Hiring a receptionist: job description template and interview questions
Everything you need to post a receptionist job and interview candidates: a template you can copy and edit, interview questions with what a good answer shows, and pay benchmarks from federal data.
Pay data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Job content: O*NET 31.0. Updated 2026-10-26.
Receptionist job description template
Copy this template and replace the parts in [brackets]. Keep only the responsibilities and requirements that are true for your job.
Receptionist
Location: [City, State or remote] · Schedule: [Full-time, part-time, shifts] · Pay: [$X to $Y per hour]
We are hiring a receptionist to greet visitors, answer and route calls, manage appointments and support the office with administrative tasks. Previous front-desk or customer service experience is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
- Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
- Receive payment and record receipts for services.
- Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
- Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
- Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
- File and maintain records.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or the equivalent or equivalent experience
- Speaking skills
- Active Listening skills
- Reading Comprehension skills
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Reliable attendance and availability for the scheduled shifts
What we offer
- [Pay range and how often you pay]
- [Benefits, such as health insurance, paid time off or an employee discount]
- [Training and growth, such as promotion paths]
How much to pay a receptionist
The U.S. median annual wage for receptionists and information clerks was $38,010 in May 2025 ($18.27 an hour). Pay differs a lot from state to state.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $13.83 | $28,760 |
| 25th | $16.33 | $33,960 |
| Median (50th) | $18.27 | $38,010 |
| 75th | $21.70 | $45,130 |
| 90th | $24.01 | $49,950 |
| Mean | $18.97 | $39,460 |
Receptionist salary in every state
Receptionist interview questions
- The phone is ringing, a visitor is at the desk and a coworker needs a document. What do you do?
What to listen for: Acknowledging everyone and handling them in a sensible order. - How do you handle a caller who is upset?
What to listen for: Listening, staying calm, routing them to someone who can help. - How do you keep a busy schedule organized?
What to listen for: Tools and habits, such as confirming appointments. - Tell me about a time you handled confidential information.
What to listen for: Discretion and following rules. - Which office or scheduling software have you used?
What to listen for: Comfort learning new tools. - How would you greet a visitor who seems nervous?
What to listen for: Warmth and clear directions. - What would you do if two people were booked for the same appointment?
What to listen for: Solving it calmly and fixing the cause. - What makes a front office feel professional to you?
What to listen for: Attention to small details.
Skills to look for
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Time Management
Source: O*NET importance ratings for this occupation.
Hiring receptionists?
Post the job on Jobder, add an optional video of up to 45 seconds, and review applications one at a time with a yes or a pass. Free signup is open for job seekers and employers.
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Receptionist career guide · Receptionist salary by state
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database
Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.
Frequently asked questions
What should a receptionist job description include?
A short summary of the role, the main responsibilities, the qualifications you actually require, the schedule, the location and the pay range. Listing pay helps candidates decide quickly, and some states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
How much should I pay a receptionist?
The U.S. median annual wage for receptionists and information clerks was $38,010 in May 2025 ($18.27 an hour), and the middle half of workers earned between $33,960 and $45,130. Pay varies a lot by state, so check the state table before you set a range.
What are good interview questions for a receptionist?
Ask about real situations the person will face on the job, and listen for how they think, not only for the right answer. The questions on this page each come with what a strong answer shows.