text: what makes a good receptionist in an office type situation? this is a new position created within an acedemic set up and i wanted to know how it should run don't let the smile fool you.  the receptionist is the first impression a customer gets of a company.  and in return, the customer represents himself first to the receptionist.    alert and a quick thinker, a receptionist must be a pro at multi-tasking.  the skilled receptionist will make it look easy, with the flutter of a busy day going on around her/him.   dispersing the workload evenly throughout a company might include the receptionist.  mail delivery, pkg prep, data entry, typing, supply orders.  using a receptionist for all phone traffic isn't necessarily the most efficient.  a "menu" giving the caller options will work in some companies, just depends.  but having a receptionist route the wife's call, a golfing buddy, the client who just left, etc..  is a waste of a good receptionist.    and please pay this position well.  and i mean well.  don't even consider anything below $15 a hour, unless you don't value first impressions, can't manage the workload and don't care who is out there greeting the world.  remember the recep knows where all the skeletons are buried.... want to keep good employees?  pay them better....