The Best Receptionist Skills for Your Resume

Receptionists are often the first person that a client or customer will meet. To show employers you’re the right person to represent their company, you need to highlight the right skills on 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.

Plus, here are some in-demand hard and soft skills employers are looking for in receptionists:

Key hard skills for receptionist resumes

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

Adding hard skills relevant to the receptionist job you want on your resume increases your chances of being selected because these skills show you meet the basic requirements of the role.

1. Computer proficiency

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

• Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Email management
• Calendar management
• File management (Google Workspace, Box, Microsoft Sharepoint,
• Dropbox, OnlyOffice)
• Data entry
• Presentation software (Prezi, Google Slides, Keynote)
• Customer Relationship Management software (HubSpot,
• SalesForce, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Zendesk)
• Typing speed words per minute (WPM)
• Company-/Industry-specific software

2. Administrative skills

Employers will see you as the ideal receptionist candidate if you include these administrative skills on your resume because they prove 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

You need to show you can effectively navigate and manage data to be an effective 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 and laptops
• Printers, photocopiers, and document scanners
• Projectors and monitors
• Paper shredders
• Filing cabinets
• Storage equipment
• Standing desks and laptop stands
• Whiteboards

While employers may not include these skills as a job requirement, they may expect that you have a basic idea of how they work, so list your knowledge of these skills if you have them.

Many of these receptionist skills can also be learned while training for the job, so don’t forget to communicate to employers you’re adaptable and a quick learner on your receptionist resume.

6. Billing and invoicing

A receptionist is usually not primarily responsible for billing and invoicing duties. However, 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, consider using a language framework like ACTFL, CEFR, ILR 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.

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

Customer service skills are vital for receptionists because a lot of your daily work is client-facing.

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

Receptionists should be organized and detail-oriented. So highlight your organizational skills to show employers you can keep up with the job’s demands.

5. Time management skills

A receptionist’s role includes juggling numerous tasks — from responding to phone calls, making appointments, typing documents, and scheduling meetings.

Employers want to know that you can effectively manage your time and easily switch between tasks, so do your best to demonstrate your time management skills.

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

Conflict resolution is like problem solving, but more interpersonal in nature. As a receptionist, you may need to use your conflict resolution skills when dealing with angry or difficult clients.

9. Multitasking

Whether it’s answering calls, scheduling appointments, or welcoming visitors, receptionists are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities. To succeed in a front desk role, you need to be able to switch between tasks quickly.

How to demonstrate receptionist skills in your job application

No matter how skilled you are as a receptionist, it won’t matter if you don’t know how to demonstrate those skills on your resume.

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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.

Highlight relevant skills in your cover letter

Your skills shouldn’t just be confined to your resume, they should also be included in your receptionist cover letter.

Here’s an example of a cover letter that effectively demonstrates the candidate’s relevant communication and problem solving skills (we’ve bolded the key details):

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 hard numbers to explain your achievements

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

Hard numbers allow you to easily highlight accomplishments such as resolving customer issues or responding to several daily emails, and ultimately help hiring managers visualize how you’d be suitable for the role.

Here’s an example of how to use hard 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)

Additional skills-related resources

Below are more useful skills-related resources to help you write your receptionist resume.

• In-demand job skills
• How to write your resume skills section
• The skills based resume
• How to list skill levels for a resume
• Transferable skills
• Best soft skills for your resume
• Is a skills section necessary on a resume?
• How many skills should you list on a resume?