Here are the top ten phone interview tips for making a solid first impression and getting to the next step – a face to face job interview.
Even though unemployment rates are low, jobs are aplenty, for those looking for a job, the path is never easy. It seems you send out so many resumes and cover letters and invest a lot of time in the process but then get no response or receive a canned email reply.
And one fine day, you get an email asking your availability for a phone screen. Viola. Great news! There you go. It is the first step toward the goal of securing a job. Now, what?
Learn these top ten phone interview tips, and you can face the recruiter confidently and earn the right to the next steps in the process.
Top Ten Phone Interview Tips:
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Figure out who is doing the initial phone screen:
It is important to know who is the phone interviewer – a recruiter, an initial screener, or the hiring manager. Your preparation and focus will be different based on the answer.
For example, recruiters are trying to ensure that your profile matches the critical characteristics of the job description. Typically, a recruiter is not the functional or domain expert to grill you on your knowledge of the intricacies of the job. As long as you relate your experience and expertise to the position in question, you should do well.
If it is a hiring manager, you have to prepare a bit more as they will focus on your functional and technical fit for the position.
However, remember that while the phone screen is important, it is not the venue to secure the job. You can only lose the opportunity to go forward in the recruiting process.
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Research the company:
Learn the basic facts about the company, including any latest news and happenings. It may also be useful to know the industry trends and the competitive landscape. The level of depth and breadth of research is directly proportional to the level for which you are applying.
For example, if you are a candidate for an entry level administrative assistant position, no one may demand you be aware of the massive acquisition transaction that happened recently. On the other hand, that would be a critical piece of information if you are vying for a top position in finance and accounting or human resources function.
Today, thanks to the internet, there are a lot of sources to compile information and news about companies. The company website is a great source. Then depending on whether the company you are interviewing is a public company or a private company, there are a lot of resources. Also, there are employee review sites to see the opinions of people working (or have worked) at the firm.
For example, Hoovers.com, Monster.com, Linkedin.com, and Glassdoor.com are a few of the sources for company research. Also, your local library, newspapers, and industry blogs can shed a lot of light on the company.
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Review the job description:
It may seem unnecessary but trust us, reviewing the job description in detail is extremely important. While the role title may be similar, the job description always provides some nuggets that will help you play to your strengths.
If you are applying to a business analyst position, and if there is a sentence in the job description that says, “Ability to work with business architects and leverage their artifacts in business analysis.” If you have such experience, bringing it to the fore will strengthen your candidacy.
Or if the job description mentions, “A strong knowledge of the SalesForce.com platform,” and assuming you are an expert in the software platform, it plays to your strengths.
While reviewing the job description, use a highlighter pen to mark the key phrases and sentences.
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Jot down common questions and key points of your response:
If you are doing a lot of interviews, you may already have a list of common phone interview questions and your responses. However, if you don’t, please hurry up and create one.
How will you respond to the question, “Tell me a little bit about yourself?” Or, “Why do you think you are the right fit for the job.” Or, “What are your salary expectations?”.
Once you have the questions, you can prepare and practice your answers. For the question, “tell me a little bit about yourself,” how do you answer? Go into the chronological history of your life, “Well, I started as a speck in my mom’s womb.”? or do you have a quick 60-90 second bio that summarizes who you are and what you did?
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Come up with intelligent questions you might want to ask:
Sometimes the interviewer will ask you directly, “Do you have any questions for me?” Or even if not, there may be an opportunity for you to ask some questions during the interview that demonstrate your knowledge of the company, the role, or the domain.
Many candidates are stumped at this common and simple question because they have not thought about it and haven’t come up with a few questions ahead of time.
Again, there are no universal set of questions to ask and what you ask is dependent on your level and the position you are applying.
For example, if you are applying for a managerial position asking a question such as, “How do you describe the culture of your company?” shows that you care about the culture and want to know about the same.
Or a general question such as, “What self-development and career development resources are available to employees?” will show your zeal in advancing your skills and competencies.
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Set up a quiet place for the call:
A noisy Starbucks location may be a good source of getting an ounce of caffeine and a shot of inspiration, but it is probably not the right venue for a phone interview.
If you are currently working in another company, and if the call is during the day, you will have to find a quiet place – may be a conference room, or a quiet corner in a nearby hotel lobby, or a free workroom in a nearby library.
Never schedule a call while you are likely to be at an airport or driving your car.
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Make sure your phone works:
Some of these may seem obvious, but pay attention to the following:
a. A working phone with full battery
b. A pleasant voice mail greeting if the call goes into voice mail.
c. Ensure you are not in a dead zone (if you are taking the call on your mobile phone)
d. And ensure you ask how to reach the interviewer in case the phone disconnects
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Maintain conversational etiquette:
It is important for the conversation to flow smoothly and there aren’t many awkward pauses.
Do not interrupt and jump all over because you are excited and know the answer. Let the interviewer finish.
If you are unclear about the point, ask to repeat or paraphrase saying, “If I understand you correctly.”
And sometimes given the global village we live in, different accents of the same language may seem unfamiliar and unclear. Without being offensive, ask them to enunciate certain things or repeat them so that you can understand and answer.
Similarly, if you have an accent, please enunciate the words as clearly as you can. (Of course, you don’t have to be apologetic or feel small – it is who you are, but given you want to get the job, do the best to ensure the other person understands.
Have a conversation and don’t engage in a monologue. Do not hog the line and talk more as you are desperate to show all that you know. Remember, the initial phone screen is not the place you will get your job, but you can easily lose one. Try to keep your sentences short and to the point.
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Jot down key points and elaborate after the call.
While you are on the phone, do not spend too much time writing long sentences. Just jot down critical points and then after the call reflect on the call and write additional notes and commentary. This can help you in your future interviews as you glean insights into the needs of your future employer as well as what you said during the interview.
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Follow up with a thank you plus note:
Please send a note to the screener/interviewer after the phone call. At the outset thank them for the opportunity and then summarize key points and end with how excited you are to continue to pursue the interview process. Sound confident and enthusiastic but not desperate by writing, “I am really, really, really interested in the job and I can fly at my own cost to be there tomorrow to do further interviews.” Of course, that statement is facetious, but you get the point.
Those are the top ten tips for successful phone interviews. No, knock’em dead. Onwards and upwards.
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