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Receptionists

Employment Prospects

Employers

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 1,101,500 people are employed as receptionists and information clerks. Many work in service-providing industries, with healthcare and social assistance providers employing about 46 percent of all receptionists and information clerks. Factories, wholesale and retail stores, and service providers also employ a large percentage of these workers. Most receptionists work full time.

Starting Out

While you are in high school, you may be able to learn of openings with local businesses through your school counselors or newspaper want ads and employment Web sites. Local state employment offices frequently have information about receptionist work. You should also contact area businesses for whom you would like to work; many available positions are not advertised in the paper because they are filled so quickly. Temporary-work agencies are a valuable resource for finding jobs, too, some of which may lead to permanent employment. Friends and relatives may also know of job openings.

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