Working as a receptionist in any other industry can get you in the door, but customer service positions also prove you're capable of dealing with the public -- as long as you have good references -- so retail or restaurant work is relevant experience for your resume.
Compression socks for runners are a super strong elastic sock, typically worn up to the knee. They compress veins on the surface of your leg, as well as arteries and muscles, so that blood is circulated through your legs through smaller circulatory channels.
As an avid (see: professional) cyclist, I find this article a little misleading. Compression tights are for recovery, and they do what they are supposed to. They aren't going to make you run faster and jump higher, they're going to make your workout tomorrow suck slightly less if you really busted your ass today.