What a receptionist does
A receptionist greets visitors, answers and routes phone calls, manages the reception area and handles a steady flow of small administrative tasks such as receiving deliveries, booking meeting rooms, sorting mail and updating contact lists. In clinics and service businesses the role often includes scheduling appointments and taking payments. A receptionist sets the tone of your office, and clients form an opinion of your business based on how they are treated at the front desk.
The best receptionists stay friendly and composed when the phone is ringing, a courier is waiting and a client has a question all at once. They know when to handle something themselves and when to pass it on. Finch screens for phone manner, presentation, multitasking and reliability, because a receptionist who is often late or absent leaves a gap someone else must cover. We also check comfort with your phone and scheduling systems.
Typical responsibilities
- Greet visitors and clients, and notify staff of arrivals
- Answer, screen and transfer calls on a multi-line phone system
- Book appointments and meeting rooms, and manage shared calendars
- Receive deliveries and sort incoming and outgoing mail
- Keep the reception area tidy, stocked and welcoming
- Support the office with photocopying, scanning and contact list updates
Qualifications and credentials
- A high school diploma; office administration training is an asset
- Previous reception or customer-facing experience
- A clear, professional phone manner, with additional languages an asset
- Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and scheduling or booking software
- Professional presentation and a courteous manner with the public
Who hires a receptionist
- Law, accounting and professional services firms
- Medical, dental and physiotherapy clinics
- Corporate offices and head offices
- Car dealerships, showrooms and service businesses
- Property management and real estate offices
Where we recruit receptionist candidates
We fill receptionist roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Phone manner and spoken communication, assessed in a live conversation
- Experience at a front desk with a similar flow of calls and visitors
- Comfort with multi-line phones and booking or scheduling software
- Punctuality and attendance, confirmed with previous employers
Interview questions to ask
- A visitor arrives upset while you have callers on hold. What do you do?
- How do you decide whether to transfer a call, take a message or answer the question yourself?
- What does a well-run reception area look like to you?