Tips to Make Your Next Phone Interview Go Smoothly

Summary: A phone interview can be an excellent way to demonstrate how prepared and energetic you are before meeting in person.

A phone interview is a key part of the recruiting process for most employers. It is an easy way for them to eliminate candidates that lack enthusiasm, organization, professionalism, and an ability to communicate effectively.

Make sure your environment is quiet and organized. Have a pen and paper within reach to take any notes or questions that arise during the interview. Being unprepared during an interview will look unprofessional. Keep your resume out so that you can refer to it during the interview. If you are not confident in your cell phone to keep a strong signal then use a land-line.

A phone interview allows you to be more prepared with answers already written down for commonly asked questions. When the more difficult questions are asked, stay calm and keep your answers short and concise. When you answer the phone, do so with a smile on your face to project a positive tone with your voice.

Never interrupt the interviewer in the middle of a question. Wait until they are done talking before responding. Speak in a clear voice and at a normal pace. Be aware of your weaknesses and provide appropriate answers to them during the interview.

A phone interview is a way for the employer to also assess your phone skills, personality, confidence and ability to communicate. Have examples of how you deal with teamwork and problem solving ready to go. Any examples you give should consist of the four main parts, which are the problem, analysis, action and results.

Some tips to help you get through a phone interview are to take notes of any questions or concerns that you can ask at the end of the interview. This will show that you are paying attention. Taking notes is also a way for you to prepare for the next interview by examining what questions you felt you had a hard time answering. Be sure to take note of any personal information gleaned from the interviewer to use in your thank you letter. Some people also prefer to stand during the interview so that they sound more enthusiastic.

Read these articles to learn more about phone interviews, “Telephone Job Interviews Can Be A Trap!” and “What You Should Expect From a Phone Interview“.

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