One of the most common mistakes with phone interviews is underestimating them. Phone interviews are just as important as any other interview, employers can’t see your face so your personality will need to shine through the call.
Often candidates will not address phone interviews with the same seriousness as an in person interview. Below are 5 tips to ensure a successful phone interview:
Creating a good environment:
Before the interview starts, creating a good environment is crucial. You will need to have a space where you can solely focus on the call, being away from distractions including people and pets, being sat up straight and having a clear desk in front of you will help.
Listen:
As you can’t see your interviewer, you will need to listen carefully to what they are saying so you understand the questions and know how to answer them. It is very easy to be too eager and answer the questions as quickly as possible but it may mean you miss an important part of the question. It is always a good idea to listen first and pause after every question, it gives the interviewer time to add any additional comments and allows you to digest and work out how to answer the question to the best of your ability.
Being Prepared:
A positive of a phone interview is that they can’t see what is in front of you. This gives you the chance to have notes with you. You can use the notes to remind you of research put together about the company, key achievements, accomplishments within your specific field and how best to answer certain questions. Make sure that it doesn’t sound like you are reading from a piece of paper, jot down notes that you can refer back to.
Be confident and smile:
Be confident on the phone making sure that your personality shines through. Enunciate properly and talk loudly to ensure you represent yourself in the best way. Smiling on the phone will not only change the tone of your voice but will create a positive image to the interviewer, making you seem more energised and enthusiastic about the role.
Ask a question:
Have a few questions ready in advance to ask your interviewer. This shows them that you are interested in the company and would like to proceed. It could also be used as another way to highlight a different skill or quality about yourself.