How do you become a receptionist?

What do you do as a receptionist?

A receptionist is the face of an organization. You welcome guests, customers, and visitors, show them around, and make sure everyone feels seen right away. The job goes far beyond just answering the phone or checking people in. You are the link that determines the first and last impression.

You combine hospitality with organization: you answer phone calls, schedule appointments, handle administrative tasks, and keep the reception area running smoothly. Whether you work in an office environment or in business services, your attention and professionalism make a difference every day. Curious about a complete overview? Discover everything about the tasks and responsibilities of a receptionist here!

Route 1 – Become a receptionist through vocational education

A vocational education program may be the most popular choice, but it is also the most direct route to a job as a receptionist. These programs are ideal for students who want to pursue a career in hospitality after high school, but also for adults who would like to obtain an official diploma.

You can choose between BOL (full-time), where you mainly attend school and do an internship, or BBL (work & learn), where you gain practical experience directly with an employer. Most courses last 1-2 years and are at level 2 or 3. Examples include:

• Vocational Education in Services / Service & Support Employee
• Vocational Education Hospitality & Front Office
• Vocational Education Receptionist (limited availability)

Route 2 – Becoming a receptionist with a different educational background

Have you already completed a degree in another field? Even then, there are plenty of opportunities for a job as a receptionist. Employers don't just look at your exact degree, but also at the similarities between your studies (and work experience) and the work in hospitality. Training programs in administration, tourism, secretarial work, retail, or healthcare, for example, are surprisingly well suited. These studies teach you a lot about customer contact, service, and organization.

What counts in practice are skills such as representativeness, clear communication, planning, and working with basic software. People with a background in these areas often transition effortlessly to a role in reception. They are already accustomed to helping others, maintaining an overview, and communicating professionally.

Route 3 – Retraining through (online) courses & self-study

Working as a receptionist is ideal for career changers or those returning to work. Even if you have not completed formal training, but want to increase your opportunities with courses or training, the entry level is accessible, and the programs are often shorter than a full vocational education program.

Choose from short courses, evening classes, or online training courses offered by vocational schools and commercial training providers. There are even work-study programs that allow you to gain practical experience right away. During these programs, you will learn about hospitality, communication, representation, and working with the systems you use every day at the reception desk.

Route 4 – No formal training but with experience in hospitality (lateral entry)

Many receptionists originally come from the hospitality, retail, tourism, or events industries. This makes sense, because the skills you develop in those fields (hospitality, multitasking, stress resistance, and quick thinking) are perfectly suited to reception work. With this experience, you often already have a strong foundation.

When switching to reception work, it is mainly about showing how your experience matches the position of receptionist. Emphasize in your resume how you helped guests, dealt with busy periods, or combined multiple responsibilities.

Many lateral entrants also progress to receptionist via other positions. These include host/hostess, front office employee, or customer service representative, in preparation for a permanent position in reception.

Route 5 – Without training or direct work experience in hospitality

Don't have any education or relevant work experience? You can still become a receptionist, although this usually requires an intermediate step. Gaining practical experience is essential here.

It is quite normal not to find your ideal job straight away. So think in terms of steps. You can build up your first relevant experience through jobs in the service industry, hospitality, volunteer work, or work experience placements. In these roles, you will learn how to deal with visitors, busy situations, and keeping track of things. These are exactly the skills you need on a daily basis as a receptionist.

Once you have gained some experience, look for entry-level positions such as host(ess) and work your way up to a receptionist job when you are ready. Retraining is not mandatory, but a course or training program can give your development and your job application that extra boost.