Admin and office
A receptionist is the first person every visitor, caller and candidate meets. The first interview should show that they stay warm and calm while three things happen at once, and that they take security and accuracy seriously at the front desk.
The job is face to face, so video shows how a candidate comes across. Scripted questions, read the same way to everyone, make a large group of candidates easy to compare.
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
Greets the visitor with a quick word and eye contact, answers the phone and asks the caller to hold briefly, then handles each in turn and thanks them for waiting.
Weak answer
Deals with one and ignores the others, or can’t decide on an order.
Strong answer
Checks the name and time, tries the host and their team, offers the visitor a seat and a drink, and keeps them updated instead of leaving them waiting in silence.
Weak answer
Tells them the person isn’t available and leaves it there.
Strong answer
Stays polite but follows the sign-in rules, checks with security or the person’s team, and doesn’t let confidence or pressure change the rule.
Weak answer
Lets them in because they seemed sure of themselves.
Strong answer
Apologizes, takes their name, number and the full issue, finds the right person before transferring, and offers a call back if that person isn’t free.
Weak answer
Transfers them again to whoever seems closest.
Strong answer
Takes the caller’s name and spelling, number, reason and urgency, reads the number back, sends it the way that person actually checks, and checks it arrived if it’s urgent.
Weak answer
“I just pass it on.”
Strong answer
A specific small act, like remembering a regular visitor’s name or sorting out parking for someone running late, and why it mattered.
Weak answer
Talks about always smiling, with no example.
Strong answer
Names useful tasks: restocking supplies, updating the visitor log or phone list, preparing for tomorrow’s bookings, and asking the office manager what else needs doing.
Weak answer
Waits for the next call.
Strong answer
Enjoys meeting people and keeping an office running, and names a direction, like office management or administration, they’re working toward.
Weak answer
A general answer that could be about any job.
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 receptionist candidate gets the same questions. You get a score for each skill, with the candidate’s own words that explain it.
Warmth, composure and accuracy. Ask what they’d do in real situations, like juggling phones and visitors, handling someone without a badge, and taking messages. Their answers show how they’ll act at the desk.
Yes. If your front desk works in Hindi, or in both languages, let candidates answer in the language the job uses. LessRounds interviews run in English or Hindi.
Start with 100 free credits, enough for about 20 interviews. No credit card or sales call needed.