How to Become a

Greeter

The complete career guide to be a Greeter: salary, job growth, employers, best schools, and education you may need to get started.

Why We Love It

  • $20,530
    Potential Avg. Salary
  • 4.5%
    Job Growth Rate
  • Growing Demand
    Job Outlook
  • Don't Take Work Home
    Career Attribute

A greeter is responsible for ensuring superior guest service and making a positive first impression. It starts from standing at the entrance and greeting people who arrive.

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What is a Greeter?

Duties

The following duties are executed by a greeter:

  • Ensure that guests are fully satisfied and in the event of complaints, negotiating wisely while alerting the appropriate team member.
  • Be proactive and supply guests with easy to follow directions on shopping or ordering processes, accommodations and menu recommendations depending on whether it is a hotel establishment, shop or restaurant.
  • Insert daily entries into a log book to track communications between shifts and keep management posted.
  • Coordinate with the senior management and other members of the team to ensure that staffing levels sufficiently cover guests’ needs.
  • Communicate clearly and professionally in the English language to direct guests on call and face to face, regarding special promotions and offers at the venue.

Day In The Life

Working as a greeter may mean different things based on your place of work. You are typically working on tasks assigned by a managing supervisor and as part of a team. For instance, if you are a greeter at a church or event venue, you will be in charge of ushering attendees to the seating areas and passing out the programs. At a shop or departmental store, a greeter is usually to give guests a warm welcome, find them shopping carts or motorized carts or baskets, and pass them ongoing coupons and offers.

Other duties on the side might be sweeping or cleaning the restrooms or entryways, organizing shopping cards, washing windows and counters, wiping down tables and shelves, etc. It is vital to maintain convey a sense of control and approachability at the front end of the venue to enhance the company image as a whole.

Work Schedule

You must be able to work 40 hours per week as a professional greeter, which may include nights and weekends regularly. It is imperative that a greeter is punctual and arrives on time for their shift as per the schedule. Places like hotels and casinos run 7 days a week and 24 hours a day, which can result in a hectic workload.

Further, greeters have to be in decent physical shape to work prolonged hours on their feet, either walking or standing at various points in the day on hard surfaces. Once in a while, you might work outdoors in inclement weather as you are expected to interact with patrons of varying ages near the front entrance of an establishment. Wearing a uniform provided by the company is sometimes part of the job description.

Growth Of The Job

Job prospects in the hospitality industry are growing more rapidly than any other industry besides health care. With individuals having more disposable income to stay at hotels and spend at restaurants, greeters can find unmatched opportunities for employment nationwide. There is also a high turnover in this sector due to employees leaving for better opportunities or retiring from the stressful demands. Based on the type of company and its size, greeters can expect to advance to the position of cashier or customer service professional with adequate work experience.

Typical Employers

Greeters work at establishments where customers or guests may require extra assistance – usually, this is at retail stores, high-end luxury shops, restaurants, resorts, hotels, casinos, mall and restaurants. You might also end up finding work on a temporary basis with employers like local and national festivals, meeting halls, churches, conferences, book fairs, parades and motor shows.

Greeters at full-time jobs usually receive financial work benefits like paid vacation days, 401(k) retirement program and insurance. Some companies that are currently in the market for greeters are Marriott hotels and resorts, Bonura Hospitality Group, Ritz-Carlton, YMCA, Hyatt, Hooter’s, UPS Store, Louis Vuitton and Walgreens.

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How To Become a Greeter

You require a high school diploma or its equivalent to start working as a professional greeter. Having specific knowledge of the company and its surrounding areas is a distinct advantage when competing in this industry. The specific skills that are helpful to succeed as a greeter includes experience with computer applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook), verbal and written communication skills, ability to work confidently in a high stress environment, ability to excel in a team setting, superior customer service skills, and basic office administration skills.


Greeter Salary Data

We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.

National Anual Salary

Low Range

$17,840

Average

$20,530

High Range

$27,180

National Hourly Wage

Low Range

$9/hr

Average

$10/hr

High Range

$13/hr

How do Greeter salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Greeter's can make an average annual salary of $20,530, or $10 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $17,840 or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.

Salary Rankings And Facts

  • #810 Nationally for All Careers


Highest Education Among Greeters

  • 0.6%   Doctorate
  • 2.1%   Masters
  • 15.2%   Bachelors
  • 7.9%   Associates
  • 26.5%   College
  • 35.9%   High School
  • 11.8%   Less than High School

Job Growth Projections and Forecast

2014 Total Jobs

376,400

2024 Est. Jobs

393,200

Job Growth Rate

4.5%

Est. New Jobs

16,800

How does Greeter job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 16,800 jobs for a total of 393,200 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 4.5% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.

Growth Rankings And Facts

  • #463 Nationally for All Careers


What Companies Employ The Most Greeters

Industry Current Jobs New Jobs Needed % Increase
Full-service restaurants 323,800 16,000 16%
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) 5,200 100 0%
Special food services 3,500 100 0%

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