'Why Is It So Hard to Get a Job as a Receptionist? How Can I Move into Education Policy?' ; THE CAREERS ADVISER

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Poor reception

I graduated in June with a degree in politics. Ever since, I have been applying for a receptionist post, to no avail. I'm hardly requesting to be the chief executive, and everyone has to start somewhere! I have been a receptionist twice before and took a break to go to university. This is confidence-destroying. What should I do?

Start by doing basic checks on your letters and application forms - receptionists need to be good with detail and even small errors go down badly. Nowadays, receptionists need good IT skills and be used to the full range of telephony. If you aren't getting past interview stage, you may be presenting yourself poorly …