Phone Interview Tips

By Philip Sawyer

Interview advice is a commonly-sought, obvious part of the job-search process, and the in-person interview is an important thing to be ready for if you hope to get the job. What a lot of people forget, though, is the importance of being ready for any occasion a recruiter or hiring manager might want to talk to you,

Before I discuss how to handle the phone interview, let me make a few points about the phone interview first.

1. Given your choice between a phone interview and an in-person interview, always take the in-person interview.

2. Most phone interviews are conducted because the hiring manager is not convinced that the candidate is worth meeting. In short, it is a quick way to get a no interest.

3. Your probability of actually getting a job through a phone interview is low (there are exceptions).

4. In most cases the best result of a phone interview is a request for an in-person meeting.

5. Most phone interviews do not come off as planned. Typically one party or the other is not available at the agreed upon time so the call is either cancelled or it is late. So give it 10 minutes and then call your Recruiter and let the Recruiter see if they can get it back on track.

        The basics of the phone interview are much the same as preparing for an in-person interview, and something you should be doing throughout a job search to keep yourself sharp. You should be sure you have practiced answers at the ready for common questions. Practice saying things like your strengths and weaknesses, and life achievements, so you can speak them quickly and without stumbling. Get a feeling for what the company you're talking to is like and about, what they're looking for and why. If you can have that information at hand, you'll more directly be able to address the job you're looking to have.

        You have some advantages in a phone interview that aren't there in an in-person interview. You have much more control over your environment and your comfort. Go ahead and wear your fuzzy slippers and sit in your comfy chair. You should, however, make sure that chair is somewhere you've set out some information for yourself, because the biggest advantage you have is that you have the ability to consult anything you want. It's a good idea to have some notes set out for consultation wherever you take your phone calls. Some hard copy notes of the usual lines you've practiced are good; a written list of strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, and other things you know they'll want to hear from you. Having an actual copy of your resume in front of you is also a good idea, for the same reason. Consistency is important in an interview; contradicting your resume can lead to confusion or worse, rejection, and having the resume right in front of you helps you keep on message.

Before the interview:

o Prepare as you would for a normal interview! Research common interview questions, particularly common phone interview questions, and have answers ready for those.

o Research the company, visit their web site, and be prepared to tell the interviewers that you know what they do.

o If you know the names of the interviewers, check them out on LinkedIn or other internet sites that may give you some insight into their history.

o Plan where you will take the call. You want a quiet spot with no distractions; make sure your phone has good reception.

o If you must take the call on a cell phone, make sure the battery is charged.

o Have your resume in front of you, anything else you will want to reference - accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses

o Be comfortable; you have much more control of your environment on a phone interview.

During the interview:

o Take notes on what they are asking.

o Write down the names of the interviewers and call them by name during the interview.

o Do not interrupt the call to take another call or answer the door.

o Make sure the kids and dog are settled down (bribe the dog, mine likes a rawhide chew that is good for 15 minutes of uninterrupted silence).

o Answer the questions succinctly and fully, but do not talk too long. Put your watch in front of you and keep your answers in the 30 second to 1 minute range. If the answer requires more time, check in with interviewers to make sure you still have their attention and are on track with your answer. For example, you can ask the interviewers if you are giving them what they want.

o Elaborate on Yes or No answers. If an interviewer asks if you know C#, clearly they want to understand the depth of your experience with C#, so give them more information.

o End the interview by asking what the next step is.

o If you are working with a Recruiter you should call them after the interview and debrief with them.