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Receptionists and Information Clerks

Answer inquiries and provide information to the general public, customers, visitors, and other interested parties regarding activities conducted at establishment and location of departments, offices, and employees within the organization.

How does this connect to your interests? →

A look at the work

  • Operate telephone switchboard to answer, screen, or forward calls, providing information, taking messages, or scheduling appointments.
  • Greet persons entering establishment, determine nature and purpose of visit, and direct or escort them to specific destinations.
  • Receive payment and record receipts for services.
  • Schedule appointments and maintain and update appointment calendars.
  • Transmit information or documents to customers, using computer, mail, or facsimile machine.
  • Hear and resolve complaints from customers or the public.
  • File and maintain records.
  • Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provided.

A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.

Interests involved in this work

These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.

Hands-on

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.0 / 7

Investigative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.8 / 7

Creative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.1 / 7

Helping people

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.6 / 7

Enterprising

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

4.3 / 7

Organizing

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

6.3 / 7

Skills to explore

Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

2023-08

3.9 / 5

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

2023-08

3.8 / 5

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

2023-08

3.6 / 5

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

2023-08

3.1 / 5

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

2023-08

3.1 / 5

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

2023-08

3.1 / 5

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

2023-08

3.0 / 5

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

2023-08

3.0 / 5

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

2023-08

2.9 / 5

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

2023-08

2.9 / 5

Plan a small next step

Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.

Source preparation category: Job Zone 2 of 5 · 2026-02. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.

Related study fields

Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.

Veterinary Reception/Receptionist →

Receptionist →

Explore all related study fields →

Source & methodology

O*NET-SOC code 43-4171.00 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.

How interest exploration matching works →

Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.