How To Give A Great Phone Interview

Doing a phone interview can be really hard but sometimes they just can’t be avoided. So this article is about how to interview over the phone when a face to face interview is just not possible.

There are many reasons why employers do a phone interview rather than a face to face one. It can cut down the list of people applying for the job position.  They can find out who meets their criteria and who appears to be more suitable to the job. This is usually for those who like to start with a really large group of people, and they can then whittle them down for face to face interviews.

Another reason could be that the employers are interviewing folks from different states and it’s just way easier to make initial interviews over the phone. No matter the reason, it’s always good to know how to give a good phone interview. Learning how to do a phone interview isn’t hard. Here are some tips to help you out.

You should always practice for each interview just like you were going to a face to face, don’t fall into the trap of thinking ‘it’s only a phone interview, so doesn’t matter’.

Research the company  just as you would for a face to face interview, and have a strategy for answering many types of interview questions (this is a great book for helping you to prepare for interview questions).   If you think you will get nervous, write your answers out. Since it’s over the phone no one will notice as long as you don’t sound like your reading a script. Don’t worry with practice you will learn how to do a phone interview with ease.

Be sure it’s very quiet where you are during the interview. Your home (or at least the room you are going to be speaking from) should be empty, or if this is not possible then go someplace that is quiet and you can concentrate on the call.   You need to ensure there will be no interruptions during the call.  

Keep your focus during the call, and really listen intently to what the person is saying as well as the questions you are being asked. Take your time answering the questions. Don’t rush!  If you want do well on your phone interview this would be a big one to master.

Some more tips on how to give a good phone interview is to have enthusiasm in your voice when you are talking about the job, the company or the industry – this will come over to the person interviewing you so they can see you are going to be an enthusiastic employee.

You can try walking around to help keep your energy up during the call. Don’t get to relaxed or you will end up talking about things that are not relevant to the interview. Feel free to talk about your achievements and explain to  the employer that you are a perfect fit for their company.

Taking these steps to make sure you are prepared for the phone interview will show professionalism and polish. Keep your attention focused on the questions being asked and how you will fit the position, this will highlight you above the others, so you will stick in the employers mind.

Remember, be prepared because the employers first impression of you, even if it is just a verbal one, are important and will go a long way to helping the employer decide whether to interview you face to face.