TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING TIPS

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Since a telephone interview is often your initial contact with a potential employer, it is worthwhile to review some tips on improving this first impression.  After all, it may be your only opportunity to “sell yourself” and to have a trial run for the face-to-face interview.  Typically, we will prepare you for the phone interview by letting you know who will be calling you, their title, the time and date, etc.  Based on this information, you should try to develop several questions ahead of time that will be helpful in gathering additional information for yourself about the position.  Some examples of questions are as follows:

 

·         What are the most important responsibilities of the job?

·         To whom will I report and what is his/her background?

·         Will I mainly inherit projects or initiate them?

·         Is this a team environment or an individual contributor role?

·         What is the most important thing I can do to help your firm during the first 90 days of my employment?

·         Will I have subordinates?  If so, what are their strengths/weaknesses?

·         What aspects of my background make me right or wrong for this position?

 

The objective of a telephone interview is to gain an invitation for a face-to-face interview and to gather more information to be used in future steps. 

 

If you are to be a “problem solver,” one thing you need to do during the telephone interview is to determine “what problem is this employer trying to solve by hiring you” and then be sure relay how your skills and background can help to “solve their problem.”

 

It is also important to think about, prepare, and practice answers to the typical interview questions you may be asked by the interviewer.  Preparation here is key so that your answers are straightforward, well delivered, and contain the information the interviewer wants to know about.   It is easy to ramble on and on if you have not thought about these questions ahead of time.

 

Other tips include:

 

·         Do not initiate a discussion about salary, benefits, or vacation at this state. However if the interviewer asks about salary, please be forthcoming and honest.

·         Have a pad, pen and copy of your resume near the phone.

·         Go to a quiet phone or office to call the interviewer back at a more convenient time.  Avoid background noises like TV’s, stereos and other conversations. 

·         Hold the receiver one-half inch from your mouth and speak directly into it.

·         Smile and be enthusiastic – it comes through the phone!

·         Don’t eat, smoke or chew gum during a phone conversation.

·         Speak in a conversational manner and be sure to speak loudly enough to be heard – with some variance in inflection and tone.  Record yourself responding to some normal phone interviewing questions asked by your spouse or someone else.  Hear how you sound to others and practice improving that impression.

·         Let the interviewer do most of the talking, but use questions to stimulate the conversation as needed.  When he/she asks you a question, don’t just answer “yes” or “no” – expound on the question and use the opportunity to “sell” your skills and experience.

·         When the interview appears to be ending, find an opportunity to ask for a face-to-face interview.  Please let the interviewer know you ARE interested in the job.

·         If you are not able to ask or set up a face- to-face interview, ask the following question (change the wording to something you are comfortable with):  “Do you have any concerns that I do not meet the expectations of this position?”  Sometimes interviewers can misinterpret something you said during the interview or on your resume, or maybe they just didn’t ask the right questions.  By asking this question, you can clear up any misconceptions and you’ll get immediate feedback on your interview.

·         When the interview is over, call your recruiter so we can follow up with the client and work toward the next step of the face-to-face interview.