Michigan Occupational Information System
#059 - RECEPTIONIST

Receptionists receive visitors, clients, and customers coming into an establishment by asking names, the purpose of the visit, and giving directions to locate the appropriate individual. They record the name of the caller, the person called upon, the nature of the business, and the time of the call.

JOB DUTIES

Receptionists may:

Keep records of visitors, clients, and customers

Answer visitors' questions

Make appointments for future visits

Receptionists have additional duties which vary with the type of organization and the individual employer. They may include:

Type letters and other materials

File

Operate a telephone switchboard

Perform simple bookkeeping tasks

Receive, sort, and deliver mail

Prepare travel vouchers

Collect and distribute messages

Conduct tours

Make bank deposits

Call individuals to the telephone

Maintain the lobby or reception areas

Record employees' attendance and punctuality

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Receptionists may specialize in these areas:

237.367-010 APPOINTMENT CLERKS schedule appointments with employers or other employees for clients and customers by mail, phone, or in person. They record the time and date of the appointment in an appointment book.

237.367-022 INFORMATION CLERKS answer inquiries of persons entering an establishment and provide information about activities and locations of departments, offices, employees, or store merchandise.

237.367-018 TRAVEL INFORMATION CLERKS provide travel information for bus or train customers regarding departures, arrivals, stops, and destinations of scheduled buses or trains. They may furnish customers with timetable and may compute fares.

235.662-022 SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR/RECEPTIONISTS, besides receptionist duties, receive calls and answer callers' questions. They also transfer calls to the person or departments requested, or occasionally take messages.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Receptionists may be isolated from other workers and not be under direct supervision.

Receptionists' work areas vary by employer. They may work in a glass-enclosed booth in an entry hall; a well-furnished reception room; or the office of a doctor, attorney, or other professional. Usually they are confined to specific work areas that are comfortably furnished, well lighted, and adequately heated and ventilated. Their surroundings are generally quiet although there may be noise in some firms from the use of office machines or work activities in the shop, factory, or mill.

Receptionists usually work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Some Receptionists may work an additional half day on Saturday while others may work six full days a week. Receptionists in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices may work longer hours or have night or weekend duty. It is unusual for Receptionists to work overtime. Receptionists may belong to a union representing office workers at their place of employment. Union members must pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities of a routine, organized nature

You Should Be Able To:

• Communicate and work well with people

• Make decisions quickly

• See details and recognize errors in written materials

• Write legibly

• Type accurately

• Remember names and faces

• Perform a variety of clerical duties

• Repeatedly perform the same work

• Understand individual requests and answer them

• Be pleasant, tactful, and patient

• Maintain a neat personal appearance

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

You may be responsible for keeping track of clerical staff time sheets. If Mary Smith worked:

Mon. 7:45-4:30

Tue. 8:00-4:00

Wed. 7:35-5:00

Thur. 8:15-3:40

Fri. 7:30-4:15

How many hours did Mary work that week?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

You should be able to read memos and requests from management, supervisors and other office staff and understand the terms and concepts from that particular office.

"Please set up an intake appointment from Mrs. Brown and send her the proper assessment tests in advance"

You would need to know how long an intake appointment is and which assessment tests to send to her.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare a travel voucher for Mr. Green for the week starting July 4 and ending July 10.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You need to be able to think ahead. Many times the receptionist is the one who organizes schedules and makes appointments so it is the receptionist who needs to think ahead to who is available at what times, sometimes months in advance.

                                                                                                                          [back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A High School Diploma or Equivalent or a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1200 ELECTRONICS , 1300 ENGLISH , 2200 MATH , 2800 PUBLIC SPEAKING

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

138 GENERAL OFFICE CLERK TRAINING

Programs in General Office Clerk Training are designed for the individuals who wish to learn the basic clerical skills needed for employment in the various office settings. The programs will prepare students to perform such duties as duplicating data, compiling records and reports, tabulating and posting data in record books, sorting and filing correspondence and records, handling mail, and operating office machines.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

  Search for a College and/or Instructional Program   

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript    

E-Learning Courses and Programs   

                                                                                                                              [back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Experience is not required for employment as a Receptionist. Many employers, however, consider it necessary for clients or visitors to have a favorable first impression of the establishment and, therefore, prefer individuals who have had some experience in meeting and dealing with the public. A number of larger employers require a physical examination. Employers may also give a typing test. Taking a civil service exam is required for an individual seeking a government job as a Receptionist.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Receptionist employer

internships

volunteer work with a Receptionist employer

community service work with an agency

Helpful experience may be gained through part-time and summer employment available in many businesses. College programs in general office clerk training may offer an internship that provides some practical experience.

Persons interested in Receptionist positions may find employment by applying directly to employers or civil service offices, registering with school placement services or a local Michigan Works! office, and consulting newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Classifieds Employment (http://www.classifieds2000.com)

Yahoo Classifieds (http://classifieds.yahoo.com/employment.html)

Michigan Department of Career Development (http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd)

Michigan Works! (http://www.michiganworks.org)

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

                                                                                                                        [back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Receptionists' wages depend on the duties, type, and size of the employing firm, and the geographic location. Nationally, Receptionists had median weekly earnings of $401 per week in 2001. The median weekly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $597 in 2001.  

Receptionists employed by the federal government in 2002 earned from about $284 to about $487per week. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas. In Michigan, Receptionists earned an average annual income between $21,300 and $26,900 in 2002.  

In the Detroit metropolitan area, Receptionists employed by private employers earned from $431 to $535 per week, with an average of $477 per week, in 2002. In various areas of Michigan, Switchboard Operator/Receptionists working for private employers had weekly earnings of (2002):

Receptionists working for hospitals in Michigan in 2002 had average earnings of $375 per week. The average range of earnings was from $347 to $460 per week.  

Most Receptionists receive paid vacations and holidays, group health and life insurance plans, sick leave, and pension plans. Some may also receive dental insurance, stock purchase plans, and educational expense assistance.  

Promotion opportunities depend on the clerical skills and personal qualifications of the worker and the size of the firm. Receptionists usually have very little opportunity to advance within their own classification. In smaller firms, there is little opportunity for advancement. In larger companies, a Receptionist with clerical skills such as typing, shorthand, or bookkeeping may be upgraded to other jobs within the firm such as head Receptionist, stenographer, or secretary.

                                                                                                                                     [back to top]        

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 1,057,000 Receptionists were employed in 2000. Employment in this occupation is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2010 because of expansion of firms providing business, personal and professional services. About 1.5% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Receptionists looked like this:

Since the work is of a personal nature, prospects should not be affected by automation and some opportunities should be available for individuals seeking part-time work.

There are approximately 45,300 Receptionists employed in Michigan. Most of them worked in urban areas. Receptionists were employed in industrial companies, manufacturing plants, insurance firms, real estate offices, banks, advertising agencies, radio and television stations, beauty shops, institutions, and government agencies.

Employment of Receptionists in Michigan is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2008. An average of 15,500 job openings for Receptionists is expected, with 650 due to growth and 900 to replacement of those who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as Receptionists transfer to other jobs or occupations.

The major reason for growth is business expansion. The majority of Receptionists are employed by firms providing business, personal, and professional services for a sector of the economy which is expected to show very strong growth in the future. A growing number of firms are recognizing the importance of the Receptionist's ability to promote good public relations.  

MICHIGAN'S AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008            

EMPLOYMENT                   NUMBER                             PERCENT                          PROJECTED YEARLY     
REGION                               EMPLOYED                        GROWTH                           JOB OPENINGS  

  Ann Arbor Area                        2,070                                21.7                                   85  

  Battle Creek Area                     865                                   16.4                                    31  

  Benton Harbor Area                 1,130                                 8.2                                     31  

  Central Michigan                       555                                   10.1                                   17  

  Detroit MSA                             22,070                              15.0                                   753  

  East Central Michigan                340                                  16.4                                    13  

  Flint Area                                  2,140                               13.4                                     70  

  Grand Rapids Area                   5,340                                23.7                                    229  

  Jackson Area                            880                                  13.5                                     29  

  Kalamazoo Area                      1,635                                19.0                                     62  

  Lansing MSA                           2,640                                19.1                                    101  

  Muskegon Area                        760                                  12.6                                     25  

  Northeast Lower Peninsula        420                                 11.4                                     13  

  Northwest Lower Peninsula      1,170                              18.8                                      44  

  Saginaw MSA                          1,685                              14.1                                      56 

  Thumb Area                              595                                14.4                                      20 

  Upper Peninsula                       1,000                               9.1                                       28 

  West Central Michigan             385                                 12.2                                      12     

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area   

                                                                                                                         [back to top]

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below:

: