What This Job Pays: receptionist

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July 13, 2007

What This Job Pays: receptionist

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Pay: The average pay of a receptionist in the Seattle area is $13.09 an hour, with most making from $12.10 to $14.04 an hour, according to PayScale, a Seattle company that tracks compensation and benefits.

Demand: Employment of receptionists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in the coming years. This increase will result from rapid growth in service-providing industries – including physicians' offices, law firms, temporary-help agencies and consulting firms – where most are employed. In addition, turnover in this large occupation will create numerous openings as receptionists transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force altogether. Opportunities should be best for people with a wide range of clerical and technical skills, particularly those with related work experience.

Need to know: Although hiring requirements for receptionists and information clerks vary by industry, a high-school diploma or its equivalent is the most common educational requirement. Good interpersonal skills and technological proficiency also are important. Receptionists generally receive on-the-job training. However, employers often look for applicants who already possess certain skills, such as working on computers or answering telephones.

PayScale, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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