Receptionist Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Receptionist jobs in Los Angeles start at the city's $18.42 minimum wage, but medical front desks at Kaiser Permanente and Cedars-Sinai post $24 to nearly $34 an hour for the same greeting and check-in work. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get started.
Current receptionist Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Receptionist Work in Los Angeles
The best-paid reception work in Los Angeles is in health care, where the job often carries a different title. Kaiser Permanente calls it Service Representative at its West Los Angeles and Panorama City medical centers, Cedars-Sinai calls it Patient Service Rep in its Los Angeles and Beverly Hills clinics, and USC calls it Patient Access Representative at the student health center on the University Park campus. Search those titles as well as receptionist and you will see far more openings.
Outside health care, gyms, law firms and offices hire front desk staff across the city, from Equinox clubs on the Miracle Mile and in Woodland Hills to law offices in Studio City. Spanish is a real advantage here, since more than half of city residents speak a language other than English at home, and several Los Angeles postings prefer or require bilingual candidates.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Receptionists
These Los Angeles employers had receptionist and front desk openings on their own career sites this month:
- Kaiser Permanente - hires Service Representatives to greet and check in members at its West Los Angeles and Panorama City medical centers.
- Cedars-Sinai - hires Patient Service Reps for specialty clinics such as podiatry and ear, nose and throat.
- USC - staffs the reception desk at Engemann Student Health on the University Park campus with Patient Access Representatives.
- Equinox - the fitness club hires front desk associates at its Miracle Mile and Woodland Hills locations.
- Levin & Nalbandyan - the law firm hires a receptionist and front desk coordinator for its Studio City office, with Spanish strongly preferred.
Receptionist Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $18.42 to $21 an hour at gyms, salons and small offices.
- Experienced: roughly $24 to $30 an hour at hospital and clinic front desks.
- Senior: $30 to $35 an hour for experienced medical front office staff at large health systems.
These are estimates built from posted ranges and federal wage data, which puts the metro median near $20.81 an hour. Inside city limits no receptionist can be paid under the $18.42 city minimum. Health care pays more because of scheduling systems, insurance checks and payment collection, and bilingual Spanish, evening shifts and on-call pools can add to pay.
How to Become a Receptionist in Los Angeles
California has no license for receptionists or medical receptionists, and the Los Angeles postings above ask only for a high school diploma or GED, customer service experience and basic computer skills; Kaiser adds its own skills tests. Training helps for medical desks. The Los Angeles Technology Center on West Washington Boulevard runs a Medical Office Assistant program of about 495 hours that includes a Front Office Assistant course, and Los Angeles Valley College offers a General Office Assistant certificate.
What the Job Involves
Receptionists are the first person visitors meet. Daily work includes greeting guests or patients, answering and routing calls, scheduling appointments, checking people in and out, verifying information, collecting payments, managing mail and keeping the lobby orderly. In a medical office you also register patients in the records system and protect their privacy.
Skills Employers Look For
- Friendly, professional customer service
- Multi-line phone handling
- Scheduling and check-in software
- Bilingual English and Spanish
- Cash handling and payment collection
- Calm under a busy lobby
Career Path and Advancement
In Los Angeles a front desk job is a common first step into office and health care careers. Medical receptionists move into patient access lead, scheduling, medical office assistant or billing roles, while office receptionists step up to administrative assistant and then executive assistant. Large employers like Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai and USC post those next steps internally.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If front desk work interests you, these Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do receptionists make in Los Angeles?
Most Los Angeles receptionists earn about $19 to $30 an hour. The metro median is near $20.81, while hospital front desk roles at Kaiser Permanente and Cedars-Sinai post ranges from $24 to about $34 an hour.
Do you need a license or certificate to be a receptionist in California?
No. California does not license receptionists, including medical receptionists. A short program such as the Medical Office Assistant course at the Los Angeles Technology Center can help you compete for medical front desk jobs.
What titles should I search besides receptionist?
In Los Angeles health care, search Service Representative, Patient Service Representative and Patient Access Representative. Gyms and hotels often use front desk associate or front desk agent.
Do receptionist jobs in Los Angeles require Spanish?
Not always, but it helps. Many Los Angeles employers serving patients or clients list bilingual Spanish as preferred, and some scheduling and front desk roles require it.
What shifts do receptionists work in Los Angeles?
Office and law firm receptionists usually work weekday business hours. Hospital, clinic and gym front desks can include evenings, weekends and on-call shifts, which sometimes pay a differential.
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