionist can be assigned other admin duties and other titles that allow him or her to earn more.
“They say that first and last impressions are remembered the most, and well, if I’m the first person you see when you walk in and the last one that greets you ‘goodbye,’ I would say that my job as a receptionist carries a lot of weight for a company,” says Martina Uhlirova, a receptionist for a talent solutions company in Irvine, California.
This is generally the case, as my role as a receptionist was an important one as well. The IAAP says a receptionist is someone who “greets visitors, handles incoming calls, and performs general administrative duties. [He or she] also may assist other administrative staff with overflow work, including word processing, data entry, and Internet research tasks.”
So let’s break down the duties of a receptionist, shall we?
What Are the Main Duties of a Receptionist in the Admin Industry?
- Greeting visitors is an important role of a front-desk receptionist: When I was a receptionist, one of my main duties was being courteous to visitors who walked through our doors. There is a lot more to greeting people than just a smile, though. You have to be polite but also organized so you know what you are doing in the admin industry. Being social with your clients, customers, or patients helps.
- General administrative duties are usually performed by a receptionist: When I worked in medical offices as a receptionist, we would have to do a variety of things. Our jobs in these offices ranged from working with computer programs all the way to assisting patients. Anything that needs to be done around the front administrative office can also be coordinated by the receptionist.
- Other office responsibilities are often handled by a receptionist: Internet research, working with software programs, and coordinating various admin systems are some of the tasks that a receptionist may come across. For example, if you are a medical receptionist, you may even assist doctors with extra tasks around the office.
A lot of times a receptionist in the admin sector just needs a high school degree; however, he or she needs to be educated enough to understand the sometimes more complex programs in this day and age. A college degree is a bonus. A personable attitude and a nice demeanor are important too.
Computer skills are essential, while patience and social skills are also at the top of the list. Training for specific office duties can easily be provided by coworkers and can be learned over time.
The Receptionist’s Future as an Admin Professional
As a receptionist, I learned a lot about the companies I worked for. You get a view of what the company is all about. You can also be promoted to other duties and admin positions if you do a good job as a receptionist.
The outlook for receptionists in the admin industry looks good. According to the IAAP, salaries for receptionists have gone up 3.1% in 2008 (since 2007). Jobs and salaries are also predicted to increase in the admin sector for receptionists in the coming years.
