So you’ve organised a phone interview and you’re expecting your potential employer to ring you at a specific time. Perfect. Now, the only thing to do is prepare the same way you would for an in-person interview. Just because it’s not a face-to-face interview doesn’t mean it’s time to throw all of the interview rules out of the window.
Some employers may ask for a phone interview for a variety of reasons. It may be to quickly eliminate you as a candidate. This is especially common in big companies so that they don’t waste the time and resources needed to bring you in for an in person interview. Or, you may be having a phone interview if you aren’t available for a face-to-face meeting just yet, or you are planning on relocating for the role. Either way, it’s vital that you don’t give your potential employer a reason not to see you! That’s why Prestige Recruitment Group have prepared this document with some top tops on smashing your phone interview and ensuring you get through to that face-to-face meeting.
1) Take It as Seriously as an in Person Interview
Just because your interviewer won’t be able to see you, doesn’t mean you should be doing the interview from your bed. On the day of your interview, get up and ready like you would for a normal day at work. We’re not saying you need to wear your three piece suit, but wear something you’d wear to go out for the day. That way you will be in the right mindset when it comes to answering your phone as you will be out of bed, ready and prepared for that phone to ring.
2) Focus and Cut Out All Distractions
It’s tempting to have the television on in the background or to unload the dishwasher while you talk, but don’t. This is not the time for multi-tasking! Sit down (at a desk if possible) and focus on the phone call when you’re interviewing. The dishwasher will still be there to be emptied after!
3) Do Your Research
Find out some information about the company you are interviewing with. Find out the answers to:
· What does the company do?
· What’s the company mission?
· What’s the company’s history?
· What’s the company’s latest venture?
· Who are the company’s competitors?
4) Listen
This might sound obvious, but over the phone it’s very easy to end up talking over the top of your interviewer. Therefore, it’s absolutely vital that you take the time to listen fully to the questions you have been asked and only begin speaking after your interviewer has stopped asking the question. Communication over the phone is slightly more difficult than that in person as you don’t have any visual cues so it’s important that you listen to everything that is said.
5) Prepare A Cheat-Sheet
As you’re not interviewing in person, you can actually create a cheat-sheet to help you with your answers to the questions you may be asked. Write your research down, prepare some questions and write down some things you need to remember to ask your interviewer. Don’t write your answers down fully – your interviewer will know if you are just reading from a sheet – but you can jot down some notes to remember to mention over the phone.
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