Best Sample Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

This post provides lots of sample receptionist interview questions and answers you can work with as you prepare for the interview.

If you are looking to gain employment as a receptionist that would depend on how successful you are in answering the questions that would be put to you at the interview.

To stand a better chance at having a successful interview and getting the receptionist job, you need to learn about the kind of questions you will likely be asked and use them in your preparation for the interview day.

Please, read on:

What do Interviewers look for in a Receptionist?

Interviewers will look for how well applicants for the receptionist role interact with others.

Managers and supervisors want to hire individuals for the post of a receptionist who are able to communicate effectively and develop strong professional relationships with those they work with.

They also look for employees who have good problem-solving skills and the ability to go beyond what is needed, and to take on extra responsibilities as necessary.

10 Most Common Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers

Here are samples of common questions you may likely be asked in a receptionist job interview session:

1. What is your favorite TV show?

Answer: I’m not much into TV shows, but I like cartoons.

2. Who is your favorite artist?

Answer: I love all kinds of arts and I think that the technique becomes a personal preference because there are many techniques.

I don’t have a favorite artist, but do enjoy art from many countries; different styles may be more appealing to those with certain interests or values, such as if they prefer one culture over another.

If you like classical music, you might like Bach or Beethoven for example. If you enjoy rock-‘n’-roll music, something by Elvis might fit differently with himself rather than other people; we’re all different and we should support each other’s differences.

3. What is your favorite movie?

Answer: My favorite movie changes constantly, but to give you an idea maybe ‘The Incredibles’.

4. Would you rather have heat or air conditioning at work all day long every day, year round (assuming the answer isn’t both!)?

Answer: Heat.

Receptionists typically work in an office environment, and the temperature is usually controlled by a thermostat.

The temperature inside may be different than the outside temperature, depending on what the air conditioning system decides to do with it.

A receptionist might find that both systems work well at their job because they might need to switch back and forth between hot and cool for different purposes; let’s say you wanted to turn up your own fan because it was too stuffy in there.

No one should be uncomfortable in an office, but you might want to open a window to get some fresh air.

5. How do you handle stress?

Answer: I try not to take things too seriously and I try to look at the lighter side of things when possible. Sometimes it’s good to relax instead of always trying so hard all the time because that’s not healthy for anyone. I believe everyone can do what they want if they put their mind to it so I try not to let obstacles get in the way of my goals, at least most of the time.

6. Why do you want to be a receptionist and not something else in this company?

Answer: I want to be a receptionist because it will allow me to help people and I know that I would enjoy working in customer service.

7. What type of phone calls do you like taking the most and the least?

Answer: I like taking phone calls. I get to talk to people and make them feel more at home when they call the office. I like talking on the phone. Most people call because they want some help, and I can help out in one or more ways.

Calls that I don’t like:

A call that takes up a lot of my time and then ends up getting disconnected without having gotten anywhere at all – always has me on edge for some reason, wondering if this is one of those hoaxes where someone tries to get information from you by pretending to be someone they’re not.

8. How long did it take you to train in order to get your present job?

Answer: It took me two years and a half to train in order to get my present job.

9. How do you feel about taking phone calls from customers?

Answer: I like taking phone calls and I try to put on a happy voice and do the best job I can.

10. What is your philosophy or approach to work?

Answer: I am always punctual and professional. I also always help exceed the expectations of my colleagues and clients by providing excellent customer service every day.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. How did you manage a problematic situation at work?
2. What is the best way to approach a customer who is angry?
3. Tell me about a time when your interpersonal skills became useful.
4. Do you have any difficulty maintaining composure in stressful situations?
5. Describe how well your co-workers can rely on you. Sample Case Interview Questions for Receptionist Position
6. What are your strengths?
7. How do you handle situations with no written policies to follow?
8. Can you explain the mistake you made that taught you a lesson?
9. Describe your best work experience.
10. Tell me about an instance where someone wasn’t meeting expectations, and how did it affect quality of their work or relationships with others.

Sample Competency Based Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What is your greatest strength?
2. What is your worst weakness?
3. Why did you want to work for this company?
4. Can you give me an example of a time when you had to deal with someone who was upset?
5. Tell me about a difficult situation that you overcame in the past – what was it, and how did you handle it?”

Sample Problem-solving Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What is your plan if 10 extra guests arrive when 7 expected guests are leaving?
2. Five years from now, where do you imagine yourself?
3. Can you estimate the time you spend on social media each week?
4. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a co-worker and how you handled the situation.
5. Why should we give you this position instead of someone else?

Sample Situational Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What is your hardest time of day to work?
2. Can you describe a moment when you hung up on someone and later realized that they were an important call?
3. Tell me about the most challenging person who called the company.
4. Have you ever had a customer or co-worker become violent with you? If yes, please elaborate.
5. How do you handle rude customers?

Sample Communication Skills Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What are your thoughts on how you communicate with people in the company?
2. How do you deal with difficult people?
3. Do you have any ideas on how to improve communication among employees at the company?
4. How would you go about resolving a conflict between two team members?
5. Do you think it’s important for receptionist to have good communication skills? Why or why not?

Sample Interpersonal Skills Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What do you think makes a great receptionist?
2. How would you handle a situation threatening to escalate?
3. If you have one minute left at the end of your shift, what is one thing that you would want to have accomplished today?
4. Share an example of a time where your communication skills were especially necessary.
5. Describe how does it feel when someone thinks that they know more than you about something – how do you react and why?

Sample Company Culture Interview Questions for Receptionist Position

1. What is your favorite holiday?
2. How do you feel about telecommuting?
3. Do you have a second language that’s relevant to this job?
4. What are some of the things you can’t stand doing in your everyday life?
5. Would you rather have a shorter work week but more hours, or vice versa?

Receptionist Interview Success Tips

It’s important to know how to answer receptionist interview questions tossed at you but it is also important you learn how to conduct yourself generally.

Here are tips on how to have a successful interview for a receptionist position:

• Be professional and punctual to the interview
• Answer all their questions fully
• Prepare for difficult customer interactions by practicing what you will say beforehand
• Be a good listener
• Ask questions about the company
• Show off your computer skills by creating an email template that you can use again and again for common requests
• Check your spelling and grammar before you send any emails or letters out.

Conclusion

The interview is your chance to tell a potential employer that you are perfect for the receptionist position.

You can do this by how well you answer the questions that will be thrown at you.

You will have an easy receptionist interview if you knew the likely questions that you may be asked and prepare with them before going for the interview.