11 Office Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

Updated on: April 2, 2022

An interview for the Office Receptionist position is basically conducted to gauge a candidate’s potential as far as communication skills and front desk management skills are concerned.

All the questions that an interviewer will ask you will be aimed at judging how well you could perform once you are hired.

Interviews may be overwhelming, but they can be a great confidence-building exercise.

If you are not hired, at least you have had some experience of what you may be asked in a subsequent one!

The following set of interview questions and answers for the position of an office receptionist will give you an idea of what you may be asked and how you may answer:

11 Common Office Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

1. Which skill is the most important for a receptionist’s position? Why?

I believe that good customer service and communication skills are the most important. A receptionist must be comfortable when meeting new people and answer their questions logically, appropriately, and diplomatically.

2. Do you believe in the widespread belief that a Receptionist is the face of a company?

Yes! I do believe in this. While I think that the cliché, “the first impression is the last impression” is a bit unfair, it fits where the professional world is concerned. People take one look at the reception area or have their first word with a receptionist, and they make up their minds about the company. Since there is nothing personal here, one has to comply with this rule.

3. What traits should a receptionist possess and what makes you suitable for this job?

A receptionist gives out the first impression of the company so he or she must have a pleasant personality along with a strong ability to deal with people from various backgrounds in a polite and helpful manner. Time management and task prioritization are two core elements of this job.

As I possess all these qualities, therefore, I feel confident that I am a good fit for your needs. In addition, I have a fun and friendly personality with a professional demeanor. I can solve complex problems, handle conflicts, and answer customers’ questions logically and diplomatically.

4. What do you think are the primary tasks of an office receptionist?

Key tasks of a receptionist include correspondence handling, clerical work, front desk management, and proactively answering the questions of clients.

5. Do you feel comfortable working alone or in a team environment?

I am more comfortable working with coworkers. I have excellent leadership skills and am able to motivate others. Owing to my great leadership insight, I can implement office policies and procedures. On the other hand, I can deal with things independently equally well.

6. Are you familiar with the VOIP and EPABX?

Yes, VOIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a way to make phone calls using the internet. EPABX is a business telephone multiline exchange system. I have used both these systems in my previous company.

7. How can you handle stressful weekdays and situations or customers that caused you stress?

If you are a good organizer and planner, you can efficiently manage things to minimize the levels of stress.

Whenever I faced a stressful event or day, I became more resilient and better able to handle the same situation next time, which helped me in meeting the deadlines. To beat work stress, I relax and recharge myself on the weekends.

8. What type of machines and software have you used in your previous office?

I used a copier, scanner, and fax machines. Also, I am competent in the MS Office suite and always willing to learn new software. Being fully computer literate I offer a typing speed of about 60 words per minute with minimum errors.

9. How do you keep your daily schedule organized?

I maintain a diary to manage daily appointments, the executive’s travel schedule, and organizing conferences, and meetings. I keep the whole record on PC as well. I use calendars and put up reminders to keep myself organized.

10. Have you ever come across an extremely stressful situation and felt burnt out? What do you do?

Working as a receptionist, one encounters many difficult situations. I must admit that I have felt burnt out many times during my seven-year-long career. But this is inevitable, and one gets used to it after a while. To handle this, I try not to look too much into the situation and start again the next day. It always works.

11. What do you do when you are asked a question by a customer or a visitor that you have no answer for?

It is not possible to answer everything every time. If I do not know the answer to something, I simply ask the customer or visitor to wait so I can find out and provide him with the correct answer. I see no shame in asking for help for something I do not know.

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