Receptionist resume keywords
Most receptionist applications are screened by software before a person reads them: the ATS ranks resumes by how many of the posting's words they contain. The lists below are the terms that show up most in receptionist job ads. Use the ones that are true for you, with the same spelling the ad uses.
Hard skills and ATS keywords
- Phone and switchboard
- Appointment scheduling
- Microsoft 365
- Customer service
- Data entry
- Mail handling
- Multitasking
- Confidentiality
- Front desk operations
- Multi-line phones
- Appointment scheduling
- Visitor management
- Data entry
- Microsoft Office
- Mail handling
- Check-in / check-out
- Cash handling
- Scheduling software
Soft skills recruiters look for
- Friendliness
- Professionalism
- Multitasking
- Communication
- Composure
Soft skills only count when a bullet proves them. "Team player" is ignored; "Greet and direct 120+ visitors a day while handling a 5-line switchboard." shows it.
Action verbs to start your bullets
- Greeted
- Managed
- Scheduled
- Answered
- Coordinated
- Reduced
- Organised
- Handled
How to use these keywords
- Mirror the job ad: if it says "Front desk operations", do not write a synonym.
- Put the top 6–8 in a skills section and repeat the key ones inside experience bullets with a number.
- Never list a skill you cannot talk about in an interview.
- Keep the file text-based (no skills inside images or tables), or the ATS cannot read it.
Which ones is your resume missing?
Every posting is different. Paste your resume and the job ad — free ATS Match Score Score your resume free (0-100)
No signup. It lists the keywords from the ad that your resume does not contain.
Need the resume itself? See the receptionist resume example and generate one free from rough notes.