Career Profile: Receptionists and Information Clerks

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 1,037,100 people employed as receptionists and information clerks in the United States. The median annual salary is $29,950. Entry level employees earn approximately $23,050 per year and senior employees earn approximately $45,760 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Enroll individuals to participate in programs and notify them of their acceptance.
• Conduct tours or deliver talks describing features of public facilities, such as a historic site or national park.
• Perform duties, such as taking care of plants or straightening magazines to maintain lobby or reception area.
• Schedule space or equipment for special programs and prepare lists of participants.
• Collect, sort, distribute, or prepare mail, messages, or courier deliveries.
• Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided.
• Calculate and quote rates for tours, stocks, insurance policies, or other products or services.
• Process and prepare memos, correspondence, travel vouchers, or other documents.
• Keep a current record of staff members' whereabouts and availability.
• Take orders for merchandise or materials and send them to the proper departments to be filled.
• Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
• Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
• Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
• Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
• File and maintain records.
• Receive payment and record receipts for services.
• Perform administrative support tasks, such as proofreading, transcribing handwritten information, or operating calculators or computers to work with pay records, invoices, balance sheets, or other documents.
• Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
• Analyze data to determine answers to questions from customers or members of the public.

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