Retail and hospitality
A first interview for a front desk job should show whether a candidate stays warm at the end of a long shift, fixes booking problems without panicking, and keeps guest details private every time. Most of that shows up when they talk you through a hard night at the desk.
Guests meet the front desk face to face, so a short video interview shows how a candidate greets people and explains things.
What to look for
The questions
Ask them in order. Listen for real details: what happened, what the candidate did, and how it ended.
Strong answer
Stays calm, checks other spellings, dates and booking websites, asks for the confirmation, and finds them a room while the booking gets sorted out.
Weak answer
Tells the guest there’s no booking and waits for them to prove it.
Strong answer
Tells them early and honestly, apologizes without blaming anyone, explains exactly what’s arranged, like transport and a similar room, and follows up.
Weak answer
Avoids the guest, or blames the booking team in front of them.
Strong answer
Reassures the guest, contacts the noisy room or sends security as the policy says, calls the guest back, and offers a different room if it continues.
Weak answer
Tells the guest to call back if it doesn’t stop.
Strong answer
Lets the waiting guests know they’ve been seen, answers the phone briefly or lets a colleague take it, and gets each check-in right instead of rushing.
Weak answer
Tries to do everything at once and gets flustered.
Strong answer
Doesn’t give the room number, offers to put the call through or take a message, and follows the privacy policy every time.
Weak answer
Gives the room number because the caller sounds genuine.
Strong answer
Checks the history, acknowledges the last stay, offers what they’re allowed to give, and involves a manager for anything beyond that.
Weak answer
Upgrades them without permission, or refuses without acknowledging the complaint.
Strong answer
Owns the mistake, explains how they corrected it with the guest and in the system, and what they check now to avoid it.
Weak answer
Can’t recall one, or blames the system.
Strong answer
Describes a clear handover: guests still due to arrive, rooms with problems, open complaints, cash, and anything promised to a guest.
Weak answer
Tells the next person “it was quiet” and leaves.
Before the interview
Short form questions the candidate answers before the interview. You read the answers next to the interview. They aren’t scored.
Listen for
Avoid
Use this in LessRounds
Paste the questions into a scripted interview, where the AI reads each question word for word. Add the skills from the scorecard, then share one link. Every hotel front desk agent candidate gets the same questions. You get a score for each skill, with the candidate’s own words that explain it.
It helps but isn’t essential. Candidates from retail, call centers or reception often have the calm and warmth the role needs, and the hotel’s software can be taught.
Match the guests you serve. Many hotels need both, so interview in the language used most at the desk, and ask which other languages the candidate speaks as a form question.
Start with 100 free credits, enough for about 20 interviews. No credit card or sales call needed.