Receptionist interview questions and answers for freshers

How To Ace An Interview – Recepcionist Q&A Guide

Are you a ‘people person’ who relishes the challenge of putting a smile on everyone’s face? If so, check out the variety of receptionist jobs available in Ireland right now!

As you know, working in reception means you are usually the first person the client or visitor meets when entering a building. In this front of house role, you are expected to make them feel welcome and provide a good first impression of the company as a whole.

Even typical receptionist interview questions aren’t easy to answer if you are ill-prepared. If you want to impress the hiring panel, it is imperative that you display your organisational, administrative, communication, and interpersonal skills.

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Here’s a list of interview questions that are likely to come up, along with some useful answers.

Receptionist Interview Questions (& Possible Answers)

How Do You Keep Up in a Fast-Paced Work Environment?

In most cases, receptionists are ‘under the gun’ and expected to multitask efficiently. With this question, your employer wants to find out how you can cope. To answer, emphasise the fact that you always remain calm because you know that getting stressed only hinders performance and makes the firm look bad in front of clients and customers.

You efficiently prioritise your tasks by order of importance while also keeping a running list on what needs to be done. As a result, you never neglect important duties but also ensure the ‘lesser’ ones are completed to a high level.

Ready to take the next step to becoming a Receptionist? Check these Receptionist jobs and apply!

What Makes a Good Receptionist?

Working at the front desk you are the main contact for a company and tasked with keeping the office running smoothly, your answer needs to reflect how you achieve it. For instance, you can say that a good receptionist acts as a valuable resource that can be trusted by employees, has outstanding organisational skills, is positive and friendly even in stressful situations, and understands the power of first impressions.

What is Your Experience with Multi-Phone Lines?

If the answer to this straightforward question is ‘yes,’ outline the specifics. If the answer is ‘no,’ be honest and admit this fact. Continue by saying you’re confident that you would catch on quickly and are willing to take training in advance of the start date if chosen for the role.

What Security Protocols Do You Follow?

No matter the firm, you can’t allow people to walk aimlessly through the building without determining their reason for being there. Discuss protocols used in previous jobs which may include checking ID cards for employees, taking down details of visitors, and ensuring a person’s visits are logged.

Tell Me About a Time When You Had to Manage an Upset Individual at Reception. How Did You Handle the Situation?

The hiring team wants to know if you are comfortable dealing with angry or upset individuals, whether you have the confidence to handle things effectively, and if you have the experience.
You can answer by providing an example of when you dealt with a particularly aggressive and loud person who wanted to speak to the manager. Outline how you kept calm and ensured your tone didn’t change. Ultimately, you were able to politely explain that the manager was not around and would contact the person at the earliest possible time. Eventually, the angry individual calmed down and left the building.

How Many Year of Experience Do You Have as a Speed Typist, and What Is Your Tying Speed & Error Rate?

If you don’t know, say that you haven’t properly assessed your speed and error rate recently but you are happy to complete an online assessment. Point out that you are detail-oriented and always ensure your work is properly proofread and edited.
Otherwise, plainly state your experience level. For example, you can say that you have ten years’ experience with an average typing speed of approximately 80wpm (words per minute).

Interview Questions by Sector

Hotel Receptionist Interview Questions

• Do you have experience working in a hotel?
• Why do you want to work for this hotel?
• How do you keep yourself organized?
• What skill do you consider most important while working as a hotel receptionist?
• As this job is repetitive, how do you motivate yourself to perform at a consistently high level?

Salon Receptionist Interview Questions

• Why are you interested in working at this salon?
• What have you learned from the mistakes you made in previous salon jobs?
• What challenges are you looking for in this position?
• Describe a typical work week for a salon receptionist?

Legal Receptionist Interview Questions

• What do you know about our law firm?
• How would you make a client feel welcome?
• What steps do you take to ensure that documents are accurately transcribed?
• What sets you apart from other candidates that we are interviewing?
• How do you manage confidential information?

Veterinary Receptionist Interview Questions

• Why are you interested in working at this clinic?
• Why do you want to work with animals?
• Have you ever experienced the death of a beloved pet?
• How do you console a client that has just had their pet euthanized and is visibly upset?
• How do you handle an angry client who is complaining about the bill?

Questions to Ask the Employer at the end of the interview

At the end of the interview, you will be asked if you have any questions for the hiring team. Now is the ideal opportunity to further showcase your knowledge of the company and perhaps address any lingering doubts the firm has about hiring you. Here are a few good questions to ask:
• What is your idea of the ‘right’ candidate for the role and how do I compare?
• How has this position evolved?
• Who would I be reporting to?
• Describe the company’s culture.
• What companies do you consider to be your major competitors? How are you better?
• Aside from the hard skills required for this role, what soft skills would serve the job and company best?
• Do you have any hesitations about my qualifications?
• What are the biggest challenges associated with this position?
• How have previous employees succeeded while working in reception for this firm?

Although a receptionist job is often classified as entry-level, it is a role that normally attracts fierce competition. Your best chance of success is to clearly illustrate that you are a calm, confident, and self-assured individual. Showcase your bubbly personality when answering these receptionist interview questions, and you have an excellent chance of being chosen for the role.

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Find other similar Recepcionist Jobs:

• Administrative Assistant Jobs
• Office Assistant Jobs

What should I do next?

• View and apply for Receptionist Jobs
• Learn how to create a winning Receptionist CV.This article has lots of useful tips and a template!
• Learn how to create an attractive Receptionist Cover Letter. This article is packed with lots of useful tips and a template!
• Learn everything that you need to know about this role with our Receptionist Job Description

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