As a receptionist, you are likely to be the person to greet the guests on arrival at the hotel, and it is important to make a good first impression – a warm welcome, tidy appearance, and pleasant atmosphere in the reception area can help to get their stay off to the best start.

In this role, you will need to deal with reservations accurately and efficiently, prepare guest bills correctly, and ensure that any necessary information goes to the housekeeping, restaurant, maintenance, and management departments. Excellent communication and administration skills are essential and most hotels use computerised systems for reservations and word processing, so IT skills are also an advantage. You may have to respond to reservation enquiries by telephone, in person, or by letter, fax and email. The ability to speak another language would also be an advantage in this role.

In some hotels, receptionists show guests to their room. If this is not the case you will provide them with clear directions, or a porter will show them to their accommodation. You may also be responsible for taking payments, exchanging foreign currency, and working the switchboard: directing in-coming calls, and assisting guests in making external calls. You will take messages for guests, and ensure that they receive them without delay, along with any mail that may arrive for them. Guests may also leave their valuables at reception for safekeeping (either in a safety deposit box or the hotel safe) and come to you with any queries or complaints – not all of which will be easy to deal with.

Selling is another key skill: the ability to persuade the guest to take a better and more expensive room, to stay longer, to eat in the restaurant, or take advantage of a special promotion can help to increase revenue for the hotel. In some hotels, the receptionist helps serve in the bar and restaurant, can be called upon to help housekeeping if there is a crisis. At busy times, you must maintain an impression of calm efficiency, and take care to acknowledge anyone who you can't deal with immediately. In the event of an emergency, you need be aware of your responsibilities, e.g. assisting people as they evacuate the building, calling the emergency services, and checking that all guests have reached safety

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