In receptionist jobs you are the first point of call for visitors entering the establishment. Not only will you give administrative support, but you will also be need to focus on helping visitors with their enquiries.

As the first point of contact for those visiting, you are responsible for well representing the organisation. In terms of visitors, a receptionists main role is to welcome them, gather any required details and answer and questions they may have.

A reception desk will usually be found in a waiting room or foyer and is where the receptionist is based. You will have to take phone calls, receive and pass on messages and suitably refer visitors. In smaller businesses the receptionist may also act as a security officer.

Receptionists do undertake admin duties, however, they are not part of the administrative team and their main responsibility is to visitors and their needs. Working as a receptionist can better equip you for future administrative roles.

The key to being a good receptionist is to be both friendly and professional. Nothing is worse than an uptight receptionist with power issues who makes life difficult for visitors or patients.

Environments in which receptionists are over worked and in which they feel they are not respected by visitors, can lead to receptionists having an unprofessional attitude to their work. For example, a doctor’s surgery can be very busy at times and the atmosphere can be quite stressful. Even so, it is important to try your utmost to maintain a happy environment in which customers feel at ease.

You will not be in your position very long if you are seen to be giving the company a bad name with your ill treatment of clients.

Usually, the work of a receptionist includes the following:

• Answering the telephone
• Calling people on the telephone
• Taking messages
• Making appointments
• Forwarding mail or documents
• Carrying out admin jobs including photocopying and filing