Receptionists are not usually required to have academic qualifications, although GCSE in Maths and English is preferable. In certain industries (the media or the arts for example), receptionists may be required to have more qualifications (A Levels or a degree) because jobs in those industries are in high demand. A secretarial qualification will always be a huge advantage for getting a receptionist job as will a qualification in IT or computing. Companies who receive a lot of international visitors may also require receptionists to have a qualification in a foreign language