Receptionist Interview Questions nad Helpful Tips

If you have been given an interview for a receptionist then you will usually have vast experience of working in this area combined with some admin skills and be confident in your manner. You could be required to work on a busy switchboard and need to learn and know extension numbers quickly or you could be working on a reception for a smaller company dealing with queries as well as passing on calls, taking messages and also dealing with visitors coming into the building.



An interviewer will be looking for you to be professionally dressed and have a confident attitude. You will need to be able to think quickly and learn very fast as the role of a receptionist is an important one and the first face people usually see when they come into a building and the first voice they hear.

It's very important to look smart so be careful when you choose your outfit. You can do a search on Google to find out what can be a good choice for a Receptionist interview.

Receptionist Interview Questions

Check out the possible questions for a receptionist interview.

Your interviewer will be interested in asking questions such as:

• How quickly do you think a telephone ringing should be answered?

• How would you greet someone on the other end of the phone?

• How would you greet someone coming into the building?

• What general admin skills do you have?

• How do you think a receptionist should act?

• What 3 main duties do you think you will have?

These are just a few questions that you could be asked about the role. As a receptionist you need to be a quick thinker and able to deal with a number of tasks at once sometimes with people standing in front of you or wanting you for something else so you need to be able to deal with a number of things at any one time.

You will need to demonstrate a time when you have a difficult customer or client on the telephone and how you dealt with this and the same if someone comes into the building and is being difficult. You will need to work carefully with different people every day.

Typical Interview Questions

You should also expect traditional interview questions as well as job related ones:

• Tell me about yourself.

• What are your strengths?

• What are your weaknesses?

• Why do you want this job?

• Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

• What’s your ideal company?

• What attracted you to this company?

• Why should we hire you?

• What did you like least about your last job?

• When were you most satisfied in your job?

• What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?

• What were the responsibilities of your last position?

Good luck with your interview. We hope that you will do a good job and get the job. Let us know how it went.