I buy sandwiches now and then from a small cafe.  Some of the staff members are very friendly & thoughtful.  They greet me and tell me they won’t be long.  Others simply go about their business without looking up until they’re ready.

It’s so good to be acknowledged.  We appreciate it, don’t we.

If you’ve been isolated for some time, find a meeting, seminar or short course where you’ll be mixing with other people.  Talk to them, ask them what they do.  Don’t talk too much about yourself.  Mixing with others, and showing genuine interest in them, can be a real confidence booster.  Think about what you’ll say when they ask what you do.  Tell them what you’ve done in the past, but remember, keep it brief, not too much about yourself -  “I’m out there looking at the moment.  My experience is in finance.  What do you do?”

Get yourself some current experience.  Find someone who will allow you to work with them free of charge a few hours a week.  Push yourself – take on a challenge.  When someone accepts your offer, pay attention to what’s going on around you and do your very best – go the extra mile.

Do what you can to present yourself well – think about the way you dress, the way you speak.  Use your manners and take pride in yourself.  Take a course or diploma – it will help.  The more knowledge you have, the more confident you will feel about putting yourself out there.

What should you  include in your resume?  Talk to your friends.  Ask if any of them have sent off job applications lately – they might be able to help.  Register with an employment agency or a free government service.  Find one that will help you with your resume and application letters.

Good luck!  You’re absolutely the right person for a particular job out there.  It’s a matter of preparing yourself and finding it!

It will help you to develop good work ethics and life skills to carry you through any career.

This applies to work and life in general.

Hold your head higher, don’t be a liar!

If a potential employer was to call your current manager and ask how you present yourself, what would the response be?

 ‘I haven’t noticed’
 ‘Looks as though he/she doesn’t care’
 ‘Usually looks ok’
 ‘Always very well presented’

If they haven’t noticed it may be that your presentation is under-whelming – neither good nor bad. 

Obviously if the answer is that it looks like you don’t care, you need to change your attitude to the way you present yourself.

If it’s ‘OK’, that’s disappointing – you’re not making an impact.

Wouldn’t it be great if the response was a very positive one.  You can ensure that it will be!  Don’t take a cavalier approach to the way you dress – a ‘that’ll do attitude’.  Think about how other people see you.  Will they be impressed, disappointed or not even notice?

You may work in an office where casual clothing is acceptable, even encouraged.   If that’s the case there are still guidelines to follow – well manicured nails, groomed hair, laundered clothing, personal hygiene, clean teeth. 

As a receptionist professional presentation, attitude and speech are all keys to success.

But what if you wanted to be a great receptionist?

I’d start with understanding that in addition to keeping unescorted guests away from the magic door, a receptionist can have a huge impact on the marketing of an organization. If someone is visiting your office, they’ve come for a reason. To sell something, to buy something, to interview or be interviewed. No matter what, there’s some sort of negotiation involved. If the receptionist can change the mindset of the guest, good things happen (or, if it goes poorly, bad things).

From Seth’s Blog (Seth Godin) – www.sethsblog.com

Spare a thought for your receptionist.  This is what most receptionists face day in, day out.

The role of the receptionist used to be as simple as answering phones and attending to personal visitors.  Now the definition of a receptionist is more accurately stated as someone who answers the phone, greets people in person, does 25 things at once, and is continually interrupted!

At any one time a receptionist might be on the phone, holding two calls, tending to a personal client and calling a cab, all while typing the minutes from yesterday’s staff meeting.

The role of the receptionist was once, and sometimes still is, looked upon as a lowly position, by the public, co-workers, management and receptionists themselves.  The attitude is – “It’s just reception, how hard can it be?”

A survey conducted by Reception Plus found that 63% of receptionists do not feel valued or appreciated.  They feel isolated and their efforts unacknowledged in many cases. 

How can you ensure that anyone calling or coming in to reception will feel comfortable and likely to do business with you?  The answer is motivation, encouragement and appreciation of the person at your front desk.

Your marketing and sales personnel promote the advantages of using your services.  If people making contact feel they’re treated poorly or even rudely, they may choose to seek out your competitors rather than repeat a disappointing experience.  I know I would.

The majority of receptionists are proactive, efficient and welcoming.  They care about their clients and it is obvious; they make people feel welcome and relaxed; they’re helpful, but not condescending; in control, but not over-bearing; friendly but not unprofessional. 

If your receptionist is like this, let him or her know that you appreciate their approach and contribution to the smooth running of the organisation.

This may be by simply remembering to acknowledge them as you enter the office, returning their smile, using your manners, asking their opinion, even making them a coffee.

On the other hand, your receptionist may be showing signs of being a little challenged – finding it difficult to know how to respond to various people and situations, and to manage several things at once.  Don’t leave them to struggle.  Seek out options for training and encouragement. 

Reception is very similar to customer service.  The requirements are the same – a positive attitude, confidence, assertiveness, good communication, people and telephone skills, politeness, efficiency, willingness to help, ability to handle multiple tasks, and a sound knowledge of the company procedures and services.  These attributes can all be learned by a willing participant.

Pamela

“Our receptionist is a genius!

Our clients love her.  She’s courteous, friendly, patient, professional, smart and very helpful.

Her attention to detail is fantastic and she’s energetic – she puts life into her job.  It’s so good to know that we’re going to be greeted by an upbeat, cheerful person when we walk into the office.”