The telephone interview can seem like a daunting prospect. It is often used by companies to discard as many candidates as possible rather than do an in depth screening. This makes preparation for the phone interview even more important in case you receive a phone call from a company. They should have obtained your number in the personal details section.
How to master the initial contact for interview call?
Introductory calls will look to clarify your CV points, and see how you deal with a spontaneous, under pressure interview.
While the questions largely are the same, to ace the phone interview you need to let the conversation flow. Whereas other formats of job interviews can be formulaic the best phone interview is when where you come across naturally.
What questions are asked in a phone interview?
To prepare the phone call you want to know in advance what kind of questions to expect. You can expect very similar ones to a normal interview, although if it is an introductory call it can different.
Examples can include :
- How does the experience xyz on your CV relate to our work?
- What is it about our organisation that makes you think you would fit in?
- Are you able to deal under pressure?
- What kind of team are you expecting when working with us in terms of size?
- How would you describe our company’s business model
How to stand out in a phone interview?
The key to phone interviews is to avoid common mistakes that are associated with being on the phone. Your cadence of your speech, tone and elocution will be more of a focus than your appearance. If you are unsure or practicing to do it in a foreign language, make sure you rehearse your answers.
You also must avoid being in a place with a lot of ambient noise. You should be able to prepare in advance, but if they call you on the go and you are in a busy street, ask immediately to be able to move to quieter place. This also gives you an excuse to prepare.
Make sure you try to have an interview in person lined up, especially if you are talking to HR. Asking for it shows your intent to get to know the person you are talking to better, but also allows you to plan the process in which they contact you.
Other tips for a phone interview
These include :
- Having a pen and paper on hand to take notes, or recording the conversations if possible.
- Showing use of adequate language with the interviewer, something that can be especially difficult in a phone conversation.
- Using an online platform such as Skype or Zoom call rather than your landline to ensure more clarity.
- Have the experience and education parts of your CV on hand for reference in case they ask you questions about these elements.