Receptionists will be asked to take on a number of clerical roles in the office, including answering phone calls, scheduling appointments and working face-to-face with customers. Employers are looking for candidates with excellent organisational skills and who know how to maintain a positive, helpful attitude in the workplace. In an interview, you may be asked about any bookkeeping or scheduling experience you have. Be prepared with personal anecdotes about instances when you satisfied a frustrated customer or worked around a scheduling conflict.
Here are three top receptionist interview questions and tips on how to answer them:
How to answer: An interviewer wants to know you can handle a busy work environment. When asked this question, make sure you share the receptionist skills that make you well suited for fast-paced work, including your abilities to multitask, stay organised and communicate clearly.
How to answer: When an interviewer asks how you deal with a difficult customer, they want to know if you can stay professional in stressful situations. When you answer this question, make sure you explain how you would maintain a personable and respectful demeanour while helping a difficult customer.
How to answer: Refer to the job description when answering this question. It is likely that the description will mention organisation, so make sure you mention things such as strategic planning, attention to detail and time management in your answer.