Receptionists are employed by a variety of businesses and organizations to work at the front desk, greet clients in a lobby or waiting area, and answer phones and direct calls. As a result, there are a variety of different types of office receptionist jobs, even though the daily job tasks are generally similar. Doctor’s offices and hospitals are two of the most common places to look for office receptionist jobs, as it is critical that the phones are always answered. General business offices, such as real estate agencies, as well as schools and virtually any other type of corporate organization, are also common.
Medical offices are one of the most common places to work as an office receptionist. Multiple receptionists are typically hired by doctors’ offices to answer phones, set appointments, answer questions, and greet patients as they enter the office. Hospitals will also have receptionists and switchboard operators who perform similar tasks for various departments. Other professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, and consultants, will have receptionists to answer their phones and greet clients as they enter the waiting area, in addition to medical offices. Real estate firms will always have an office receptionist, and in some cases, more than one, to handle these duties.
Most businesses, on the whole, will offer office receptionist positions. Manufacturers, professional offices such as newspapers or magazine publishers, and virtually any other type of business that receives calls or visits from customers or vendors will require a front desk employee. Only businesses with zero chance of attracting a potential client will hire a front desk receptionist; however, even in this case, internal departments such as payroll or human resources may hire a receptionist or assistant to handle incoming calls.
Schools can also be a good place to look for office receptionist jobs. Most schools will require a few people to be stationed at the front reception area at all times to answer phones and direct students, staff, and parents around the school. Mornings, when attendance is taken and the phones are busy, receptionists are especially important. These are just a few of the most common places to look for office receptionist jobs, but doing some research online or calling around can lead to other possibilities.