As the professional first point of contact, receptionists shape the way clients, candidates, and colleagues perceive your organisation, often within seconds. That’s why your Receptionist CV must present you as calm under pressure, impeccably organised, and technically capable, and it should make those qualities easy for hiring managers to spot at a glance.

Below, we’ll cover what the role entails, how to structure and format your CV, which receptionist CV skills to prioritise (soft and hard), and how to tailor your content to specific job descriptions, plus a helpful link to common receptionist interview questions from ISE Partners.

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What is a Receptionist? (Duties & Why the Role Matters)

A receptionist is the front-of-house professional who greets visitors, answers calls, manages meeting room bookings, handles mail, and supports office operations. The role extends beyond a warm welcome; it’s about maintaining seamless daily workflows and a polished brand image. Typical responsibilities include meeting and greeting, managing calendars and rooms, triaging phone/email enquiries, organising supplies, and coordinating logistics.

Why it’s essential: Receptionists drive client satisfaction and internal efficiency by preventing scheduling conflicts, ensuring spaces are prepared, and communicating clearly across teams, making them integral to overall business performance.

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General Receptionist CV Advice (Format, Structure & Impact)

Use reverse chronological order. Lead with your most recent roles to show progression and relevance quickly. This remains the most universally preferred format for administrative and front-of-house positions.

Keep it concise (2 – 3 pages max). Talent and recruiters often skim, clarity wins. Aim for 2 pages (3 if senior), using clean headings and white space. Avoid images and overly stylised layouts that can confuse ATS.

Bullet points over paragraphs. Short, scannable bullets make achievements pop and help with ATS keyword matching. Mirror language from the job description where authentic (e.g., “multi-line switchboard,” “visitor management,” “Outlook scheduling”).

Quantify your impact. Importantly: number of visitors per day, calls handled, meeting rooms managed, or reduction in scheduling conflicts (e.g., “Scheduled 150+ meetings/month; cut conflicts by 25%”). Numbers make value tangible.

Consistent formatting. Use one font/type size hierarchy, aligned dates, and uniform punctuation. Save and send as PDF when applying to preserve layout.

Include education and training. Add relevant qualifications, customer service workshops, business admin, H&S (e.g., IOSH), and software training.

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Key Skills for Your Receptionist CV

Create a dedicated skills section and integrate those skills into your experience bullets to prove you’ve applied them. Combine soft skills (interpersonal) with technical (administrative) capabilities.

Soft Skills

• Communication:

Verbal and written clarity, active listening, professional phone etiquette. Receptionists liaise across departments and with external visitors, precision matters.

• Organisation:

Scheduling, time management, filing/record-keeping, prioritising competing requests.

• Customer Service:

Empathy, conflict resolution, problem-solving; you set the tone of the visitor experience.

• Work Ethic:

Reliability, dependability, initiative, attention to detail, calm under pressure, multitasking.

• Adaptability:

Flexibility to switch contexts between calls, walk-ins, deliveries, and executive requests.

Show, don’t just tell:

Example bullet: “Resolved 200+ weekly enquiries via multi-line phone system while coordinating guest check-ins and meeting schedules; improved satisfaction by 20%.”

Technical Skills

• Software:

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), data entry, calendar management, shared drives/SharePoint, and sometimes CRM or visitor management platforms.

• Equipment:

Multi-line phone/switchboard, printers/copiers, VOIP systems.

• Admin Tasks:

Appointment setting, visitor registration, mail handling, office supplies, desk logistics.

• Languages:

Add any additional languages to support a global client base.

• Health & Safety / Facilities:

Any certifications such as IOSH (for risk awareness and front-of-house safety).

Applied example:

“Implemented visitor management software; reduced check-in time by 50% and strengthened front-desk security protocols.”

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How to List Skills So They Work (and Pass ATS)

1. Dedicated Skills Section:

Use bullets for quick scanning (e.g., “Outlook calendar scheduling,” “multi-line switchboard,” “visitor management,” “data entry (98% accuracy)”).

2. Integrate into Experience:

Tie skills to outcomes: “Managed switchboard while coordinating 10 meeting rooms; cut clashes by 40%.”

3. Use Keywords from the JD:

Mirror exact phrases (e.g., “front-of-house,” “meeting room bookings,” “GDPR-compliant record-keeping”) without exaggerating.

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Receptionist CV Structure: A Proven Outline

Header: Name | Phone | Email | LinkedIn. City/region only.

Professional Summary (3 – 4 lines): A concise snapshot emphasising reliability, communication, and service orientation, tailored to the sector (investment bank, private equity, executive search).

Key Skills (bulleted): Split soft vs. hard skills. Prioritise the JD’s keywords.

Experience (reverse chronological): Role | Employer | Dates | Location, then achievement-led bullets with numbers.

Education & Training: Degrees, short courses (Office/Outlook, customer service, IOSH, first aid).

Extras (optional): Awards, languages, professional memberships, but only if relevant.

Sample achievement bullets to adapt:

• “Scheduled and coordinated 150+ meetings/month across 10 rooms; reduced conflicts by 25% through proactive calendar management.”
• “Answered and routed 100+ daily calls via multi-line VOIP system; cut average wait times by 20%.”
• “Introduced an organised supplies tracker; achieved 15% cost savings via supplier negotiation.”

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Tailoring Your Receptionist CV to the Job

• Match the environment:

Corporate FOH? Emphasise switchboard, visitor management, meeting rooms, and stakeholder communication. Hospitality or medical? Show guest/patient flow, check-in systems, and service standards.

• Echo the employer’s priorities:

If the JD stresses “calm under pressure” and “multitasking,” put pressure-tested achievements near the top; quantify peak-volume performance.

• Include sector tools:

Name any booking systems, visitor management platforms, or CRMs you’ve used (where permitted), plus core MS Office skills.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Listing responsibilities, not results. Replace “responsible for phones” with “handled 120+ calls/day; maintained 95% first-contact resolution.”
• Generic summaries. Vague claims (“team player”) do not help; pair them with proof (e.g., cross-department liaison outcomes).
• Inconsistent style or cluttered design. ATS and humans prefer clean, consistent formatting. Save as PDF before submitting.

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Applying for Jobs: Prepare for the Interview

Once your CV is sharp, prep with real questions. We’ve compiled 10 common receptionist interview questions and model answers to help you practise specific scenarios (de-escalation, prioritising deadlines, coordinating complex meetings, software proficiency): 10 Common Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

For a deeper dive into duties and expectations, explore ISE Partners’ guide to the role and impact of receptionists: these pieces show how front-of-house excellence elevates professionalism and operational flow.

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Quick Checklist Before You Apply

• Format:

Reverse chronological; 2 – 3 pages; saved as PDF.

• Summary:

Tailored to the sector; emphasises being reliable, detail-oriented, and calm under pressure.

• Skills:

Split soft/hard; mirror JD keywords (switchboard, Outlook scheduling, visitor management, MS Office).

• Experience bullets:

Action verbs and numbers (visitors/day, calls/day, rooms managed, conflict reduction, satisfaction gains).

• Training:

Include relevant education and certifications (e.g., IOSH).

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Final Thought

A receptionist is far more than the person at the front desk, they’re the professional first impression, the communication hub, and the organiser who keeps the office humming. If your Receptionist CV clearly demonstrates that blend of soft skills (communication, organisation, customer service, reliability) and hard skills (scheduling systems, MS Office, multi-line phones/VOIP), backed by quantified achievements, you’ll stand out as the person who can create a welcoming atmosphere and keep operations seamless, especially under pressure.

If you are ready to start your search for a new role, explore our lives roles today.