How to write a receptionist resume

Last updated: February 12, 2025
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How to write a receptionist resume
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There are around 1,105,300 receptionists in the U.S., and the industry is growing at a rate of 4%.

If you enjoy working with people, answering phone calls, and supporting an office team, a career as a receptionist could be the right choice.

But what is a receptionist? And what are hiring managers looking for?

We'll answer both these questions and give you our top receptionist resume tips.

Plus, we'll support you in your job search with two resume examples. We'll show you what resumes for a general receptionist and medical receptionist should look like.

We'll also give you two free templates so you can build your own receptionist resume and tell you where to look for work.

What is a receptionist?

A receptionist works behind the front desk. They answer phone calls, greet visitors, order office supplies, make travel arrangements, and schedule appointments.

Receptionists are the first point of contact, and they need to give a good first impression. It’s a customer service role, and receptionists may need to answer emails, deal with complaints, and use a multi-line phone system.

These office workers may also perform administrative tasks, such as data entry, filing, and photocopying. Some receptionists take customer payments by cash or credit card.

They work in a range of industries, including healthcare, government, small business, hospitality, and education.

Most receptionists work full-time, but some work part-time or for recruitment agencies.

What skills are employers looking for?

If you want to work as a receptionist, you'll need a high school diploma or equivalent. Most receptionist positions are entry-level with workplace training.

Some receptionists take short courses in word processing before applying.

Hiring managers will be looking for strong interpersonal skills. You'll need excellent communication skills, time management, and multitasking skills as well.

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You should be well-presented and enjoy working with others.

Receptionists also need technical skills and computer skills. For example, you should be confident using Microsoft Office programs, including Word and Excel.

Most receptionists have a typing speed of 65 wpm (words per minute).

Recruiters will expect you to be professional with strong organizational skills. If you have work experience, math skills, or bookkeeping experience, this can be an advantage.

Receptionist resume tips

If you want to apply for a job as a receptionist, you'll need a strong resume. Here are our top resume writing tips.

1. Include your computer skills

Receptionists spend a large portion of their days in front of a computer. If you have computer skills, make sure you include them in the receptionist skills section of your resume.

For example, you may have experience in data entry and using MS Office. You may have used call center software or bookkeeping solutions.

If you have a fast typing speed, you can include this in your resume.

Remember, the job description may ask for specific computer skills, and you can customize your resume to suit the desired criteria.

2. List previous experience

If you have professional experience, make sure you include it in your resume. Your work history should be in chronological order, with your most recent job at the top.

Your experience section should show the job title, company name, and year.

List your job responsibilities as bullet points. For example, you can list tasks such as scheduling appointments, completing logbooks, and using filing systems and copiers.

Make sure your experience is relevant and shows the employer what to expect if they hire you.

3. Write a resume summary

The resume summary introduces your receptionist resume. It should be short, with less than 50 words.

The resume summary should highlight any achievements, skills, and experiences that are relevant to the position. For example, you may have five years of experience or won an award at your previous workplace.

Avoid talking about your interests and hobbies, and keep your focus on the receptionist position.

4. Match the job description

When you write your resume and cover letter, think about the job description. What are they looking for? Do you have skills and attributes that match their criteria?

You can customize your resume and cover letter to suit the job.

For example, if the hiring manager wants you to have a certificate in business administration, you can add a short education section. If they want someone who has experience in administrative support, you can focus on these skill sets.

5. Include accurate contact details

If the hiring manager likes your resume, they may ask you to come in for a job interview. Your contact information needs to be up to date so they can get in touch.

At the top of your resume, include your full name, email address, and contact phone number. You don't need to add your address, but you can include your location.

Here’s an example:

Johnny Young

New York, NY

(993)543 3456

[email protected]

You may also like to include your LinkedIn profile.

Receptionist resume example

Let's take a look at two resume examples. We'll show you how to write a general receptionist resume and a medical receptionist resume.

1. Receptionist resume sample

Samantha Cozy

New York NY

(123) 123 – 1234

[email protected]

A friendly receptionist with great attention to detail. Committed to providing excellent customer service and supporting the administrative team. Experience in using a multi-line phone system in a busy workplace. Can competently schedule appointments, make travel arrangements, and take minutes. Hands-on experience using MS Office and MYOB.

Skills

  • Customer service skills

  • Telephone skills

  • Communication skills

  • Organizational skills

  • Proficient in MS Office

  • Bookkeeping experience

Professional Work Experience

Drew Accounting

Receptionist

2019 – Present

  • Greeted customers

  • Answered phone calls

  • Filed documents

  • Typed transcripts

  • Scheduled appointments

  • Generated invoices

Real Estate Town

Office Assistant

2017 – 2019

  • Filed invoices and receipts

  • Photocopied documents

  • Answered phone calls

  • Supported management

  • Answered customer queries

Achievements

  • Completed office assistant training

2. Medical receptionist example

Janine Brown

Medical receptionist

(233) 345 – 2323

[email protected]

A motivated and hardworking medical receptionist with three years of experience. Professional, courteous, with a high attention to detail. Has worked in the healthcare industry and understands medical terminology. Confident working in a fast-paced, multi-physician practice. Has advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, HotDoc, MYOB, and Meditech.

Skills and Expertise

  • Insurance claims

  • Medical terminology

  • Telephone communication

  • Billing and payment processing

  • Providing physician support

  • Patient-focused

Professional Work Experience

Kentville General Practice

Medical Receptionist

2018–Present

  • Greeted customers

  • Answered phone calls

  • Used medical software

  • Processed health insurance claims

  • Filed patient records

  • Collaborated with external healthcare departments

  • Managed a multi-line phone system

  • Typed transcripts

  • Scheduled appointments

  • Generated invoices

Achievements

  • Completed medical terminology training

  • Recognized as employee of the month (June 2020)

Education and Certificates

  • High school diploma (Kentville 2017)

  • Senior first aid certificate (current)

  • CPA accreditation (current)

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Receptionist resume template

Now it’s your turn to create the perfect receptionist resume.

General receptionist template

If you want to apply for a receptionist position, try this template:

(First name) (Last name)

(Location)

(Contact phone number)

(Email address)

(Resume summary — up to 50 words)

Skills

  • (Relevant skill)

  • (Relevant skill)

  • (Relevant skill)

  • (Relevant skill)

  • (Relevant skill)

  • (Relevant skill)

Professional Work Experience

(Company name)

(Job title)

(From)–(To)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

(Company name)

(Job title)

(From)–(To)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

Achievements

  • (Relevant work achievements)

Medical receptionist template

If you have experience or want to work as a medical receptionist, try this template:

(First name) (Last name)

(Job title)

(Contact phone number)

(Email address)

(LinkedIn)

(Resume summary — up to 50 words)

Skills and Expertise

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

  • (Relevant medical receptionist skill)

Professional Work Experience

(Company name)

(Job title)

(From)–(To)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

  • (Relevant responsibility)

Achievements

  • (Work achievement) (Date)

  • (Work achievement) (Date)

Education and Certificates

  • (Certificate title) (Date)

  • (Certificate title) (Date)

  • (Certificate title) (Date)

Where to look for receptionist jobs?

If you’d like to work as a receptionist, it’s time to start your job search.

Browse these jobs in your local area:

You may also like to consider a career as an administrative assistant, office manager, executive assistant, or secretary.

Working as a receptionist

Do you see yourself working behind the front desk? Then you may like to work as a receptionist.

It’s a growing industry, and there may be a job available near you. To help with your application, we explained what a receptionist is and what hiring managers are looking for.

We gave you our top five resume tips. We suggested you include your computer skills along with all previous relevant work experience. And we told you to write a resume summary, read the job description, and double-check your contact details.

To make your resume-writing easy, we gave you professional resume samples and templates.

Finally, we showed you where you could look for work.

Want more jobs in your area? Check out our job board. And, don’t forget we have a resource center filled with interview and resume tips.

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Senra Anna
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List your work history in chronological order, including job titles, companies, and years. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements.

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