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A lot of companies combine the reception and office management roles these days, and you can really tell who is experienced and who isn't. The experienced, professional ones keep the office running very smoothly. At my last company, our receptionist/office manager was fantastic and was handsomely compensated. She had about 20 years of experience and the rumor was she made in the $70k range.
The ability to operate a cash register has nothing to do with experience, and everything to do with basic intellegence.
I worked at a sub shop starting at age 17 with no prior experience, and was using the cash register day 1.
There is absolutely no reason in hell, you need 3 or 4 years of experience to be a "crew member" at a fast food restaurant, or a shelf stocker in a retail facility. These are jobs anyone with an IQ high enough to function can pick up within a week.
Exactly, it is out of control now.
A few months ago I saw a sign on the door of a Subway.
"Help wanted, must have 2 yrs of Subway experience".
Not just fast food experience, it had to be Subway experience...LOL.
Come on, it's slapping meat, cheese, and veggies on bread. There is no reason someone can't have that down pat after being shown where things are and making a few sandwiches. After a few shifts they should be at the same level of their coworkers who have been doing it for months.
I worked at Pizza Hut during college, I think I watched a few pizzas being made and then started making them.
A few months ago I saw a sign on the door of a Subway.
"Help wanted, must have 2 yrs of Subway experience".
Not just fast food experience, it had to be Subway experience...LOL.
Come on, it's slapping meat, cheese, and veggies on bread. There is no reason someone can't have that down pat after being shown where things are and making a few sandwiches. After a few shifts they should be at the same level of their coworkers who have been doing it for months.
I worked at Pizza Hut during college, I think I watched a few pizzas being made and then started making them.
It is ridiculous these days.
Hey, I've made sandwiches at home, does that count for "sandwich artist experience?" Probably not... this economy is a joke... Subway experience... because making a sandwich there is vastly different from making them anywhere else?!
It is just as bad higher up the chain. In the engineering world, the job requirements are typically so narrow once you add together the experience and specific software tools that the only people who meet them are people who already work at that company?! Some companies are even bold enough to demand experience in "proprietary in-house tools," which literally excludes everyone but current or previous employees. And then they complain about not being able to find "qualified applicants." Right...
When it comes to projecting the image the company desires, the receptionist position is absolutely critical. That face is almost always the first one seen when someone walks through the front doors. That voice is the first one heard when someone calls the company's phone #.
Being decent-looking, having a friendly professional attitude, and having excellent "people" skills is important. First impressions matter whether you like it or not. Receptionists need to be able to make customers, clients, even employees of the company feel comfortable and welcome. Failure to do so might...just might...play a factor in the company failing to secure that $1 million deal with that prospective partner...or be a factor in a toxic work environment.
Even though many of the tangible duties of a receptionist (like routing calls) are probably easy to quickly learn, I'd still want someone with 2-3 years of prior relevant experience holding down that front desk position. Doesn't necessarily have to be as a prior receptionist - just something public-facing, be it in an office, retail or service environment. Also someone who has a thick skin and is capable of dealing with difficult people in a calm, professional manner. I'd put weight on the candidate having some good character references.
That said, the position described in the OP sounds more like a combo receptionist/admin assistant/office manager type position to me. So good multitasking and organizational skills are mandatory, on top of the above. I can understand desiring 4 to 5 years experience for this (10 is probably overkill though), especially if it's for a large, Fortune-500 type company who deals with powerful clients. And I'd also think that, internally, the company is already targeting one or two specific candidates from its own employees and their connections. Lastly, I suspect that this company is calling this position "Receptionist" to try and get away with paying a low wage.
When it comes to projecting the image the company desires, the receptionist position is absolutely critical. That face is almost always the first one seen when someone walks through the front doors. That voice is the first one heard when someone calls the company's phone #.
Being decent-looking, having a friendly professional attitude, and having excellent "people" skills is important. First impressions matter whether you like it or not. Receptionists need to be able to make customers, clients, even employees of the company feel comfortable and welcome. Failure to do so might...just might...play a factor in the company failing to secure that $1 million deal with that prospective partner...or be a factor in a toxic work environment.
Even though many of the tangible duties of a receptionist (like routing calls) are probably easy to quickly learn, I'd still want someone with 2-3 years of prior relevant experience holding down that front desk position. Doesn't necessarily have to be as a prior receptionist - just something public-facing, be it in an office, retail or service environment. Also someone who has a thick skin and is capable of dealing with difficult people in a calm, professional manner. I'd put weight on the candidate having some good character references.
That said, the position described in the OP sounds more like a combo receptionist/admin assistant/office manager type position to me. So good multitasking and organizational skills are mandatory, on top of the above. I can understand desiring 4 to 5 years experience for this (10 is probably overkill though), especially if it's for a large, Fortune-500 type company who deals with powerful clients. And I'd also think that, internally, the company is already targeting one or two specific candidates from its own employees and their connections. Lastly, I suspect that this company is calling this position "Receptionist" to try and get away with paying a low wage.
I have to laugh - I see these job listings all the time. I only respond to the ones who don't list pay, because the pay listed is usually $9-10/hr, plus "professional dress", no benefits, etc. I get the occassional call back from the ones I apply to, but only the ones that don't ask you to put in your salary history/expectations. They want 5-10+ years of experience, a degree, professional dress, excellent computer and people management skills, a background and credit check - and they want to pay $10/hr. And they wonder why they'll have to hire again in 3-6 months!
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They can require 20 years if they want, and they will still get plenty of qualified applicants. In this market why not look for the best for your business?
Hey, I've made sandwiches at home, does that count for "sandwich artist experience?" Probably not... this economy is a joke... Subway experience... because making a sandwich there is vastly different from making them anywhere else?!
The funny thing about "Subway Experience" in particuliar is that, the sandwiches are made to order, basically the customer points to what they want, in the order they want, and thats it. The only given is the meat and cheese.
So, unlike fast food shops that are more "assembly", Subway really only would require you to memorize the meats on, what, 10-15 sandwiches (most of which are self explanatory, such as "Teryaki Chicken" or "Roast Beef and Cheese"), and being able to tell what ingredients are which, and what breads are which. There is no standard "order", or standard "sauce" on a particuliar sandwich.
basically, it's like as if entry-level jobs don't exist anymore, because you need a year or more, or probably like 3 plus years or more of work experience just to get hired at McDonald's, Walmart, a Grocery Store, etc.
basically, it's like as if entry-level jobs don't exist anymore, because you need a year or more, or probably like 3 plus years or more of work experience just to get hired at McDonald's, Walmart, a Grocery Store, etc.
LOL! My sister works at a major pharmacy store where several kids are working their FIRST jobs ever. Several more went to Wal Mart with less than ONE year retail experience.
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And they wonder why they'll have to hire again in 3-6 months! 
