Though not many would realize it, a receptionist may be one of the most important employees of a company. In some companies, the receptionists are also known as the first experience officer or any other job title name that does justice this position.
The receptionist is the employee who is basically the internal as well as external point of the corporate. Not only does the receptionist responsible for the internal and external communications of the company, some receptionists fill the role of a secretary or an administrative assistant.
After reading this article, you may be interested in reading the articles:
• Secretary interview
• Administrative assistant interview
• Executive assistant interview
• And also customer service interview questions .
Understanding the importance of the profession, it goes without saying that the interview of a receptionist is also quite an important one, and the questions asked are a bid to understand whether the person who has applied for the position is perfect for the same.
Of course, the job duties differ and depend on the area you apply for, such as: medical receptionist, hotel receptionist, dental receptionist or a company receptionist.
Receptionist Interview Questions and Answers
Below are some of the common questions that are asked during a receptionist job interview:
What softwares are you comfortable with when it comes to office documentation and office administration?
I am comfortable with all the mainstream office documentation software that is used on a consistent basis today. Other than that, I am technologically savvy to get quick hands on experience of any software that may be used by the company that I have applied for.
This can be followed by a brief list of office documentation software that you are comfortable with.
What do you feel is the most important skill that is required of a receptionist?
As far as my experience tells me, the most important aspect that is required of a receptionist is to be comfortable with meeting and interacting people from diverse backgrounds.
A receptionist is actually the first image of the company that a person is presented with. Therefore, it is required of a receptionist to be always of a cheerful and pleasant disposition.
Have you ever worked in a stressful organization? Did you ever come across a situation where you really felt the stress and really needed distressing?
I have not switched a lot of jobs in my time. I have worked in only two companies in six years, but just one of them was a real stressful job. However, I enjoyed it and was very comfortable working in such a livewire situation.
Yes, I did feel overwhelmed with the work, but those situations were few and far between. During these times, I would plan my weekends better, so that I could undergo some distressing programs that would make me better equipped to face the work days.
What kind of office administration hardware have you used, and what is the level of expertise that you have using these machines?
I have used all the machines that would be in the use of a receptionist in an everyday office. The machines that I have used extensively are the EPABX, the Copier, the Scanner and the Fax. I used the PC extensively in my previous job. Since the company had its offices on a global level, I was also part of a process where VOIP was concerned. Apart from using these machines, I am quite qualified to handle the client side servicing like installing any necessary software, device drivers, emailing, voice mail or integrating commands into the PC, mobile or other machine related to office administration.
The typing speeds of a secretary are quite important for their profile. What is your speed when it comes to typing in a word processing software, what are the error levels that you have?
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 every day as this was one of my key responsibility areas.
These are just some of the questions that are 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 people looking for a receptionist basically look out for people who are perfect under stress and have the required communication and interaction skills necessary for the said job.
