What to do During a Phone Interview

Phone interviews can be terrifying for a number of reasons. You can’t see the interviewer to determine whether your responses are being received well, you may worry that you won’t hear them properly, and you can’t rely on your appearance to impress them. Here’s what you need to do to make that good impression all the same.

Avoid unscheduled calls

You may be surprised by an unscheduled call, when the interviewer calls you out of the blue for a chat. These calls are very hard to take, and you can end up losing the opportunity because you are on the back foot. Take back control of the situation by avoiding the call. Tell the recruiter that you are at work, or that you have a meeting to go to, or so forth. Ask them if you can reschedule the call for a later time. If you know when they will call, you can be prepared.

Prepare as normal

Do the same kind and amount of work beforehand that you would do if you were attending an interview in person. Research the company and its background, and think about any questions you may wish to ask the recruiter. Prepare and run questions before the call so that you are sharp with your answers. Create a cheat sheet which has key company information, possible questions and answers, and anything else you may need during the call. The interviewer won’t be able to see you using it, which is a huge advantage.

Create your environment

Be sure to create an environment which is conducive to your phone interview before you begin. Shut out any noises which might interrupt you, turn off other electronic devices, have a glass of water ready in case you get a dry throat. Have a pen and paper in case you need to make notes. Be ready early, and make sure your phone is fully charged.

Listen well

The first part of the interview will likely involve the recruiter explaining the company and the position to you. Rather than interrupting, listen first and make notes. You can then ask questions afterwards so that you know where you stand. You can also use this as a great opportunity to connect yourself with the company. Find similarities in your past work with what they tell you so that you can give them strong examples of yourself working in a similar situation.

Smile often

Smile while you’re talking. It may sound odd, but you sound much better when you’re smiling. Try it out yourself by recording your voice and you will hear the difference. You should also try sitting up tall and straight, and holding yourself as if you were in a face-to-face interview. This will help you to find the right tone and professionalism that you need. Make sure that you drink water and try some voice exercises before the call starts so that you don’t sound croaky or dry.

Follow up

After the phone call has finished, your work is not done. Make sure to write a quick follow-up email, thanking the interviewer for their call. Make sure to give it a positive tone: tell them you were happy to hear from them and that you are very interested in the position. You can even ask about what the next step is, though you should ideally do this in the call itself to show that you are eager.

When you follow these tips, your phone interview should be controlled and calm. You will be in with a shot after impressing the interviewer. The next step will most likely be an in-person interview for them to meet you properly.

Meagan Weekes works at Bizset.com as a Content Manager. She enjoys sharing career tips and her broad work experience. She specializes in developing business ideas, career advancement and networking.

Phone Interviews Do’s and Don'ts

Phone Interviews Do’s and Don'ts

It’s tempting to take phone interviews less seriously because employers do not see you.

Thing is, the phone interview is a crucial part of the hiring process. Companies see it helpful because it is a cheap and fast way to screening applicants. So prepare well when you’re scheduled for phone interviews. If you really want that job, there’s no reason for you to care less.

Here are things you should and shouldn’t do during phone interviews.

Do’s

• Stay in a quiet room. Employers are humans, too. They love adorable babies. They have nothing against you, fulfilling your duties as parents or sibling. But crying babies along with other noise distractions at home may rob you of attention. And that’s going to put off interviewers for sure. Stay away as well from barking dogs, children on the loose, and music playing.

• Act the part. Smile as you speak. Believe it or not, the person on the receiving line feels when you are frowning or raising eyebrows while talking. They, on the other hand, also feel it when you are smiling. It shows on your voice.

• Stand up. Imagine you are face-to-face with the interviewers. Are you going to slouch on your seat, raise one of your legs, sit on a lotus position or lie on the floor? You wouldn’t. You are going to sit straight. During phone interviews, you are allowed not to take a seat although it helps that you stand straight. It helps take away pressure from your diaphragm as you talk and hence allows you speak clearly.

• Keep necessary documents accessible. Better yet, tape copies on the wall. Looking down may affect your speaking voice while scanning pages may annoy the interviewer. You might as well keep a pen and paper nearby so you can take note of important messages. Who knows? The interviewer might be interested to meet you in person for another interview.

• Run mock interviews. Arrange with a trusted friend to help you conduct practice interviews. Simulate the exact interview setting. Gather feedback afterward. Inquire about whether the phone connection clear, or whether your voice is too loud or soft, or fast or slow. You might want to record your voice as well so you can check it yourself.

Don’ts

• Even when chewing your tried and tested stress reliever, just do not. Never blow your nose, smoke, yawn or spit when you’re on the line with the interviewer. If you must sneeze, inform the interviewer right away. Apologize afterward.

• Stay away from your cellphone. It’s rare for an interview to take an hour anyway. You can always get back to messages or calls you missed. It’s unethical to keep the interviewing waiting, more so talk to someone else while speaking with them. This is a favor you should be thanking them for so give the phone interview your full attention.

• Never interrupt. Let the interviewer finish before talking.

• Respond briefly. Be straightforward when answering questions. The interviewer shall ask you anyway to elaborate if they wish to know more. Monopolizing the conversation will only hurt your chances of getting in. Listen attentively so you will know whether the listener is already zoning out.

• Never treat the phone interview casually. This is the reason why you should stay in a quiet room, alone, so you will not feel conscious about onlookers when you act formal. You can make-believe you are sharing the place with the interviewers.

Author Bio:

Nettie Gray failed in one of her applications as an essay writing service tutor because of a huge mistake. She scolded her niece who was playing around. Interviewers thought she wasn't okay with kids.