How to Have to Successful Phone Interview
When you鈥檙e job searching, you should be prepared for a potential phone interview. Employers often use phone interviews to discuss the job with a prospective employee, determine if the candidate is a good fit, and narrow down the pool of applicants to be invited聽for in-person interviews. If you do get asked to do a phone interview, here are some tips to help you do well.
Dress for the interview.
Experts say if you鈥檙e dressed in a professional manner, you鈥檒l speak that way.
Create a comfortable environment.
Many interviewers say they can hear almost everything in the candidate鈥檚 background during a phone interview. So, be sure to shut out distractions and eliminate background noise (e.g. loud appliances, young children, pets). Have a glass of water handy in case you get a dry throat or cough, too.
Be prepared.
Print out your r茅sum茅 and highlight the points you want to talk about in your conversation. If you are talking on a landline, turn off your cell phone; if you are talking on a cell phone, make sure it is fully charged. Have a pen and paper handy so you don鈥檛 have to take notes on your computer during the call.
Be professional.
Make sure that you get the employer鈥檚 direct phone number right away. That way, in case you are disconnected for some reason, you can call back promptly. If there is more than one person interviewing you, jot down their names as they introduce themselves so you can address them by name if you have a question or comment.
Don鈥檛 multitask.
It is often tempting to do other things while we鈥檙e on the phone, but during a phone interview, this is a no-no. 鈥淢y number one pet peeve is people who decide to multitask while on the phone interview,鈥� says Dan Krupansky, a talent acquisition manager at PrimePay, in an interview with job search and recruiting site, Glassdoor. 鈥淚 have heard candidates washing dishes, making lunch in the microwave, going for walks, letting their dog out, and grocery shopping during the interview. I even had one person use the bathroom and flush the toilet while speaking with me.鈥� Suffice to say your whole attention should be on your conversation with the interviewer.
Know what to say and what not to say.
Employers use phone interviews to get to know the candidate鈥檚 professional experience, so it isn鈥檛 a good idea to start talking about your personal life (unless, of course, you鈥檙e asked directly). It鈥檚 also important to answer the interviewer鈥檚 questions clearly and concisely. Practice answering questions beforehand so you know how to respond without rambling on. Similarly, try not to say 鈥渦m,鈥� 鈥渦h,鈥� or 鈥渓ike.鈥� These are more noticeable when speaking on the phone. Glassdoor spoke with Chris Dardis of Versique Executive Search, who said, 鈥淚n face-to-face interviews, they鈥檙e not as noticeable because there are other things like your hair, suit, or body language to distract people.鈥� So, in a phone interview, you should be aware of what you say and how you say it.
Remember to ask questions.
At the end of a phone interview, many candidates think they don鈥檛 need to ask questions because it is more informal. This isn鈥檛 true; treat a phone interview like an in-person interview and always ask questions. It shows potential employers you are interested in the company and the job.
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