Front Desk Agent Resume Example

This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a front desk agent resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning front desk agent resume.

What to include in a front desk agent resume

Although the content of a front desk agent resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.

How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:

Resume Header with Contact Details

Your front desk agent resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.

Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.

Resume Summary

The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for front desk agent roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.

The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a front desk agent, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. See below for some great examples of how to approach your front desk agent resume.

On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Hard and Soft Skills

Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for front desk agent jobs. These could be multi-line phone management, MS Office proficiency or various other relevant skills. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for front desk agent positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.

How to include hard skills on your front desk agent resume

Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as a front desk agent. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a front desk agent resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a front desk agent resume below.

Showcasing your best soft skills

Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.

A good soft skills section would include skills that match the job description, and also reflect your key strengths and qualities. See the graphic below for an indication of what to include in a strong soft skills section for a front desk agent resume.

Education

In your education section, include details of your most relevant front desk agent qualifications and educational achievements.

You don't tend to need a degree for front desk agent roles, but you'll still need to list any relevant qualifications, or your relevant educational achievements. If you have Certified Guest Service, add this here, along with any other education that shows your multi-line phone management or MS Office skills.

Include any qualifications relevant to the role. For each, add the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.

Certifications

Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional front desk agent certifications, licenses or qualifications. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

Take a look at some example certifications for a front desk agent resume below:

Work History

In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your front desk agent skills. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.

Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.

A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a front desk agent resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.

In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.

Optional Resume Sections

In addition to the core sections of a front desk agent resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.

Hobbies and Interests

Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as a front desk agent. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.

Volunteer Experience

If you're lacking relevant front desk agent work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.

References

It's not typical to include references in a front desk agent resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.

Best strong verbs for your a front desk agent resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.

For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.

Sample resume for front desk agent positions

The front desk agent resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:

Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. When drafting your front desk agent resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
• Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
• Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
• Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.

Takeaways for a winning front desk agent resume

The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.

Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications