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Receptionist reference check template

A reference check form for receptionists, front desk staff and office administrators. It adds eight questions on first impressions, phones and scheduling, confidentiality and multitasking.

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  • Free, no sign-up
  • Editable Word file
  • 8 receptionist questions

What to focus on in a receptionist reference check

A receptionist is the first person clients meet. Ask the office or practice manager how the candidate handled a busy front desk and private information.

8 reference check questions to ask about a receptionist

Ask these after the standard verification and performance questions. They are already in the Word and PDF template.

  1. 1.What did a normal day at your front desk involve for the candidate?
  2. 2.How did the candidate greet visitors and handle a busy waiting room?
  3. 3.How did they manage phones, bookings and calendars when it got hectic?
  4. 4.How did they deal with a rude or upset client?
  5. 5.How careful were they with confidential information?
  6. 6.Which systems did they use, and how quickly did they learn them?
  7. 7.How reliable were they with start times and cover?
  8. 8.Would you rehire them for your front desk?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Calm and welcoming when the desk is busy
  • Accurate bookings
  • Discreet with client information
  • Manager would rehire

Red flags to follow up

  • Double bookings or missed messages
  • Confidentiality slips
  • Short with clients under pressure
  • Unreliable attendance

Download the receptionist reference check template

Free, no sign-up. The Word version is editable; the PDF is ready to print.

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Want more questions? See 35 reference check questions to ask references. Prefer referees to answer online? HiveRef sends the form, chases replies and builds the report. Start with 4 free checks.

Receptionist Reference Check Template

For phone or written reference checks. Use the same questions for every referee so answers are comparable.

1. Candidate and referee details

  • Candidate name
  • Role applied for
  • Referee name
  • Referee job title and organisation
  • Referee email and phone
  • Relationship to the candidate (for example, direct manager)
  • Date of reference check
  • Checked by

2. Consent

Confirm the candidate agreed to you contacting this referee. Tell the referee their answers are used only for this hiring decision.

  • Candidate consent confirmed (yes / no)
  • Date consent was given

3. Verification questions

  1. 1.How do you know the candidate, and what was your working relationship?
  2. 2.What were the candidate's start and end dates, as far as you remember them?
  3. 3.What was their job title, and did it change while you worked together?
  4. 4.Did the candidate report to you directly? If not, how often did you see their work?
  5. 5.What were the main reasons the candidate left, as far as you know?

4. Performance questions

  1. 6.Which parts of the role did the candidate own day to day?
  2. 7.Tell me about a deadline the candidate missed or nearly missed. What happened next?
  3. 8.Give an example of the candidate producing good work with incomplete information.
  4. 9.What result improved while they were in the role, and what was their contribution?
  5. 10.When results were below expectations, how did they respond to feedback?
  6. 11.What skill did the candidate develop most while you worked together?

5. Receptionist questions

  1. 12.What did a normal day at your front desk involve for the candidate?
  2. 13.How did the candidate greet visitors and handle a busy waiting room?
  3. 14.How did they manage phones, bookings and calendars when it got hectic?
  4. 15.How did they deal with a rude or upset client?
  5. 16.How careful were they with confidential information?
  6. 17.Which systems did they use, and how quickly did they learn them?
  7. 18.How reliable were they with start times and cover?
  8. 19.Would you rehire them for your front desk?

6. Working style and integrity

  1. 20.Describe a disagreement the candidate had with a colleague. How did they move the work forward?
  2. 21.How did the candidate ask for help when they needed it?
  3. 22.When the candidate made a mistake that affected others, what did they do?
  4. 23.What would you tell a new manager about working with this person?

7. Closing questions

  1. 24.Is there anything we have not asked that you think we should know?
  2. 25.What kind of manager or team would get the best out of this person?
  3. 26.Would you hire or work with this person again? Why or why not?

8. Recommendation

  • Overall: recommend / recommend with reservations / do not recommend
  • Strengths confirmed
  • Concerns or follow-ups
  • Signed and dated

Do not ask about health, family, age, religion or other protected personal information, and check the law where you hire.

Frequently asked questions

Who should give a receptionist reference?

The office manager, practice manager or business owner they reported to.

Can I use this template for medical or dental reception?

Yes. Add a question about handling patient records and billing.

How long does a receptionist reference check take?

With a short online form, most referees reply in one to two business days.

Send these receptionist questions online instead.

HiveRef emails the referees, chases them for you and puts every answer into one report. First 4 checks free, no card needed.

Start freeSee a sample report