The Best Receptionist Skills for Your Resume

Example of a receptionist resume with relevant skills

Here’s an example of a receptionist resume with all the relevant hard and soft skills bolded:

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Receptionist skills for your resume

Use our AI-powered tool to make a list of relevant receptionist skills to add to your resume.

Here are some in-demand hard and soft skills that employers are looking for in receptionists:

Key hard skills for receptionist resumes

Hard skills come from your education, training, or on-the-job experience.

Find the hard skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for by looking at the job description. Add these to your resume so employers can see you meet the requirements for the job.

1. Computer proficiency

Show hiring managers you’re ready to do the job by highlighting your proficiency in:

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Email management
• Calendar management
• Video conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet)
• VoIP & multi-line phone systems (RingCentral, 8×8)
• File management (Google Workspace, Microsoft SharePoint, Box, Dropbox)
• Data entry
• Presentation software (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote, Canva)
• Customer Relationship Management software (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Zendesk)
• AI tools literacy (ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, AI scheduling and transcription tools)
• Typing speed – words per minute (WPM)
• Company-/industry-specific software

2. Administrative skills

Include these administrative skills on your resume to show employers that you’re organized and reliable:

• Welcoming and directing visitors
• Handling correspondence
• Handling mail and deliveries
• Ordering and stocking office supplies
• Record keeping
• Administrative support
• Scheduling meetings
• Answering and transferring phone calls
• Filing paperwork
• Managing databases
• Travel arrangement
• Maintaining the reception area

3. Database management

Show you can effectively navigate and manage data as a receptionist.

A receptionist’s database management tasks typically involve:

• Maintaining client and visitor information within a system
• Updating contact information for vendors and clients
• Logging appointments
• Recording important communications
• Managing visitor sign-ins
• Ensuring accurate data entry
• Adhering to data protection regulations

4. Scheduling and digital calendars

One common task receptionists are often responsible for is scheduling appointments for clients with vendors, managers, or employees within the company.

Make sure to highlight these skills on your resume:

• Prioritizing appointments
• Syncing calendars
• Color-coding events
• Sharing calendars with all parties
• Providing and managing timely notifications
• Researching and organizing travel options

5. Familiarity with office equipment

Working in an office requires using certain equipment to get the job done. You may be expected to use or be familiar with:

• MacBooks, laptops, and tablets
• Printers, photocopiers, and document scanners
• Video conferencing hardware (webcams, ring lights, conference room cameras such as Logitech Rally)
• Projectors, monitors, and smart displays
• Paper shredders
• Filing cabinets and storage equipment
• Standing desks and laptop stands
• Whiteboards and digital whiteboards (e.g. Microsoft Surface Hub)

6. Billing and invoicing

In some small businesses or depending on the specific job description, a receptionist may be tasked with answering queries about billing, invoicing, costs of goods or services, and the best way to make transfers.

7. Language skills

Being bilingual can set you apart as a receptionist, especially if you’re applying to a company with non-English speaking clients or visitors.

Even if the job doesn’t require bilingualism, having language skills shows that you can communicate with a diverse range of people by building rapport with customers or explaining procedures to them in a different language.

If a company has a language requirement in their job description, use a language framework like CEFR to further specify your language proficiency and help employers better understand your skill level.

Top soft skills for receptionist resumes

Soft skills are character traits that are necessary to succeed in the workplace. These skills relate to how you interact with customers and colleagues, work collaboratively, and manage your time.

Soft skills are best shown in your work experience bullet points, but specific skills from the job description can be listed in your skills section.

Here are the top soft skills needed to perform receptionist work:

1. People skills

Receptionists work with both customers and colleagues daily, so it’s important to have strong people skills.

2. Customer service skills

As a receptionist, you can build customer loyalty with these customer service skills:

• A positive attitude
• Empathy
• Patience
• Adaptability
• Professionalism
• Handling inquiries
• Resolving issues
• Confirming appointment dates, times, and locations

3. Communication skills

Clear written and verbal communication is essential for any role — but especially for a receptionist.

Highlight your communication skills to show employers that you can pick up relevant facts, make informative calls, receive and transmit messages verbally and in writing, and interact with people at various levels.

Here are a few keywords to consider when highlighting your receptionist communication skills:

• Active listening
• Politeness
• Greeting clients
• Phone etiquette
• Non-verbal communication (body language)
• Empathy
• Friendliness

4. Organization and attention to detail

Highlight your organizational skills to show employers you can keep up with the job’s demands.

5. Time management skills

Employers want to know that you can effectively manage your time and easily switch between tasks, so demonstrate your time management skills in your resume bullet points.

6. Stress management

Including stress management among the receptionist skills in your resume tells employers that you know how to manage your workload.

7. Problem solving skills

Receptionists need problem-solving skills to handle difficult situations and troubleshoot challenging circumstances. Some common problems you might face include:

• high call volumes
• slow check-in processes
• scheduling conflicts
• lack of communication
• security issues such as unauthorized access

8. Conflict resolution

As a receptionist, you may need to use your conflict resolution skills when dealing with angry or difficult clients.

9. Multitasking

To succeed in a front desk role, you need to be able to switch between tasks quickly.

How to demonstrate receptionist skills on your resume and cover letter

Here are some simple tips to help you show employers you’re qualified:

Write a powerful resume objective showcasing your receptionist skills

Your resume objective is the first thing a hiring manager sees when they pick up your resume. Write a clear and impactful resume objective by including your:

• years of experience
• schooling and relevant certifications
• top 2–4 receptionist skills
• your desired role in the company

Here’s an example of a professional resume objective for a receptionist with the key details in bold:

Receptionist with 3+ years of experience in telephone and problem resolution, and account administration. Possess a BA in Communications and a Udemy certification in customer service. Aiming to use my proven technical skills and excellent communication skills to effectively fill the Office Receptionist role in your company.

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Highlight relevant skills in your cover letter

Your skills should also be included in your cover letter.

Here’s an example of a receptionist cover letter that demonstrates the candidate’s relevant communication and problem solving skills with key details in bold:

In my previous role at DroidBay, I demonstrated exceptional customer service and organizational skills. I professionally and courteously resolved over 20 customer technical complaints daily, ensuring a positive experience for each client. Additionally, I showcased my attention to detail and efficiency by completing 17+ typed documents within a three-day deadline for the company’s upcoming press conference, achieving 100% accuracy. These experiences highlight my ability to manage high-pressure situations while maintaining a strong focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

Use numbers to explain your achievements

Quantify your achievements in your cover letter and resume by using numbers. Quantify things like how many calls you answered on a daily basis or that you were able to reduce scheduling errors by a specific percentage.

Including numbers in your bullet points highlights your accomplishments and makes it easy for employers to visualize how suitable you’ll be for the role.

Here’s an example of how to use numbers (shown in bold) to highlight your achievements as a receptionist:

Successfully updated and scheduled meetings within a week for the next 6 months (January 20XX–June 20XX)