Phone interviews are often the first step in the long and arduous hiring process. Given its importance in securing a successful future, a smart job seeker would be wise to learn all the possible ways to make a stellar impression during their phone interview. Here are some surefire ways to ensure that you make a name for yourself during your next promising phone interview.
Prepare and practice in advance. As with all interviews, prepare for your phone interview in advance. Practice your one-minute “elevator pitch” to sum up your professional background and future goals. Research the company you’re interviewing with and have at least three questions prepared for the interviewer, making sure to ask questions that are thoughtful and can demonstrate your insightfulness. Create a list of your top achievements or proudest professional moments, including details on how you succeeded your goals or why you felt accomplishment in your actions. Practice answering common interview questions until you can respond confidently and assertively.
Find your interview sweet spot. Nothing derails a phone interview like bad reception or noisy interruptions. To ensure that your phone interview runs smoothly, scope out a quiet, secluded spot (preferably inside) and make a few telephone calls there ahead of your interview as a test. The communication line should be clear and static-free, and the calls should not drop due to intermittent reception. Be sure that the space will allow you to conduct your interview without interruptions, either from family members (if you’re taking the phone interview from home), coworkers (if you have to take the interview during work hours), or other people (if you have no other choice but to use a public area, like a cafe or hotel lobby).
Smile. Although your interviewer may not be able to see your face, having a smile will help your voice maintain a more positive and upbeat tone when you speak. This gives your interviewer the impression that you are friendly, personable, and more of a team-player. Remember the key is to sound cheerful and welcoming, not overly eager or silly. Practice can help you strike the best balance for your best interview voice.
Fight the urge to interrupt the interviewer. Conversations over the phone often have a slight delay and oftentimes people find themselves talking over one another by accident. You don’t want to catch yourself doing this during your interview so give the speaker a few seconds before you respond to their questions. They may be asking a two-part question and you don’t want to cut them off before they are finished. Alternatively, if you feel the need to interject, do everything you can in your power to stop yourself from cutting in. Not only is it disrespectful and rude, it will be viewed as domineering and controlling, none of which are the impression you want to leave with the interviewer.
Take notes. Jot down key ideas or phrases during your interview to help you retain all the information you’re receiving and to allow you to follow-up at the end of the phone interview with clarifying questions. Your notes will likely help you when it comes time to write your thank you email as well.
Stay calm and collected. Remember to breathe and relax throughout your interview. Allowing your anxieties and nervousness to get the better of you will only sabotage your phone interview as your voice will falter, your responses will be unclear, and your thought-processes will be hindered. If you feel yourself tensing up, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Exhale slowly, but not audibly into the phone’s receiver! Better yet, use the mute button when you need to calm yourself with deep breaths or a sip of water.
Send your thank you email soon after the end of the call. If possible, send your thank you email to your phone interviewer by the end of the day. Phone interviews are meant to see if you can get past the first hurdle and into a seat in front of the hiring manager. Close the loop on the first step and don’t be shy about making it known that you are looking for a more in-depth, face-to-face interview in the near future.
