Receptionists and Switchboard Operators (NOC 1414)
Description
Receptionists and switchboard operators greet people arriving at offices, hospitals and other establishments, direct visitors to appropriate person or service, answer and forward telephone calls, take messages, schedule appointments and perform other clerical duties. They are employed by hospitals, medical and dental offices and in other offices throughout the public and private sectors.
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Example Titles
- admitting clerk
- answering service operator
- business receptionist
- dental receptionist
- front desk clerk (other than hotel)
- hospital admitting clerk
- medical receptionist
- reception clerk
- receptionist
- switchboard operator
- telereceptionist
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Classified Elsewhere
- Customer Service, Information and Related Clerks (1453)
- Hotel Front Desk Clerks (6435)
- Receptionist supervisors (in 1211 Supervisors, General Office and Administrative Support Clerks)
- Telephone Operators (1424)
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Duties
Receptionists and switchboard operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Receptionists greet people coming into offices and other establishments, direct them to the appropriate contacts or services, and provide information in person and by phone and may perform clerical duties and maintain front desk security and security access lists.
- Hospital admitting clerks interview patients to obtain and process information required to provide hospital and medical services.
- Medical and dental receptionists greet patients, schedule appointments, using manual or computerized systems, receive and record payment for services, and direct patients to appropriate areas.
- Switchboard operators operate a telephone system or switchboard to answer, screen and forward telephone calls, taking messages and providing information as required; and may perform clerical duties.
- Answering service operators answer telephones and record and relay messages.
- Front desk clerks in a variety of institutional and commercial settings direct customers to appropriate areas, record bookings, handle credit card checks, receive payment, issue receipts, arrange tour reservations and deal with emergency situations.
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Skills
Receptionists are usually required to have the following skills and abilities:
- a genuine interest in people and in helping others,
- a friendly, outgoing personality and ability to get along with all kinds of people,
- knowledge of the work of the organization,
- good listening skills,
- good verbal skills, and a clear speaking voice,
- tact and good telephone etiquette; the ability to stay calm when callers are rude,
- some word processing or other computer skills are usually needed,
- the ability to follow instructions and work with little supervision,
- the ability to work with office systems such as filing,
- knowledge of a second language may be needed.
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Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required. Some office experience may be required,
- Some employers require completion of business courses at secondary school or college.
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Terms & Conditions
Receptionists and switchboard operators work in an office environment. They usually work a 37.5 or 40 hour work week, although shift work is common in health facilities and other workplaces that are open to the public on evenings or weekends.
While most work full time (67%), part time work is also common. Self-employment in this occupation is rare (1%).
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Earnings
$21,100 per annum - starting
$29,800 per annum - average
$43,000 per annum - high
Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.
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Education / Training
- Assiniboine Community College, l'École technique et professionnelle, Red River College and the University College of the North offer diploma and certificate programs in business/office administration.
- Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre offers a program in clerical skills.
- The following Private Vocational Institutions in Manitoba offer programs in this field: Academy of Learning (Brandon, Dauphin, South, Winnipeg, Swan River), Anokiiwin Training Institute, CDI College, Herzing College, Patal Vocational Preperatory Schools, Winnipeg Technical College, Yellowquill College.
- Some high schools in Manitoba offer a program in Business Education.
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Career Paths
Many persons are hired as receptionists or switchboard operators with no prior work experience. Advancement into secretarial and administrative positions is possible with experience or further education and training.
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Outlook
Employment prospects for receptionists are expected to be good the period 2010 to 2014. Employment prospects for switchboard operators, who make up a small proportion of this occupational group, are expected to be limited due to the impact of office automation such as e-mail, internet, and voice mail . With a large occupational workforce, estimated at 5,360 in 2010, there will be frequent job opportunities occurring as a result of turnover.
Receptionists are employed in a broad range of public and private institutions and companies. Receptionist duties are frequently combined with clerical responsibilities such as filing and word processing. The scope of the job is likely to be much broader in small businesses or agencies.
Receptionists and switchboard operators are employed in all industry sectors, with the greatest concentration in Health Care and Social Assistance (47%), followed by Other Services (except Public Administration) (7%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (7%) and Retail Trade (6%). A proportionally larger share of jobs are located in Winnipeg, but they are found in all regions.
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Employment by Age Group
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Employment by Industry
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Employment by Region
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Employment by Gender
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Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification
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Employment by Visible Minority
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Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.
