What does a receptionist do?

Receptionists provide a friendly and multi-faceted service around the office. As their responsibilities can often see them working in many different aspects of the business, receptionists have to be consummate multitaskers. For the most part, daily duties will include: handling customer enquiries, providing assistance to other staff, administrative support, data entry and providing a welcoming face to those who approach the premises.

Tasks:

  • Handling lines of communication between clients and staff
  • Data entry and administrative duties
  • Taking phone and email messages
  • Generating staff bulletins and updates

What skills do I need to be a receptionist?

Receptionists tend to possess immaculate people skills, being able to communicate, listen, take notes and assist while maintaining a polite and helpful demeanour. The contact and communication a receptionist has with clients is important in maintaining a positive impression of the company. The ability to multitask is a highly valuable trait in a receptionist; it’s required to meet the everyday demands of a bustling office space.

Skills/attributes
  • Consistently polite manner
  • Eagerness to lend assistance
  • Ability to multitask
  • Friendly demeanour
  • Able to work independently
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Specialisations

Working as a receptionist will give you a unique insight into the daily functioning of a business. You can adapt the skills you learn as a receptionist to take on a specialisation that you are interested in. With the right experience and qualifications there are many career options available.

Medical Receptionist

Medical receptionists work in doctor’s surgeries and hospitals. They have a thorough understanding of the workflow and communication processes involved in a medical environment. They assist staff and patients with appointment times, patient data entry, completing forms and other related duties.

Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants are responsible for the completion of many administrative and clerical tasks. Administrative assistants will perform duties relating to document storage, filing, data entry, sorting and writing emails and establishing lines of communication between staff and clients.

Word Processing Operator

Word processing operators are very experienced with Microsoft Word software programmes. A word processing operator performs a number of tasks to ensure critical documents are correctly formatted, proofread, printed and collated. They also file physical and digital copies of drafts and completed versions of documents for reference.

Study pathways for receptionists

There are a number of courses available that will teach you all about the skills you’ll need to find employment as a receptionist.

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Getting Started

Choosing a course that will act as a stepping stone in your administrative career

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Skill Building

Get a step closer to your professional goals with targeted training options

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Professional Development

Improve your chances of employment by gaining an accredited qualification

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Industry Recognition

Formalising your administrative skill set is a great way of demonstrating your professional accomplishments and dedication to your work.

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Getting a job after graduation

Put your training to good use and get the best professional head start in your administration career. Emphasise your personal strengths and achievements in your resume and target your cover letter to the job description listed.

Job Prospects and Salaries

There is forecasted to be a high level of job opportunities available over the next five years.

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