A junior receptionist typically assists a senior receptionist in diverse aspects of office administration. This can include working with software, communicating over the telephone or in person, organizing office materials, or any other part of the day to day operation of an office. While the job description for one of these professionals may be quite broad, the junior receptionist often receives more detailed instruction from a more senior staffer who he or she is shadowing, either as a supplementary or backup shift worker, or as part of a plan to replace an outgoing receptionist.
Rather than learning high-level tasks for a certain industry, a junior receptionist will often spend a lot of time learning specific set protocols for a particular office. For example, this professional will become familiar with any office workers who will need to receive daily messages and mail, as well as any database software or other resource used to store incoming data for a business. Part of the learning curve for this job usually relates to the exact setup of an office and where all tools and materials are located, as well as certain tasks that must be done each day in a particular way.
The role of a junior receptionist is more common in some countries and areas of the world than in others. This type of professional may work in a part-time position, or in some cases, in a full-time position, again, for various purposes including assisting or replacing a senior receptionist. Employers offering a job position of this kind will often include detailed information on all of the various tasks that will be included in the job, including which kinds of software are most often used, and how the office staff is structured. Employees may even include helpful materials like templates for letters and other communications, and checklists for daily tasks.
Because much of the job of a junior receptionist involves communication, employers might specify that they want individuals with good oral and written dictation skills. Employers might also want a junior receptionist to be experienced with certain common office software. Other qualifications involve degrees, typing skills, and expertise with more advanced types of software.
