Reception jobs & volunteer positions – The receptionist is a professional figure employed in accommodation facilities. Generally, it is linked to the hotel, tourism or congress sector, but it can also be found in structured companies with an entrance area.

What are the characteristics and skills that a Receptionist must-have?

The skills generally required:

• natural predisposition to relate with customers,
• patience and courtesy
• diplomacy
• communicative and relational abilities
• coordination and planning skills that are useful for the management of the various activities of the accommodation and staff.

Flexibility and good presence are also required (since it is a welcoming figure, it is important to have a sober and refined look, which can leave the customer with a “good first impression”).

In the case of a hotel in a city of artistic interest, knowledge of at least two foreign languages ​​are important.

A good receptionist usually has the ability to use technology and IT resources and the knowledge of management software, especially in the framework of structures such as hotels and hotels. Also important is the ability to manage a switchboard for sorting incoming calls.

What are the professional goals of a receptionist?

“The customer is always right“, this rule is true also for the receptionist. Its main objective is customer satisfaction at 360 degrees, demonstrating kindness, availability, great reliability and promptness of reflexes.

What concrete tasks does the Receptionist cover?

The receptionist in hotel facilities is mostly in charge of welcoming guests, offering information and suggestions regarding the place.

• On the organizational level, it checks the availability of accommodation through the registration of reservations and the flow control – on arrival and departure – of customers; in hotels, the receptionist offers information about the plant and assigns the rooms.
• In the event of complaints, breakdowns and other reports from guests, it is the Receptionist’s responsibility to take responsibility for contacting maintenance personnel and resolving any problems promptly.

The receptionist that works in a large company also performs secretarial duties and general services, such as:

• mail sorting,
• shipping,
• taxi requests for guests and managers, etc.

How to become a Receptionist?

It is not essential to have a degree, but a university course with an economic or linguistic direction could very well complete the profile.

If you are interested in the task, you can take a professional training course in the tourism or hotel sector and in parallel take a language course to get a good preparation. You can also volunteer and try this experience first-hand (see opportunities below).

Where does a Receptionist work?

The Receptionist works within tourist reception facilities, such as hotels, hostels, campsites, tourist villages, convention centers, festivals.

The role of the receptionist may vary depending on the size and category of the structure. Several people on shifts or just one person usually carry the service of reception.

Receptionists also work in professional offices and in multinational companies which, due to their large size, need to have a reception area at their headquarters.

RECEPTION JOBS

Reception jobs around the world – browse the opportunities to work at hostels’, hotel’s or guesthouses’ receptions around the world. Most of these opportunities are volunteer positions. Help us complete this page. Add your listing!