How To Become A Desk Receptionist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a desk receptionist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average desk receptionist salary is $32,434. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a desk receptionist. Desk receptionists with a Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 0% and produce 4,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreDesk ReceptionistUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,434

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

9.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 6.74%

Black or African American 10.76%

Hispanic or Latino 18.29%

Unknown 4.35%

White 59.01%

Gender

female 74.48%

male 25.52%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress Level

7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.7

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a desk receptionist

Explore desk receptionist education requirements

Most common desk receptionist degrees

Bachelor's

66.2 %

High School Diploma

16.4 %

Associate

8.6 %

Start to develop specific desk receptionist skills

Skills	Percentages
Scheduling Appointments	23.81%
Customer Service	21.22%
Front Desk	14.73%
Check-In	10.06%
Emergency Situations	3.87%

Complete relevant desk receptionist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New desk receptionists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a desk receptionist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real desk receptionist resumes.

Research desk receptionist duties and responsibilities

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Document and identify doctors' availability and schedule appointments utilizing AVImark scheduling software.

Prepare your desk receptionist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your desk receptionist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a desk receptionist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Desk Receptionist Resume templates

Build a professional Desk Receptionist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Desk Receptionist resume.

Apply for desk receptionist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a desk receptionist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do desk receptionists rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Desk Receptionist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024

Pros

Good work life balance, low stress and responsibility

Cons

Low pay, lack of progression