Phone interviews have become a very popular way of screening out potential employees before bringing them in for an face-to-face interview. A phone interview can be a great opportunity (you can have your notes in front of you!) but they also require a different list of ways to prepare. It may seem silly, but how a person sounds over the phone and if they take the steps to prepare say a lot about the candidate—perhaps even before they answer a full question.
U.S. News & World Report recently featured an article by Alison Green that included tips to help you master the phone interview. Here are my favorites of Alison’s tips for anyone preparing for an interview over the phone.
1. Be prepared. Being prepared is important for any type of interview, but especially for a phone interview. Read through popular interview questions and write out the answers. Here is my favorite site of interview questions and suggested “best answers.” The more you write out, the more prepared you’ll be! One of the best things about a phone interview is that you are allowed to have your notes in front of you. Keep out a resume so you can refer to previous experiences when asked about them. Also, write out important things you want to get across to the interviewer and make sure you hit all your points.
2. Your surroundings & your voice matter. Make sure that you find a quiet, private space to take the call for your interview. It’s best to use a landline if possible, but these days it’s not all that realistic. I used my cell phone for the last two interviews I had. Just make sure that you have good cell service where you’ll be sitting. Also, make sure that your roommates or whoever you live with know when you have your interview and where you’ll be taking the call. Beyond the quiet background, make sure your voice is as clean and clear as it can be. Drink tea and water! Pay attention to the tone of voice that you are using– you don’t want to come across as a know-it-all or sound uninterested.
3. Know how long the call will be. Phone interviews can range in time! I have had interviews go for 10 minutes and others that lasted well over an hour. You have to know how long the call will last to prepare yourself and your surroundings. You won’t be sitting in their office, so you have to plan the rest of the day around that time. Plus you have to give warning to your roommates or family.
Check out the full list of Alison’s tips here.
Have you had success with a phone interview? Any tips you would like to add?
