A receptionist job description template to copy: duties, skills, schedule and pay fields, with tips on essential requirements and a skills test to pair.
The short answer
This receptionist job description template gives you a clear, fair starting point for hiring front desk staff: what the role involves, an example of the work, the essential requirements and how your hiring process works. Replace the placeholders, keep only requirements the job truly needs and tell candidates about the short skills test.
Replace the placeholders and review the template against the actual role and local requirements before use.
Receptionist
[COMPANY NAME] · [LOCATION / REMOTE ARRANGEMENT] · [SALARY RANGE] · [EMPLOYMENT TYPE]
About the role
Find welcoming, organised people who keep visitors, calls and calendars running smoothly. You will work with [TEAM / MANAGER] to deliver [PRIMARY OUTCOME].
What you will do
- Welcome and help visitors in the context of our daily work.
- Manage calendars and messages in the context of our daily work.
- Keep accurate records in the context of our daily work.
- Keep colleagues informed about progress, questions and blockers.
- Check your work and respond constructively to feedback.
An example of the work
Book three meetings around a manager's calendar, reply to a visitor enquiry and log a phone message accurately.
What you will need
- Evidence that you can perform the core tasks described above.
- Clear communication appropriate to the role.
- Willingness to ask questions and learn our systems.
[ADD ONLY JOB-RELEVANT REQUIREMENTS]
Nice to have
[OPTIONAL SKILLS THAT ARE NOT SCREENING REQUIREMENTS]
What we offer
[SALARY, BENEFITS, WORKING HOURS, EQUIPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT]
Our application process
Apply through [APPLICATION LINK] by [DEADLINE]. We expect [STAGES AND APPROXIMATE TIME]. Any assessment will focus on the work described here. We will explain permitted tools and monitoring before you start.
Accommodations
Contact [EMPLOYER CONTACT] if you need an adjustment or alternative format.
Privacy
Read [EMPLOYER PRIVACY NOTICE] for how your application information will be used.
Before publishing
Replace all placeholders, review pay transparency and local employment requirements, and remove any requirement that is not essential to the actual job.
Copy the template, replace every placeholder in square brackets and remove anything that does not apply. Keep the wording plain: a short, honest front desk job description attracts candidates who fit the role and puts off people who would not enjoy it. Before publishing, check the pay range, location and hours, and make sure every requirement is something the person will actually need in their first months.
What to include: receptionist duties
Typical receptionist duties include welcoming visitors and directing them, answering and routing calls, taking accurate messages, managing meeting rooms and calendars, handling post and deliveries, keeping visitor logs and records up to date, and supporting colleagues with simple administration. Choose the five or six that matter most in your workplace and describe them in plain language.
If the role is in a clinic, hotel or customer-facing business, add the setting-specific tasks, such as booking appointments or checking in guests, so candidates understand the job.
Writing a fair, inclusive advert
Ask only for what the job needs. Avoid requiring a degree or a set number of years of experience unless the work truly demands it, and avoid wording that suggests a particular age, gender or background. State the pay range if you can, say how candidates can request adjustments and describe the hiring process, including any skills test and how long it takes. Our hiring process for small businesses covers the advert step alongside the rest of the process.
From job description to assessment
The template's example of the work asks candidates to book meetings, reply to a visitor enquiry and log a phone message. Use the same task as your work sample, so the advert, the test and the interview all describe the same job. The receptionist assessment shows the tests to send first, and the receptionist interview questions give you a structured interview to follow.
Pay, hours and working arrangements
Candidates read these sections closely, so be specific. State the pay range, or at least the starting rate, and whether it is hourly or annual. Give the working hours, any shift or weekend work, and whether the role is on site, hybrid or remote. Mention the equipment you provide and any training in the first weeks. Clear details reduce applications from people who would not accept the role, and help the right receptionist candidates apply with confidence.
After you publish the advert
Send every applicant who meets the essential requirements the same short skills test, then invite the strongest to a structured interview. Score each interview on the same interview scorecard, with the criteria taken from the duties in this receptionist job description, so the advert, the test and the interview all measure the same job. Our guide to structured interviews explains how to write and score the questions, and how to calibrate if more than one person interviews.
Frequently asked questions
What should a receptionist job description include?+
The main duties, the essential skills, the working hours and location, the pay range, the hiring process and how to request adjustments. Keep it short and specific to your front desk rather than listing every possible task.
What are the main receptionist duties?+
Welcoming visitors, answering and routing calls, taking accurate messages, managing calendars and rooms, handling deliveries and keeping records up to date. Many roles also include light administration for the team.
Should I ask for experience in a receptionist job description?+
Only if the job truly needs it. Many strong receptionists come from retail, hospitality or customer service. A short skills test shows the organisation and communication skills that matter more than years of experience.
Is a front desk job description different from a receptionist one?+
They are often the same role. Front desk roles in hotels or clinics add setting-specific tasks, such as check-ins or appointment bookings, which you should describe clearly.
Should I mention the skills test in the job description?+
Yes. Saying there is a short skills test, how long it takes and that adjustments are available helps candidates decide whether to apply and reduces drop-outs later.
How long should a receptionist job description be?+
Short enough to read on a phone: a brief summary, five or six main duties, the essential requirements, pay and hours, and the hiring process. Long lists of every possible task put good candidates off without adding useful information.
Turn the advert into a fair first round
Send applicants a short skills test and interview the strongest. Free for five candidates a month.
