From admin or reception to remote sales
If you work in reception, admin or office management, appointment setting is the most natural first step into remote sales, because you already spend your day on the phone, managing calendars, updating systems and chasing follow-ups. The big differences are targets, commission and rejection, and the pay can sit above or below what you earn now: SEEK shows a typical advertised range of $65,000 to $85,000 a year (AUD) for full-time Australian setter roles, while Payscale puts US setters at a median of about $16.08 an hour (USD). The smart move is to build the skill alongside your current job, then switch once you have interviews lined up. She Sells trains women in Australia and the US to set and close, and its career program includes placement support once you’re certified.
The quick answer: admin to sales in numbers
Here is how your current role compares with entry-level setter pay, from public job data checked in October 2026. Every figure varies by employer, location, hours and pay structure, so treat it as a rough map, not a forecast.
| Role | Australia (AUD) | United States (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionist | Typical $60,000 to $70,000 a year in full-time SEEK ads (SEEK) | Median $38,010 a year, or $18.27 an hour, May 2025 (BLS) |
| Admin assistant / secretary | Varies by title and seniority | Median $48,310 a year, or $23.23 an hour, May 2025 (BLS) |
| Office manager | Typical $80,000 to $90,000 a year in full-time SEEK ads (SEEK) | Varies widely by company size |
| Appointment setter | Typical $65,000 to $85,000 a year in full-time SEEK ads (SEEK) | Median $16.08 an hour; total pay $28,000 to $47,000 a year including commission (Payscale) |
Read this table honestly. SEEK only counts full-time ads that disclose a salary (some include superannuation), so commission-only and part-time contractor roles barely show up. Payscale is self-reported. If you’re an office manager on a solid salary, a first setter role may well be a pay cut, at least while you learn. If you’re a US receptionist, the base numbers look similar, and commission is where the gap can open up either way.
Two more things worth knowing. BLS projects employment of receptionists, and of secretaries and administrative assistants, to decline 2% from 2025 to 2035, though it still expects plenty of openings each year from people leaving those roles. And many remote setter roles are commission-heavy or paid per booked call, so your income depends on your output, not just your hours.
Why admin skills translate so well
An appointment setter’s job is to contact leads (by phone, DM or email), qualify whether they’re a good fit, and book them into a calendar for a closer. Read that again with your current job in mind. You already do most of it, just without a target attached. If you want the full picture of the role, our guide to appointment setter jobs from home covers what the day looks like.
| What you do now | What it becomes in setting |
|---|---|
| Answering a busy phone line calmly | Making and taking lead calls without getting flustered |
| Managing diaries and rescheduling clients | Booking qualified calls into a closer’s calendar and cutting no-shows |
| Updating client records or a practice system | Logging every conversation in a CRM so nothing falls through |
| Chasing unpaid invoices or missing paperwork | Following up leads who went quiet, politely and persistently |
| Greeting strangers and reading the room | Building quick rapport and spotting who is serious |
| Handling a cranky customer at the desk | Staying steady when a lead says no or pushes back |
| Following a script or procedure | Working a setting framework and qualifying questions |
What you probably don’t have yet is the sales layer: asking questions that uncover a lead’s real problem, handling objections, and being comfortable steering a conversation toward a booking. That part is learnable, and it’s exactly what good training and role play are for.
The honest differences nobody mentions
Targets
In admin, a good day is a tidy inbox and no complaints. In setting, a good day is measured: dials, conversations, booked calls and how many of those calls actually show up. Some women love the clarity. Others find it stressful at first. Be honest with yourself about which way you lean.
Commission
Many remote setter roles pay a smaller base plus commission, a fee per booked or attended call, or commission only. That means your first months can be lumpy while you build skill. When I moved into remote sales in 2020, I made $440 in my first month (not typical, and not a forecast for you). I wasn’t a natural; I just kept practising.
Rejection
You’ll hear “no” far more often than you hear it at a front desk. Most of it isn’t personal; the timing is wrong or the lead isn’t a fit. Admin people often handle this better than they expect, because you’ve already dealt with difficult callers without taking it home.
Structure
Reception and admin usually come with fixed hours, sick leave and a boss down the hall. Remote setting can be employee or contractor work, and contractor roles mean you handle your own tax and leave. That trade gives you flexibility (many setter roles are part-time or shift-based), but check the contract before you sign.
Wondering if your admin skills are enough to start? Book a free call with the She Sells team and talk it through.
A plan to switch without quitting your job
You don’t need to resign to find out if sales suits you. Here is a realistic sequence you can work around your current hours.
- Weeks 1 to 2: learn the role. Understand how setters and closers work together, how leads come in, and what a booked call is worth to a business. Our guide on the teacher to sales career change uses a similar plan if you want a second angle.
- Weeks 2 to 6: practise out loud. Role play opening a call, asking qualifying questions and handling “I’m busy” or “just send me info”. Recording yourself is awkward and very effective.
- Weeks 4 to 8: rewrite your résumé (CV). Translate your admin wins into sales language: call volume handled, appointments booked, systems you ran, follow-up you owned.
- Weeks 6 onward: apply for part-time or evening setter roles. Start with roles that fit around your job, so you build a track record before you drop your salary. Our guide on getting your first remote sales job walks through applications and interviews.
- When the numbers make sense: switch. Move across once you have consistent bookings, a contract you understand and a buffer of savings, not before.
Timelines vary a lot. Some women land a role within weeks; others take months. Practice, not talent, is usually what decides it.
Red flags when you start looking
Admin people are good at spotting dodgy paperwork, so trust that instinct. Watch for:
- Paying to get hired. The US Federal Trade Commission says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job, and anyone who does is a scammer (FTC). Paying for optional training you chose is different from a “fee” to unlock a job.
- Big money, little effort. The FTC also warns that offers claiming you can make a lot of money in a short time with little work are almost certainly a scam.
- Recruit-to-earn. If your income depends on signing up friends rather than booking calls for a real business, it’s network marketing, not a setter job. I started in MLM in 2014, so I say this with love.
- No contract, no clear pay terms. You should know your base (if any), what counts as a booked or attended call, and when you get paid.
- Vague products. If they can’t tell you what they sell and who buys it, walk away.
Where She Sells fits
She Sells is built for women making exactly this move: you have the people skills and the organisation, and you need the sales skill plus help getting hired. There are two programs.
- She Launches is the foundation: live coaching, role play and frameworks for setting and closing. It does not include direct placement.
- She Soars is the career program, through the She Sells “Cert III in Remote Sales” certificate. Once you’re certified, our recruitment team works with you to land a role within 90 days, or your money back.
She Sells also runs a free community, live events and the “She’s Not Selling” podcast, so you can get a feel for the work before you commit to anything. You can compare the options on the programs page.
It’s not for you if you want a fixed salary from day one with no targets, or if you can’t commit to regular practice. Commission-heavy work rewards consistency, and that takes time.
Ready to turn your admin skills into a remote sales career? Book a free call with the She Sells team.
Frequently asked questions
Is appointment setting a good job for a receptionist?
It’s one of the closest matches in sales, because receptionists already handle calls, calendars and follow-up all day. The new parts are hitting targets, working with commission and hearing “no” more often. Most of that is learnable with practice and role play.
Will I earn more in sales than in admin?
Maybe, maybe not. SEEK shows Australian setter ads at a typical $65,000 to $85,000 a year against $60,000 to $70,000 for receptionists, while Payscale shows US setters at a median of $16.08 an hour against a BLS receptionist median of $18.27. Many setter roles are commission-heavy, so your pay depends on your results and it varies.
Can I switch to sales without quitting my admin job?
Yes, and it’s usually the smarter move. Learn and practise in the evenings, then apply for part-time or evening setter roles so you build a track record before giving up a steady salary. Switch fully only once your bookings and contract make sense.
Do I need sales experience to become an appointment setter?
Not usually. Employers hiring setters care about phone confidence, reliability, CRM habits and follow-up, which admin roles build. What helps most is showing you’ve learnt a setting framework and practised real calls.
Is remote appointment setting part-time friendly?
Often, yes. Many setter roles are part-time, shift-based or contract work, which suits women fitting work around family. Check whether a role is employee or contractor before you sign, because that changes your tax and leave.
Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.
