How to become a Receptionist

Official title: Receptionists

Also called: Receptionist, A&e receptionist, Hotel receptionist, Legal receptionist, Receptionist-clerk, Dental receptionist, School receptionist, Receptionist-typist, Medical receptionist, Optical receptionist, Doctor's receptionist, Hospital receptionist

Receptionists receive and direct telephone calls and visitors to commercial, government and other establishments.

Main tasks

• Receives callers and clients and directs them to the appropriate person or department
• Records the details of enquiries and makes appointments and reservations
• Answers, screens and forwards or otherwise deals with telephone enquiries
• Supplies brochures, pamphlets and other information for clients
• Records details of visitors, issues security passes and informs visitors of any actions to be taken in case of an emergency
• Maintains reception area in good order

How to become one

There are no formal academic entry requirements, although many employers expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. There are a variety of relevant vocational qualifications available. NVQs/SVQs in Administration are available at level 2 that encompass various aspects of reception work. Professional qualifications are also available.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £24,678 a year The middle half earn £22,124 to £28,730.
• About 243,300 people work in this job now, and about 196,200 are projected by 2035. (-19.4%)

Related jobs

• Personal assistants and other secretaries
• Medical secretaries
• Legal secretaries
• School secretaries
• Company secretaries and administrators
• Typists and related keyboard occupations

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Receptionist?

There are no formal academic entry requirements, although many employers expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. There are a variety of relevant vocational qualifications available. NVQs/SVQs in Administration are available at level 2 that encompass various aspects of reception work. Professional qualifications are also available.

How much does a Receptionist earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £24,678 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £22,124 to £28,730.

Is a Receptionist a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 19% by 2035, from about 243,300 to about 196,200 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a Receptionist?

Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03