A receptionist is one of the most important employees of a company. She welcomes clients and company visitors, or causes them to turn to other businesses. In some firms, the top management will involve themselves with the hiring process for this crucial position.
Not only is the receptionist responsible for the internal and external communications of the company, some receptionists fill the role of secretary or administrative assistant as well.
After reading this article, you may be interested in reading:
- Secretary interview
- Administrative assistant interview
- Executive assistant interview
- Customer service interview questions.
Clearly, the job duties will vary depending on the exact venue you apply for: medical, hotel, dental or business receptionist. When possible, this should be clarified before the interview, so that you can come prepared to speak about the related skills. If you were unable to, do not make any assumptions. Listen fro an opportunity to ask, or wait until the end. The interviewer should be favorably impressed with your desire to clarify the responsibilities before accepting the position.
Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers
► What software are you comfortable with when it comes to office documentation and office administration?
I am comfortable with many of the mainstream office documentation software that is used today. Due to that fact, I became technologically savvy and feel that I can quickly become accustomed to any software that may be used by the company.
This can be followed by a brief list of office documentation software with which you are familiar.
► What do you feel is the most important skill that is required of a receptionist?
As far as my experience tells me, it is to be comfortable speaking to, as well as meeting and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, each with their unique needs.
Since a receptionist is actually the first image of the company that a person is presented with, a receptionist must always be cheerful, with a pleasant disposition.
► Have you ever worked in a stressful organization? How did you relax yourself, and gear up for more?
I have worked in only two companies in six years, and in general the atmosphere was rarely too stressful. Occasionally, it did get very chaotic, but truthfully, I enjoyed it and was very comfortable working in such a livewire situation.
When I felt overwhelmed with work, a situation that naturally occurred periodically I would plan relaxation into my weekends. I find that exercise, walks and bike rides, as well as some good reading all served to re-charge me and allow me to handle the upcoming work days successfully.
► What kind of office administration hardware have you used, and what is the level of expertise that you have using these machines?
I have experience with all the machines that are in use in a normal office. The machines that I have used extensively are the EPABX, copier, scanner and fax. I used a PC extensively in my previous job. Since the company had its offices on a global level, I was also familiar with VOIP. In addition, I am quite qualified to handle the client side servicing such as installing any necessary software, device drivers, emailing, voice mail or integrating commands into the PC, mobile or other machines related to office administration.
► Typing speed is quite important here. How quickly do you type when using word processing software? And what are the error levels?
I have a typing speed of around sixty words per minute. I can achieve this speed with about ten percent error levels. I used to prepare documents related to the office work at this speed almost daily as this was one of my key responsibility areas.
These are just some of the questions that may be asked during a receptionist interview.
Of course, not all the questions will be valid for everyone who applies for a receptionist job. However, remember that the overriding quality that the successful candidate will possess is calmness under stress and pleasant communication and interaction skills.
Job Interviews for Administrative Positions