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Phone interviews are generally the first live interaction you will have with a prospective employer. Many companies use phone interviews to screen candidates who look good on paper to determine who would move on to the next round of more in-depth interviews.
From the company’s perspective, phone interviews are a way to filter a large pool of qualified candidates to a smaller pool of prospective employees. This is a critical step in the hiring process and as a job seeker, an important hurdle to jump over to move closer to landing your dream job. So, if you are serious about wanting the job, then you must do some serious preparation to ace the phone interview!
Phone interviews are typically conducted by a recruiter in the HR department. But there are times when you may actually be speaking to the hiring manager or someone else in the team that’s hiring. These interviews may last anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour but on average will be about 30 minutes.
In general, the interviewer will ask you questions about your knowledge, skills, and experience to determine if your background aligns well with the job they are recruiting for. They may also try to determine how serious you are about joining their company and if you would be a good cultural fit for them. If you’re successful, then you will move on to the next round which will likely be a more in-depth phone, video, or in-person interview.
Whether you are new to the job market or a seasoned pro, it’s natural to get nervous about job interviews. It’s even more nerve racking in phone interviews because you can’t see the expressions of your interviewers. Here are some tips for a successful phone interview.
You are certainly not starting off on the right foot if you have the interview time wrong and you don’t pick up the phone when the interviewer calls you. Or you pick up the phone and are completely surprised to be getting the call. You don’t want to be in that situation!
So, it’s important to confirm the interview details listed below prior to the interview.
Taking a phone interview while on the subway may not be the best idea. Find a quiet place to talk where you will not be disturbed. Avoid distractions like having the TV on in the background or scrolling through your email while talking to the interviewer.
Clear your schedule and keep an hour free for the interview. To get into to full interview mode and mindset, it might be helpful to dress as if you are going in for an in-person interview.
Also, make sure your phone is fully charged and you are in a location with good cell phone reception.
Take time before the interview to carefully go through the job description. Make sure you understand the responsibilities and requirements very well. This will enable you to better answer interview questions and show the interviewer how your knowledge, skills, and experience is a good fit for the job.
Research the company before the interview. Not only will this help you to determine if it’s a company that you would want to work for, but it will also show the interviewer that you are a serious candidate. Identify a couple of things about the company that really attracts you to the job that you can highlight when you talk to the interviewer.
If you are not very familiar with the industry, do some research before the interview. You can impress your interviewer by showing how knowledgeable you are about the business they are in.
Be sure to read through the resume and cover letter you submitted to the company before the interview. Have your resume in front of you. Reflect on your knowledge, skills, and experiences as it relates to the job.
Prepare a few examples of how your background and experience match the specific requirements of the job. Your goal here is to show the recruiter that you are a good fit for the job.
A lot of interviewers like to start the interview with a general question like “tell me a little about yourself?”. This is where most ill-prepared candidates go on a tangent and ruin their chances of getting to the next phase.
You must anticipate these type of general interview questions and be prepared with concise but informative answers. When you prepare for the interview, it is okay to right down your answers to general questions. But make sure that you rehearse these before the interview because you don’t want to sound like you are reading off a script during the interview.
One tip that might be helpful is to jot down main points so that you won’t forget to share important information during the interview.
Be a good listener, speak clearly, and have a couple of relevant questions ready in case they give you an opportunity to ask questions. It is important that you make a good first impression.
Don’t try to fill every awkward silence with aimless chatter. Give your answer to the interview question and wait patiently for the interviewer to respond. The interviewer might be taking notes which may be the reason for the silence.
At the end of the interview, ask politely about next steps and when you can expect to hear back. Thank the interviewer(s) for their time and consideration.
Send a thank you email within 24 to 48 hours after the interview thanking the interviewer(s) for their time and consideration. Also reiterate your interest in the job and note why you think you will be a good fit for the job and the company. Keep it short and sweet. If there were multiple interviewers on the phone call, send them each and individual thank you note.
Proofread the email to make sure you don’t have any spelling or grammatical errors.