Receptionist Resume Skills and Keywords

What skills should I put on a receptionist resume?

The top skills to put on a receptionist resume are Microsoft Office (Excel and Word), along with administrative knowledge, customer and personal service, and service orientation. Employers also look for dependability, cooperation and social orientation, which are best shown through results in your bullet points rather than listed.

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Administrative knowledge
• Customer and Personal Service knowledge
• Service Orientation
• Dependability
• Cooperation
• Social Orientation

What software should receptionists know?

Receptionist job postings most often ask for Microsoft Office (Excel and Word). Many receptionists also use medical, mobile messaging service and CRM software; which products matter depends on the employer, so list the specific products a posting names and you have used.

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office

What hard skills do employers want in receptionists?

Receptionists need administrative knowledge far more than most workers, and customer and personal service, service orientation, and computers and electronics more than most. Name these in your resume summary and prove each one with a bullet that shows you using it.

• Administrative · Needed far more than in most jobs
  Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Customer and Personal Service · Needed more than in most jobs
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Service Orientation · Needed more than in most jobs
  Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Computers and Electronics · Needed more than in most jobs
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Speaking · Needed more than in most jobs
  Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Compared with the average rating across all jobs in Department of Labor data.

What soft skills do receptionists need?

The most important soft skills for receptionists are dependability, cooperation and social orientation. Show them through results in your bullet points rather than listing them as single words.

1. Dependability: A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
2. Cooperation: A tendency to be pleasant, helpful, and willing to assist others at work.
3. Social Orientation: A tendency to seek out, enjoy, and be energized by social interaction at work.

What keywords should a receptionist resume include?

A receptionist resume should include the exact tool names, skills and job title from the posting. For receptionists, common keywords include Microsoft Office (Excel and Word), Clerk Specialist and Front Desk Receptionist. Applicant tracking systems and recruiters scan for these words, so use them wherever they truthfully describe your experience.

How do I write receptionist resume bullet points?

Start each receptionist bullet point with a past-tense verb and a core task, such as “Received payment and record receipts for services,” then end it with a measurable result: what changed, by how much, and for whom. These starters come from the job’s most important tasks.

What are other job titles for a receptionist?

Other job titles for a receptionist include Clerk Specialist, Front Desk Receptionist, Greeter, Information Assistant (Info Assistant) and Medical Receptionist. Government job data groups them as “Receptionists and Information Clerks.” Search for these titles too, and use the posting’s exact title on your resume when it fits your experience.

• Clerk Specialist
• Front Desk Receptionist
• Greeter
• Information Assistant (Info Assistant)
• Medical Receptionist
• Member Services Representative (Member Services Rep)
• Office Assistant
• Registration Clerk
• Scheduler
• Appointment Clerk
• Appointment Scheduler
• Appointment Setter
• Automobile Club Information Clerk (Auto Club Info Clerk)
• Bilingual Receptionist
• Call Center Agent
• Call Center Operator
• Call Center Representative (Call Center Rep)
• Call Taker
• Clinic Receptionist
• Customer Care Representative (CCR)

What education do receptionists need?

Most receptionists need a high school diploma or equivalent to get hired. New hires typically get short-term on-the-job training. No prior work experience is usually required. On your resume, list coursework or certifications in administrative knowledge, customer and personal service, and computers and electronics. In a federal survey, 49% of receptionists said the job requires a high school diploma and 26% some college courses.

How much do receptionists make?

Receptionists earn a median salary of $38,010 a year, according to May 2025 federal wage data. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $28,760, and the highest-paid 10% earn more than $49,950. Employment is projected to shrink 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all jobs, with about 105,100 openings a year.

Openings still come up as people retire or move on, but in a shrinking field, skills that carry over to other jobs matter more on your resume.

What’s changing in this field

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects these trends to shape hiring. If your experience touches any of them, say so.

• Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as companies use computer software, enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, to automate data collection, document preparation, and other tasks performed by clerks.

What other jobs can receptionists do?

Receptionists’ skills carry over best to jobs as medical secretaries and administrative assistants; office clerks, general; and customer service representatives, which use the most similar skills and day-to-day work.