Ace Your Phone Interview
June 12, 2018
Interviews are one of the most important aspects of securing a job, however, the interviewer is not always in front of you. That’s right, we’re talking about phone interviews. While this may sound easier than a regular interview, it certainly is not and requires just as much preparation as a traditional interview. That is if you have time to prepare.
Always Be Prepared
Some phone interviews may happen at a moments notice and catch you completely off-guard. However, most of the time, the phone interview will be scheduled by email or phone. For these reasons, you’ll want to make sure that you always answer the phone in a professional manner, and have a professional voice mailbox.
Form Connections
So, why do companies use phone interviews? Well other than long distance being a possible issue and wanting to avoid travel expenses, it’s normally used to screen possible candidates before they are invited to a formal interview. To prepare for a phone interview, you will follow the same procedure as if you were preparing for a phone interview. Start by creating a list of selling points and also a list of questions for the interviewer. Always do your research on the company; this will also help you create questions. Make sure that when you’re researching the company that you’re making connections between yourself and the company. This will be very important during the interview. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry too much about body language or feeling overwhelmed in a face-to-face conversation.
Know Your Surroundings
Before the call, you will need to confirm that the date and time is in order. If something goes wrong on interview day and the interviewer doesn’t call on time or you happen to miss the call, it’s okay. It can always be rescheduled. When the call comes in, make sure you are in a secluded and quiet space. There should be zero distractions during the interview.
With your checklist ready to go, you should have a pen and paper ready, a glass of water, and your resume handy. With these simple preparations, you are sure to knock your phone interview out of the park.