Office and Admin Resumes & Cover Letters

Resume Objectives: Receptionist Edition

receptionist
Written by Miranda Pennington

Resume objectives can be difficult to write with precision, and especially if you’re unsure of exactly what job responsibilities you’re applying for, but the job experts at Best-Job-Interview.com have some tips and suggestions for phrases and key words that will show you’re just the experienced, professional candidate that your dream employer is looking for!

Describe yourself!

An enthusiastic and committed receptionist seeking a position with XYZ company to bring professionalism and poise to their front line. Proven efficiency in operating a multi-line telephone system, providing clerical support and dealing capably with customers and queries. Detail-orientated and highly organized with a desire to meet and exceed visitor expectations.

Notice how this example highlights the candidate’s on-the-job experience (“multi-line phones”, “clerical support”, “customer service”), personal qualifications (“detail-oriented,” “highly organized”) and attitude (“enthusiastic and committed”, “professionalism and poise”). It positions the candidate as a professional in search of an opportunity, who has plenty to offer.

Put The Focus on the Company

Ensuring customers have the the best experience in accordance with your company protocol is my priority. Self-motivated and organized with an ability to multi-task while dealing with diverse demands, I am seeking an opportunity to join a company that understands that the reception position is key to the company’s operational image.

This objective line persuasively appeals to the ethos of the prospective employer–wouldn’t you want a receptionist who understands she or he is the first line of interaction between a company and its clients? Notice how it also sneaks in those motivated and organized qualifications too!

Go for Efficiency

Bright and energetic professional who can contribute the following to your receptionist role:

  • Proven ability to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities while taking full ownership of her work
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Good computer skills with solid experience in MS Office
  • Demonstrated success in maintaining composure and effectiveness in the face of competing and complex demands

If you want to highlight specific skills with precision and focus, a bulleted list may be the way to go. This candidate’s resume objective wastes no time highlighting her or his abilities and experience; note the mix of hard skills (MS Office) and soft skills (managing “competing and complex demands”).

Key Words MadLibs!

Use these terms and phrases to help you build your own rockstar objective line:

To describe yourself:

  • A problem solver
  • An energetic professional
  • An effective team player
  • A resourceful individual

To highlight your skills:

  • Proven ability to…
  • Able to… …at all levels of an organization
  • Displays a proactive approach to…
  • Demonstrated ____ skills an aptitude for learning _____

Relevant office tasks:

  • maintain confidentiality
  • handle sensitive information
  • prepare written communications
  • work with cooperation, flexibility, and dependability
  • results-driven
  • time management skills
  • interact effectively
  • in a clear and concise manner

About the author

Miranda Pennington

Miranda K. Pennington is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared on The Toast, The American Scholar, and the Ploughshares Writing Blog. She currently teaches creative nonfiction for Uptown Stories, a Morningside Heights nonprofit organization. She has an MFA from Columbia University, where she has also taught in the University Writing program and consulted in the Writing Center.