Receptionist Resume Examples and Writing Tips

Receptionist Resume Sample Sections

Here are the key sections to include in every receptionist resume. These elements are present in all receptionist resumes, regardless of your unique work history, and provide a solid foundation to lay out your qualifications in an easy-to-read manner.

Interested in reviewing and comparing more resume samples? Check out our other role-specific resume examples.

Header

This section is vital in a receptionist resume because it gives the hiring manager immediate access to your contact details. If the recruiter is interested in your resume, you want them to quickly and easily find your phone number and email.

Although this section is essential, it doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need to include is:

• Full name
• Job title
• Phone number
• Email address
• Location (city and state)
• LinkedIn URL

Here’s a receptionist resume sample header:

Olivia Williams
Receptionist
555-1196
olivwilliams@example.com
Boston, Massachusetts
linked.com/oliviawilliams/

Resume objective or summary

A resume summary is a quick description of your professional experience. It’s typically 2 to 4 sentences long and contains just enough engaging information to encourage the hiring manager to read the rest of your resume.

Here’s a quick example:

Diligent and personable receptionist with 3 years of experience in managing front desk operations. Proficient in handling a high volume of calls, greeting visitors, and coordinating administrative tasks with efficiency. Adept at maintaining a professional demeanor, excellent communication skills, and ensuring a positive first impression for clients and guests.

Work experience

This resume section requires more thought and effort than every other section. Work history is the most important element on a resume and you want to ensure it shines.

We recommend listing two to three past experiences. In each experience, start with your job title, then provide the company name, location, your period of employment, and end with 3 to 5 achievements in bullet points.

Here’s a quick example:

Front Desk Receptionist
Nexus Global Solutions, Boston, MA
2017 – 2020

• Handled 100+ inbound and outbound calls daily, providing valuable information to clients and maintaining organizational efficiency
• Achieved a 98% customer satisfaction rate according to feedback surveys
• Implemented a new CRM system, reducing costs by 25% and increasing productivity

Education

Many receptionist positions are entry-level, but listing your education is important nonetheless. This is especially the case if you’re applying for a higher-level position that may require a certificate, such as a healthcare receptionist.

Providing your education is simple – just list the name of your degree, the name of the institution, and the dates you attended.

Here are two receptionist resume examples for a degree and a certificate:

• Associate of Arts, Business
  Franklin University, Boston, MA
  2016 – 2018
• Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), 2021

Hard skills

Receptionist resumes must list critical hard skills, such as calendar management, telephone etiquette, call transferring, and technical literacy.

When listing technical skills, take time to consider the needs of the role you’re applying for – each position is different and a receptionist resume for a legal role may need different responsibilities than a hospitality management role.

Here are a few common hard skills to consider:

• Microsoft Office
• Google Workspace
• Data entry
• Supply management
• Calendar management
• Telephone etiquette
• Multi-line phone systems

Soft skills

Front desk receptionists work with people constantly, so it’s essential to have soft skills like communication, empathy, curiosity, and problem-solving. Other soft skills, like time management and organization, help a receptionist manage administrative duties.

Include a handful of soft skills on your receptionist resume to showcase your abilities, but ensure they don’t take up too much space – your work experience and technical skills are more important.

Here are a few examples of receptionist soft skills:

• Verbal and written communication
• Organization and planning
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Attention to detail
• Conflict resolution

Hard and soft skills are even more important for a receptionist skills resume, also called a functional resume. We discuss this later on in this blog post.

Optional sections

Extra sections can add an excellent extra touch to your receptionist resume. These elements include:

• Volunteer work
• Languages
• Awards
• Hobbies and interests

Don’t sweat adding these if your resume already fills one page. However, if you have limited work experience or education, including one or two of these is a great idea. For example, a hotel may not mind your lack of experience if you’re bilingual and able to assist tourists who speak foreign languages.

To see all of these resume sections in action and grab some inspiration, browse our resume templates.

Tips for Writing a Receptionist Resume

Now you’ve got the basics, so let’s discuss the special touches that help your resume stand out from the crowd.

For a wealth of great tips and tricks for your resume, browse our collection of resume articles.

Use a chronological resume format

A chronological resume lists your most recent work experience and education and then works backward. This structure helps hiring managers review your most relevant, recent history first, displaying your career progression and growth.

This is the most common type of resume structure, so beyond being convenient, it’s also what most recruiters expect to see.

Quantify your achievements

When listing your work experience, it’s much more effective to add quantified achievements in each bullet list. Here’s a quick example of a quantified achievement vs. a typical responsibility:

• Typical responsibility: Monitored check-in process and streamlined guest wait times.
• Quantified achievement: Enhanced operational efficiency by optimizing the check-in process, resulting in a 20% reduction in average guest wait times.

These accomplishments convey real meaning to a hiring manager, enabling them to see your qualifications quickly.

Tailor each resume to the role

Edit and update your receptionist resume for each job you apply for. It takes a little extra time, but it’s more than worth it.

You have a large amount of valuable experience and skills, and each position has different requirements. Read through the job description carefully and ensure you pick out which of your qualifications are most worth mentioning – this practice also helps you save resume space.

This is also the most crucial step in building an ATS resume. An applicant tracking system (ATS) scans resumes for specific keywords, so including the skills and responsibilities mentioned in the job description helps the software find your resume and present it to recruiters. 

Try a functional resume

A functional resume places emphasis on skills over experience, making it a great option for students, recent graduates, and people who are switching career fields.

A receptionist skills resume starts with skills headers and then places achievements and descriptions underneath in a bullet list. Here’s an example:

Customer Service

• Implemented a customer feedback system that resulted in a 20% decrease in the number of customer complaints within the first six months.
• Educated customers on products and services, successfully answering 100% of questions

You can read more about functional resumes in our blog post on resume structures.

Create a Receptionist Resume That Shows Your Skills

A receptionist carries many skills and responsibilities, and now you know how to put them to paper. Use our tips and tricks to build a front desk receptionist resume that grabs the attention of the hiring manager and lands you your dream role.

Take the time to tailor each resume you send out, listing relevant skills and work experience. Don’t forget to quantify your resume achievements to make them stand out, and include critical people-first soft skills.

Are you finished reviewing our receptionist resume examples and ready to build your own? Head over to CVwizard’s Resume Builder to create a professional resume in minutes.