# Receptionist Job Description Template | ATZ CRM > Edit this Receptionist job description with visitor welcome, calls, access, messages, bookings, privacy, emergencies, and interview guidance. Source: https://atzcrm.com/job-descriptions/receptionist-job-description/ Administration, Customer Service & Hospitality # Receptionist Job Description A Receptionist creates a clear and secure first point of contact by welcoming visitors, routing calls and requests, maintaining reception records, and escalating concerns. Define visitors, call volume, site access, hours, security, bookings, administrative duties, and emergency procedures. Use the template Prepare the intake meeting Role snapshot Typical reporting line Office Manager, Front Office Manager, or Administration Lead Core scope Visitors, calls, messages, access, rooms, mail, enquiries, and reception readiness Common settings Corporate office, hotel, school, clinic, residential, public service, or professional practice Critical boundary Welcoming service with identity, privacy, access, and emergency controls Candidate-facing template ## Edit the description for your organisation Replace bracketed details, remove anything that is not genuinely required, and obtain the appropriate internal approval before advertising. Ready-to-edit job description Copying excludes all recruiter notes below. Edit template Reset Copy description ### About the role \[Organisation name\] is hiring a Receptionist for \[site\]. You will welcome and direct visitors, answer and route enquiries, maintain access and reception records, support bookings and deliveries, and follow privacy, safety, and emergency procedures. ### What you will be responsible for - Welcome visitors, verify appointments or access authority, issue approved passes, and contact hosts. - Answer, screen, route, and record calls, messages, enquiries, mail, deliveries, and room requests. - Maintain a tidy, accessible reception and escalate security, safeguarding, medical, or facilities concerns. ### What success looks like - Visitors and callers understand the next step and reach the correct person or service. - Access, message, parcel, booking, and incident records are accurate and appropriately protected. ### Essential qualifications - Reception, customer service, hospitality, administration, or comparable public-contact experience. - Clear communication, calm prioritisation, accurate records, and professional judgement. - Ability to apply identity, privacy, access, safeguarding, and emergency procedures. ### Preferred qualifications - Experience with \[setting, visitor volume, switchboard, language, access, or booking system\]. - Locally relevant first-aid, safeguarding, security, or customer-service training. ### Tools and working knowledge - Visitor, access, room, and reception-management systems - Switchboard, email, calendar, messaging, and video tools - Mail, delivery, document, payment, and incident platforms Compensation: \[Add approved hourly or salary range, currency, shift, weekend, overtime, uniform, and benefits.\] \[Organisation name\] will discuss reasonable adjustments for communication, standing, shift work, assessment, and the workplace. ### How to apply Apply through \[method\] with an example of a busy or sensitive front-desk situation. Edited draft preview This preview reflects the text currently saved in your browser. Edit the complete candidate-facing description Your draft stays in this browser. It is not sent to ATZ CRM or saved to an account. Receptionist Location: \[Location or working arrangement\] Employment type: \[Full-time, part-time, temporary, or shift-based\] Reports to: \[Office Manager, Front Office Manager, or Administration Lead\] About the role \[Organisation name\] is hiring a Receptionist for \[site\]. You will welcome and direct visitors, answer and route enquiries, maintain access and reception records, support bookings and deliveries, and follow privacy, safety, and emergency procedures. What you will be responsible for - Welcome visitors, verify appointments or access authority, issue approved passes, and contact hosts. - Answer, screen, route, and record calls, messages, enquiries, mail, deliveries, and room requests. - Maintain a tidy, accessible reception and escalate security, safeguarding, medical, or facilities concerns. What success looks like - Visitors and callers understand the next step and reach the correct person or service. - Access, message, parcel, booking, and incident records are accurate and appropriately protected. Essential qualifications - Reception, customer service, hospitality, administration, or comparable public-contact experience. - Clear communication, calm prioritisation, accurate records, and professional judgement. - Ability to apply identity, privacy, access, safeguarding, and emergency procedures. Preferred qualifications - Experience with \[setting, visitor volume, switchboard, language, access, or booking system\]. - Locally relevant first-aid, safeguarding, security, or customer-service training. Tools and working knowledge - Visitor, access, room, and reception-management systems - Switchboard, email, calendar, messaging, and video tools - Mail, delivery, document, payment, and incident platforms Compensation: \[Add approved hourly or salary range, currency, shift, weekend, overtime, uniform, and benefits.\] \[Organisation name\] will discuss reasonable adjustments for communication, standing, shift work, assessment, and the workplace. How to apply Apply through \[method\] with an example of a busy or sensitive front-desk situation. Performance expectations ## What good performance looks like Use these outcomes to replace vague activity lists with the evidence the hiring manager expects to see after the person joins. Reception remains welcoming while identity, access, privacy, and safety controls are followed. Messages include correct contact, purpose, urgency, time, and agreed follow-up. Hiring-manager intake ## Questions to settle before advertising Record specific answers so sourcing, screening, and interview decisions use the same definition of the role. 1. 1 Which visitors, callers, sites, languages, volumes, hours, and security levels apply? 2. 2 What access, parcel, room, payment, travel, administration, and emergency duties are included? 3. 3 What standing, uniform, shift, weekend, lone-working, aggression, and physical conditions apply? Evaluation criteria ## Evidence to use in a Receptionist scorecard Agree the criteria before interviews begin, then score examples against the same evidence standard. Criterion Useful evidence Concern to explore Front-desk judgement Balances welcome, identity, access, urgency, privacy, and clear direction. Allows familiarity or pressure to bypass visitor controls. Communication accuracy Clarifies the request, records essential detail, routes correctly, and confirms next steps. Transfers calls quickly without understanding purpose or urgency. Structured interview ## Receptionist interview questions and strong signals Ask the same core questions in the same order, then use follow-ups to understand the candidate’s individual contribution. 1 ### How would you handle an unlisted visitor insisting they know a senior employee? Strong answer signal Remains courteous, follows access rules, contacts an authorised host, and does not disclose location. 2 ### Tell me about several reception demands arriving at once. Strong answer signal Prioritises immediate safety and people present while acknowledging, recording, and routing other needs. Related titles ## Check the scope behind the title Front Desk Coordinator — may include more bookings, administration, and site coordination. Switchboard Operator — focuses more narrowly on calls and message routing. Common hiring mistakes ## Problems to remove before publishing Describing the role as simple greeting while expecting security and emergency judgement. Hiding shift, standing, lone-working, aggression, and public-contact conditions. Continue the hiring workflow ## Related roles and recruiter resources ### Related job descriptions [Office Manager](https://atzcrm.com/job-descriptions/office-manager-job-description/) [Administrative Assistant](https://atzcrm.com/job-descriptions/administrative-assistant-job-description/) [Medical Receptionist](https://atzcrm.com/job-descriptions/medical-receptionist-job-description/) ### Helpful recruiter resources [Client Portal Software Give external contacts a clear shared service route.](https://atzcrm.com/solution/recruitment-client-portal-software/)[Recruitment Activity Management Track messages, actions, and owners.](https://atzcrm.com/workflow/recruitment-activity-management/)[Recruiting Email Template Generator Draft clear visitor or stakeholder follow-up.](https://atzcrm.com/tools/recruiting-email-template-generator/)[Candidate Experience Guide Create welcoming and accessible interactions.](https://atzcrm.com/blog/candidate-experience-guide/) Source and review notes ## How this template was prepared Language International English Prepared by ATZ CRM Editorial Team Review ATZ CRM Recruitment Editorial Review Last reviewed 2026-08-05 [O\*NET: Receptionists and Information Clerks Reference for occupation tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, and work activities.](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4171.00)[ESCO: occupations and skills Reference for internationally recognised occupation and skills terminology.](https://esco.ec.europa.eu/en/classification/occupation_main) Qualifications, compensation, licences, working conditions, and equal-opportunity wording must be checked for the role and location before use. Recruiter questions ## Receptionist job description FAQs ### What should a Receptionist job description include? State setting, visitors, calls, hours, access, security, messages, bookings, emergencies, systems, physical conditions, and shifts. ### What skills matter most for a Receptionist? Clear communication, calm prioritisation, accurate records, privacy, access judgement, accessibility awareness, and dependable follow-through.