Front Desk Resume: Samples for Agent, Clerk & Associate

Ready to work at that desk up front? We’ve got your back. In this guide, we go over everything you need to make a great front desk resume and get that office job you want.

Christian Eilers, CPRW

Career Expert

Updated 01/09/2023

As seen in:

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So, you want to be the face of this specific company. Or, at least, the first face its customers see.

For this, you need to be very good at making a first impression. But how can you impress recruiters before they even get to see you?

Easy—

By writing a front desk resume so good that you can get a hiring manager to like you within seven seconds of looking at your application!

This guide will show you:

A front desk resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
How to write a front desk resume that will land you more interviews.
Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a front desk resume.
How to describe your experience on a resume for a front desk clerk to get any job you want.

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Front Desk Resume Sample

Leon Hellström

5-Star Hotel Front Desk Clerk

leon.hellstrom@gmail.com

(718) 987-1234

linkedin.com/in/leonhellstrom

Summary of Qualifications

Current part-time university student enrolled in bachelor’s degree program in business management. 2+ years experience as hotel front desk clerk at busy, 5-star property. Seeking to leverage top customer appreciation award and personable, hard-working attitude to become the front desk agent for Chelsea Hotel.

Work Experience

Hotel Front Desk Clerk
January 2017–March 2019
Brooklyn Heights Residences, Brooklyn, NY

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

Greeted guests and responded to guest inquiries, requests, and issues in a timely, personable, and efficient manner to resolve guest concerns.
Informed customers about payment methods and verified credit card data.
Liaised with housekeeping staff to ensure all rooms were clean and ready to accommodate new guest arrivals.
Provided information about hotel, restaurant, nearby attractions, available rooms, rates, and amenities.
Reviewed items of note to determine what needed to be communicated to staff of subsequent shifts.

Key Achievements

Awarded the 2018 ”Customer Appreciation Award” from hotel management based on guest surveys.

Front Office Agent
January 2016–January 2017
Milton Hotel Midtown, New York, NY

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

Ensured compliance with hotel company standards and city hospitality policies.
Managed invoicing and rate negotiation for large clients, business guests, and group tours.
Confirmed group reservations and arranged personalized services for event attendees.
Initiated and implemented upselling techniques to promote Milton Hotel services and facilities to maximize room occupancy and overall revenue.
Instructed team members on hotel products, services, facilities, events, pricing, and policies to maintain a competent and transparent work environment.

Key Achievements

Earned “Employee of the Month” award in June, 2016.

Education

Majoring in Hospitality Business Management (Bachelor of Science)

Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY

Expected Graduation: 2020

Relevant Coursework: Lodging Management, Travel and Tourism Management, Recreation-Related Industries, Events and Conventions Coordination, Human Resources, Service Experience, Front Office Operations, Reception and Concierge Management.

CSI High School for International Studies, Staten Island, NY

Graduated 2016

Key Skills

Invoicing & Payments
Computer Reservation System
Point of Sale (POS) & Credit Card Terminal
Courteous Customer Service
Verbal & Written Communication

Certifications

2017 Certified Front Desk Representative from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)

Awards

2018 Customer Appreciation Award, Brooklyn Heights Residences
2016 Employee of the Month Award (June), Milton Hotel Midtown

Languages

Swedish: Native Proficiency
Finnish: Limited Working Proficiency

Now, here’s how to write a front desk resume:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your Front Desk Resume

Whether it’s at a hotel reception or at the local car dealership, front desk clerks keep things organized so everything goes smoothly.

It’s the same here—

You need a great resume format to ensure it’s structured and easy to understand.

So, adhere to these resume formatting rules:

Start with your contact details in the resume header area at the top.
Use clearly-defined headings to make each front desk resume section stand out.
Use the best resume format: most front desk agents go with the chronological format.
Choose a top resume font, and use white space to your advantage. No clutter!
Unless the job ad explicitly asks for a Word document, send your resume as a PDF.

Pro Tip: If you’re applying to your first job as a front desk clerk, check out our no-experience resume guide for helpful tips on adding transferable skills and experience.

2. Write a Front Desk Clerk Resume Objective or Summary

That intro statement at the top of any resume for front desk jobs?

It’s called a resume profile, and it comes in two flavors: the front desk resume objective or front desk clerk summary.

Each one is 3–4 lines long, and gives the office hiring manager or HR member a brief look at your front desk background, clerk skills, office experience, and career goals.

And—

Like a fire in the foyer, you’ve got to grab their attention with this introduction as soon as they begin.

Which one to choose, though?

Pick the resume summary if you have front desk job experience. This introduction type sums up your front desk skills and office-related experience. It also adds a key achievement with numbers to prove you’re the candidate with the amenities they’re looking for.

Select the resume objective if you have no reception job experience. This one talks up your front desk career goals, while still providing a numbered win to prove your capabilities.

Pro Tip: The resume heading gets read first, of course, but that doesn’t mean you must write it first. Instead, save it for last to make it easier to get those thoughts down.

3. Create the Perfect Hotel Front Desk Job Description for a Resume

Doesn’t matter if you’re making a hotel front desk resume or a medical office front desk resume—

Get the work experience section just right.

How?

Here’s how to write the best front desk job description for resumes:

Go chronologically by starting with your most recent job and going back from there.
Place your job title on top, then dates worked, company name, and up to 6 bullet points outlining your front desk clerk duties for resumes.
Reduce the number of front desk job description bullet points you give as you go further back, and include only the most relevant clerk accomplishments.
Begin each entry with action words and verbs (e.g., initiated, mentored, etc.)
Give them quantifiable accomplishments, not just standard job duties and front desk tasks.
Target each resume to one job only!

Pro Tip: Don’t have front desk experience? Still list the most reception and front office-relevant job duties in your bullet points. Show off administrative tasks and secretarial responsibilities which you handled.

4. Make Your Front Desk Clerk Resume Education Section Shine

Don’t think your education resume section is important?

Think again.

To be the face of your company, you’ve got to put a good face on your hotel front desk resume with a perfectly structured education section.

Here’s how to get it right:

Have 5+ years of experience at the front desk? Add just your degree, major, and college name.
Newer to reception? Add extra deets, such as academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and relevant hospitality coursework.
Finished university? Don’t include high school on your front desk resume.
Still working on it? Add high school below your ongoing university entry.

Pro Tip: Relevant coursework for hospitality jobs aren’t just those which relate to secretarial duties and reception tasks. Add coursework for your given industry, as well, such as your medical billing class if you’re applying for a doctor’s office front desk position.

5. Highlight Your Front Desk Skills for the Resume

From Microsoft Excel to juggling multiple tasks, you’ve got mad skills.

But do they know it?

Show the HR manager you’re the best front office candidate with a perfect skills list.

Front Desk Resume Skills

Customer Service
Courteousness & Professionalism
Interpersonal Skills
Data Entry
Time Management Skills
Guest Reservation System
Technical Skills
Point of Sale (POS)
Multitasking Skills
Organizational Skills
Written & Verbal Communication
Office & Administrative Skills
Receptionist Skills
Upselling & Promotion
Decision-Making Skills
Microsoft Office / Google Docs
Conflict Resolution

However—

Don’t just copy this list and paste it in your front desk resume.

Do this, instead:

List all relevant job skills you have, including soft skills and hard skills.
Pull out the job ad where the front desk clerk position was advertised.
Highlight front desk agent skills from their job requirements—those are the best resume keywords to add to a resume.
If one of your highlighted skills matches one on your list, add it to your front desk resume!

Pro Tip: Front desk clerks require plenty of soft skills, such as empathy and communication. However, the hiring manager will value hard skills more (e.g., typing speed, invoicing), so pay special attention to the job description to look for these.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Other Sections to Your Front Desk Resume

Here’s the thing—

All the other front desk candidates have the same resume sections as you do.

You need to stand out if you want that call back for an interview.

To make yours unique, add some extra resume sections.

Here are great additions to a resume for front desk jobs:

7. Attach a Cover Letter for Front Desk Resumes

53% of employers say a resume without a cover letter isn’t enough.

So—

A cover letter is necessary.

Whether it’s front desk or back office, give them one to talk about.

Here’s how to write a front desk clerk cover letter:

Get your cover letter format in order before you begin.
Start the cover letter in a compelling way.
Talk up your office-related experience and any front desk duties.
Add key achievements with numbers to verify your value.
End the cover letter with a strong call to action.

We’ve also got some great cover letter tips to help you along. Check them out!

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to follow up on your application. Shooting off a quick email or making a brief call might be the thing that gets you hired.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Got any questions on how to write a front desk resume? Need more hotel front desk resume samples? Not sure how to talk about clerk skills or office achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

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