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Make Phone Interviews a Breeze

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phone interview

Summary: There will be no reason to fear phone interviews after following these tips.

Phone interviews may be intimidating because you have to rely purely on your voice to make a good first impression but there are advantages as well. By taking steps to prepare yourself and your voice for a phone interview you can ensure the experience will go smoothly, plus you can take notes during the interview to help you out. You would never be able to take notes during a regular interview. Follow these tips to know how to handle a phone interview:

Prepare

  • Ask a friend to practice interviewing you so you can get comfortable answering typical interview questions.
  • Have two or three questions prepared to ask the employer about the position, company, or the interviewer that show you have done your research on the company.
  • Have a place selected beforehand where you can have the phone interview that is quiet and free of any disruptions. This may mean reserving a room at your library or making arrangements with your roommates/family members to have a time where you can be alone.
  • Bring a page of notes that you have taken while researching the company. Put this page next to your resume in front of you so you can easily reference it during the phone interview.
  • Have a blank page of paper and a pen with you during the phone interview so you can take notes on things that stand out or are a concern and you want clarification on later.
  • Turn your phones call-waiting off so that you don’t get a phone call in the middle of your phone interview, interrupting the flow.

Professional

  • Be professional in how you talk by addressing the interviewer by their formal title of Mr. or Ms.
  • Keep your speech slow and with clearly enunciated words. Do not chew gum or eat food.
  • Have a glass of water on hand in case your mouth gets dry.
  • Don’t be afraid to take your time, collecting your thoughts so that you deliver well-thought-out answers.
  • Your answers should be short, about a minute long, and to the point.
  • Even though it is a phone interview, wear a professional outfit. Having something on that makes you feel professional will show in how you talk. If you wear sweatpants and a dirty shirt, your mind will be less awake and open to the questions asked of you during the interview.
  • Be sure to thank the interviewer for their time.

Follow Up

  • By taking notes on what you were asked and how you answered them, you can use those notes to help you during an in-person interview.
  • Send them a thank you note or email within two days after the phone interview. Bring up key parts of the interview and any skills you have that match strongly with the job requirements. Provide the interviewer with information on when you will follow up on the job again in your note.

Have you ever done a phone interview? How do you feel it went? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

To learn more about how to excel during a phone interview, read these articles:

Make Phone Interviews a Breeze by
Authored by: Amanda Griffin