What Are Typical Receptionist Duties?
As a receptionist, you are often the first face clients and colleagues see, and the first voice they hear, so your role in an office is very important. Your duties vary depending on the type of office you work in, but generally, you act as a gateway between office employees and the outside world. To find out more details about the job duties of receptionists, read on. Schools offering Administrative Assistant degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What are the Main Responsibilities of a Receptionist?
When you work as a receptionist, your primary duties are to answer calls and perform administrative duties for an organization. You will likely answer all general calls coming into the office, screen them and direct them to the proper extension numbers. To carry out this task, you need to be well-versed in the workings of your office. Frequently, callers ask simple or often-asked questions about the organization, and as a receptionist you can deal with these quite efficiently by becoming knowledgeable about the company. You might also be responsible for taking messages from callers. In many offices, the phone systems can be quite complicated, involving multiple lines, extensions and other functions. As technology improves, some of these functions may be moved to the computer, but the same basic tasks remain for you as the receptionist.
What Other Tasks Are Important?
Depending upon your employer and the size of the office in which you work, you may be responsible for a variety of other duties. In both small and large offices, you are likely responsible for greeting visitors and clients, or anyone who enters the premises. You also determine the amount of access a visitor gets to the rest of the office, and thus, can enhance company security. As a receptionist you might also keep appointment logs, which can tell you who to admit into the office and where to direct them.
In many offices, you might be responsible for staying in close contact with building security for help in evicting unwelcome visitors. You could likely also sort incoming mail and post outgoing mail. You generally have to sign for deliveries and send packages out promptly. In smaller offices, you might deliver mail and packages to their recipients, and keep track of inventory. Filing, ordering office supplies, making travel arrangements, and performing bookkeeping functions are other tasks you might be responsible for as a receptionist.
What Office Technology Might I Use?
As a receptionist, you must have decent working knowledge of personal computers and the various applications in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This should enable you to type correspondence utilizing word processing programs, and to create spreadsheets presentations. Receptionists receive and deliver incoming faxes, and send outgoing faxes for office staff. You may answer e-mails, work with calculators and check answering machines for messages. Performing Internet research, and making copies on large copy machines are other possible job duties.
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