A temporary receptionist answers telephone calls, handles basic customer service issues and performs a variety of other administrative tasks. By definition, these roles are short-term positions and the receptionist may be employed for a few days, weeks or months. Many firms hire temporary workers to perform the duties of permanent members of staff who are absent from work for a variety of reasons, while other businesses recruit short-term workers to help manage the workload during busy periods of the year.
Someone employed as a temporary receptionist must have good interpersonal and organizational skills. Many employers prefer to hire people who have previously worked as secretaries or administrative assistants. While some receptionists have college degrees in business or management, many people employed in these jobs have completed short-term vocational classes during which students are taught basic administrative functions and computing skills. In many instances, firms fill short-term positions with workers who are contracted through staffing agencies. These firms work with job seekers and may agree a series of short-term deals for a particular individual to work as a temporary receptionist at a number of different firms.
Typically, receptionists are front-of-house employees which means that the people employed in these roles are often the first company employees that visitors and clients interact with. In many instances, a temporary receptionist will work at a desk that is located just inside the company's main entrance. These individuals must greet visitors, set appointments and give directions to people who are attempting to find particular individuals or departments. Front desk personnel usually communicate with other company employees via phone or email and these workers normally notify company employees whenever business clients arrive for meetings.
Aside from handling walk-in clients, a temporary receptionist may also have to answer questions over the telephone. Since people in these roles have limited knowledge of the firm's operations, temporary employees can normally only answer very basic questions about the firm's operations which means that more complex inquiries have to be directed to permanent employees. In many instances, large businesses use a switchboard and the receptionist is responsible for managing calls so that clients can be connected to workers or voice mail systems. Since many firms use similar switchboards and administrative software, someone with knowledge of these systems can fill this role even if that individual knows very little about the company's actual operations.
While many people in short-term roles are tasked with covering for absent workers, others are attempting to land full-time jobs. Some firms employ receptionists on a temporary-to-permanent basis which means that people who perform well during these placements may be offered permanent positions. Labor laws in many countries make it difficult or expensive for firms to fire employees and this drives many employers to hire all workers on a temporary basis before making any full-time job offers.
