
Receptionists
work in public and private institutions to greet and direct clients and visitors. They also answer telephone calls, take messages, schedule appointments and perform other clerical duties.
On This Page
Note: The data presented in this profile does not take into account the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and labour market. Consequently, the accuracy of some of the estimates that appear in this profile may be affected.
Full NOC Description
Receptionists greet people arriving at offices, hospitals and other establishments, direct visitors to appropriate person or service, answer and forward telephone calls, take messages, schedule appointments and perform other clerical duties. They are employed by hospitals, medical and dental offices and other offices throughout the public and private sectors. Telephone operators are included in this group.
Main Duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Receptionists
- Greet people coming into offices and other establishments, direct them to the appropriate contacts or services, provide general information in person and by phone, and may perform clerical duties and maintain front desk security and security access lists
- Schedule appointments, using manual or computerized systems
- Record bookings, handle credit card checks, receive payment, issue receipts.
Hospital admitting clerks
- Interview patients to obtain and process information required to provide hospital and medical services
- Greet patients, schedule appointments, using manual or computerized systems, receive and record payment for services, and direct patients to appropriate areas.
Switchboard and answering service operators
- Operate a telephone system or switchboard to answer, screen and forward telephone calls, take messages and provide information as required, and may perform clerical duties
- Answer telephones and record and relay messages.
Telephone operators
- Operate telephone systems to advance and complete customers' telephone calls such as long distance, pay telephone, mobile radio/telephone and person to person calls, arrange teleconferences, provide relay phone service to persons with disabilities, and may calculate and record billing information.
Also Known As
- answering service operator
- appointment clerk
- business receptionist
- dental receptionist
- hospital admitting clerk
Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- On-the-job training may be provided.
Provincial Regulation
Not Provincially Regulated
The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.
Data legend
The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.
Data legend
The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.
Data legend
The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.
Data legend
The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.
Data legend

Economic Regions
The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.
The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.
Data legend

Economic Regions
The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.
The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.
The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.
The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).
Share this page
No endorsement of any products or services is expressed or implied.