Have you worked hard to connect with a company you are interested in and received an invitation to interview? But, the first step of the hiring process is over the phone? It is difficult to impress the company over the telephone lines. These telephonic interview tips can help you face the dreaded task!
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On Phone Interview Tips
These days, telephonic interviews have become an unavoidable part of the job process, which is good. It saves everyone’s time and effort. But at the same time, it does not mean that the phone interview requires zero energy. You should spend the same amount of time preparing as you would for an in-person interview. The recruiters consider this to be the first official round of interviews. Now is the time to create your first impression.
It seems like a huge obstacle to overcome. Know that most recruiters conduct a telephonic interview to strike our name off the list. They wait for you to give them a reason to do so. But with the right approach, telephonic interviews can be seen as an advantage to the interviewees. These telephonic interview tips will help guide you on the right path.
Telephonic Interview Tips
Preparing for a phone interview is as important as for an in-person interview. Performing well in this first round of official interviews can open doors for you to be a part of your dream company. Here are 20 tips to be aware of when preparing for a phone interview.
1. Schedule the time for the interview
Before the day of your actual interview, confirm the date and time. This will prepare you to answer the call on time. You can write down the date and time, add it to your calendar or set a reminder. Being punctual sets a great first impression on the recruiter,
2. If necessary, Reschedule
If, due to any unavoidable circumstances, you are unable to make it at the time of the interview, communicate it to the recruiter. Suggest other times that are convenient for you. Offer them a few days and times that fit well on your schedule and both of you can discuss a time that works well for both. Being honest about the reason for rescheduling, like needing more time to prepare, promotes you are honest and interested in the job. This is often a very valuable skill employers look for you.
3. Know about the company
Go through the company’s website, and social media profiles and keep tabs on their recent activities. Read about their values, goals, mission, and vision statement. Make notes of the same. If an opportunity arises, mention what you know. Interviewers generally tend to ask what they know about the company. This step lets the interviewer know that you are genuinely interested in the company and working there. It also lets you think about questions you can ask them at the end of the interview, like the work culture and hierarchy.
4. Learn who will call you
It is always a good practice to know who you will be talking to. In most cases, the hiring manager will call you. But there are times when the recruiter might call you. Knowing you will call you helps you prepare better for the interview. Do online research about the caller on LinkedIn to know the caller’s role. If the hiring manager or your direct supervisor interviews you, you will be asked in-depth questions related to your role and industry. But if the recruiter interviews you, you will be asked more general questions like about your experience. This will also help you set the tone for the interview.
5. Read the job description
Knowing what your roles and responsibilities will be. This will help you understand what the employee is looking for in a candidate. It will also help you tailor answers to some of the commonly asked interview questions.
6. Listen
Telephonic interviews are a great way to test your communication skills. This does not only involve talking, but also listening. Be attentive and understand what the recruiter is talking about. Ask questions if you are unsure about something. This shows you are serious about getting the job and care about what they say. Listen to every word spoken and follow up. It is normal for a person to zone out while on a call. It is a good practice to apologize and ask them to repeat. Make sure to stay as focused as possible. This will make sure the interviewer knows you are actively listening to them
7. Be formal
Even though it is a telephonic interview, an important tip is to be professional. Remember you are not talking to a friend. You are talking to someone who might be your potential colleague. Respect the interview. Use a professional tone. This will leave a good impression on the interviewer. It will best be considered as a part of the hiring decision.
8. Smile
Might sound inappropriate for an on phone interview tip, but smiling during a telephonic interview can promote a happy and positive tone in your voice. It is a true thing that the interviewer will be able to hear your smile through the tone of your voice. Do not smile too much, it will make you conscious. You can practice smiling in front of a mirror or with friends and family.
9. Salary Expectations
Research the average salary in your industry for your role. If it is your first call with the interviewer, do not discuss salary details. But the interviewers generally tend to ask about your expectations. In such situations, be honest. Tell them what you expect. You should be reasonable about your expectations and offer them a salary range. This will let the interviewer understand that you are flexible.
10. Be ready
We don’t mean dressing up! If you are using your mobile phone for the interview make sure it is fully charged right before the interview. Also, make sure that the network is clear. Ask someone to call you before the actual interview. Be ready 10-15 minutes in advance. This gives you time to relax before the actual interview
11. Have your resume ready
Recruiters generally ask you questions related to your resume or portfolio. Keep all your documents ready for reference. You can keep a copy of it or have it on your computer. These will serve as great reference notes
12. Prepare notes
This is a very common telephonic interview tip you will come across. If there are certain things you want to ask the recruiter or certain things you want to tell them, make a note of it. One of the best advantages of a telephonic interview is that the recruiter cannot see what you have laid out in front of you. Prepare reference notes clearly so that they are readily accessible when needed. You can jot down points that are not in the resume but can be good for your impression.
13. Prepare for common questions
Research the common interview questions. Consider how you will answer each of them. Jot down the points to make it easier to answer when such questions are asked. Rehearse your answers. Make sure your answer looks natural and not practiced.
14. Speak loud and clear
Because it is a telephonic interview, the only way the interviewer will understand you is by your tone. Take your time to answer each question. They observe your communication skills. So make sure to cover all points around the question but do not beat around the bush. Make sure to speak loud and clear so the interviewer understands you. Do not shout, just be audible.
15. Strike a conversation
Along with a formal tone, make sure you sound friendly. Do not be rude on the call. Record yourself speaking and choose the best tone. Be polite. Strike conversation, ask them about their day, the company, and their role. This gives you time to warm up.
16. Take notes
The interviewer might give you a lot of information about the company and your role. It might be very difficult to remember all of these. Take notes as the interviewer speaks. This can be useful for reference when any such information is needed. It also makes sure there is no loss of information or miscommunication
17. Go to a silent spot
This is one of the most important phone interview tips. Find a spot where you can hear the interviewer loud and clear. This will make sure you do not miss any vital information given by them. Also, a silent spot will make there is no disturbance and the interviewer hears you clear. Remove all background sounds and show your professional courtesy. Take this interview as seriously as you would take an in-person interview.
18. Ask about the further procedure
At the end of the interview, the interviewer asks if you have any doubts or clarifications. This is a good time to ask all the questions you wanted to. Jot down all the questions that may have been raised. Never interrupt the interview. Also, ask about the next step. This shows your interest in the role and the company. Knowing the next step can help you prepare and give you an idea of what to expect.
19. Send a thank-you email
Before hanging up, thank the interviewer for their time. Right after the interview is done, send a thank-you email to the interviewer. Thank them for the opportunity and express your gratitude. Make sure to express your interest in the role. Address the interviewer properly and with respect. If you have missed out on anything during the call or you want them to elaborate on something, this is a good time. Make sure to send the mail within 24 hours of the call.
20. Follow up
If you don’t hear back from the interviewer within the stipulated time, follow up. It might be possible they tried reaching you but couldn’t. If not, it will help you understand where you stand in their process.
Things to never do during a telephonic interview
Even after making sure of following the telephonic interview tips, it is very easy to mess up the interview. But practicing and feeling a few key points in mind makes it easier to perform better. Here are some points you must avoid during a telephonic interview.
1. Don’t ask personal questions
Even though you are making conversation with the interviewer, do not ask them a personal question. It is never a good habit to ask someone about their personal life. The whole point of the interview is to show your professionalism. Do not talk a lot about your personal life as well. When asked, do not tell them what your hobbies are and where you like to go on a vacation. Learning about your personal life is not the goal of the interviewer.
2. Don’t multitask
Multitasking can divert your attention from the interview. When asked one interviewer said he has heard candidates making lunch, doing the dishes, and even shopping during the interview. This reflects that you are not interested in the job. The interviewer will be thrown off and feel they are wasting their time. Even if you are just sitting and reading messages from a friend, the interviewer knows when you are distracted. So just stay focused on the interview.
3. Skip the money talk
If it is your first call with the company, it is a bad idea to bring up your salary expectations. If you clear the first round, the company is going to be very transparent about what’s in store for you. Only if they bring up the topic, be honest about your expectations.
4. Do not put your interviewer on hold
There is nothing more important than your interview call. Never put your interviewer on hold. Everything else can wait. If you are expecting an important call (like a family illness), make sure to let the interviewer in advance. If the interviewer is aware of your situation in advance, they may reschedule if there is any interruption.
5. Do not skip asking questions
At the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Do not skip this. Always ask questions. If you do not ask any questions, you ruin the interview. It gives the impression that you are uninterested in the role, which might not be the truth. If you are interested in the job, you will have something to ask your interviewer.
6. Don’t delay
A lot of candidates are late for the telephonic interview. Pick up the call immediately when the interviewer calls you. In some cases where you are asked to make the call, make sure to call at the exact time scheduled. Do not call late or earlier. This just gives a bad impression. Do not make the interviewer wait for you. Punctuality is a very important hiring factor.
7. Don’t assume the network is good
Make sure you test your network. Do not assume it is good. There is nothing more annoying for a recruiter who has structured an interview than having to ask the same question again and again because of a poor network. Ask a friend to call you or call your number from another number.
8. Do not interrupt
You might be eager to state your points or ask questions, but talking over the interviewer is rude. Note down the points you want to tell or ask. Interviews can be stressful. You may tend to speak too fast, too loud, or over the interviewer. Don’t do this. Be assertive and not aggressive, because the interviewer can sense it from your tone.
9. Don’t attend without research
The interviewers ask you about the company to see how interested you are in the company. Not knowing about the company or the role applied for is very obvious to the interviewer. Interviewers know if you have already researched or you’re doing it when the question is asked. This shows your laid-back attitude which is not impressive.
10. Do not speak too much
Keep your answers clear, precise, and to the point. People tend to have a short attention span over the phone. You don’t want the recruiter to lose interest in the conversation. So keep your answers short.
Video Conference Interview Tips
We have been through telephonic interview tips, but few interviews can happen over video calls too. Zoom, skype, and their equivalents have become very popular these days in the interviewing process. It is recommended to practice looking in the camera to maintain eye contact. Dress up formally, but do not wear a tie or suit.
You can refer to the telephonic interview tips given above. More tips on video conference interviews will be shared in upcoming articles.
Tips to answer common telephonic interview questions
The interview process has a set of predetermined questions. These questions are asked to understand your insights and take on things. Though these are standard questions before the actual technical questions, you can have smart and useful answers to them. Knowing this along with following the telephonic interview tips given can help you get the job you love.
Use these tips to clear your telephonic interview. This set of standard questions with tips on how to answer them will be very helpful for you.
1. Tell me about yourself
This is not a question. It is an invitation to create your first impression. Use this opportunity to share everything that you think is important about you for the role. Differentiate yourself from the other candidates.
2. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Think about what you can achieve in five years. Focus on how you can impact the bottom line of the company. Do not tell them you want to be the next CEO. Don’t sound too ambitious. Be reasonable.
3. Why should we hire you?
This question asks you why you are better than the others. Don’t compare yourself to other candidates. Mention all the skills you possess. Make sure these skills match the skills they are looking for. Also, mention a couple of skills that you possess and will be useful for the role. This shows them that you are not just a fit candidate now but will also be valuable in the future.
4. What is your greatest weakness?
No one likes answering this question. You don’t know what to say. Make sure you do not say things like “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too hard”. Everyone knows that is not true. Make sure to give a real answer. But do not pick a weakness that will disqualify you for the job. Mention your weakness and state that you are working on overcoming this. You can also use humor like “I wish I was better at cricket”. Showing your light side is also a good thing.
5. What is your greatest strength?
Do not use this answer to show off. Pick the one skill that is most relevant for the job. Do not choose something irrelevant like good at cricket (unless you are applying for sports). Share something that will want them to hire you immediately. Your skill should be something that might help them reduce costs (like outsourcing costs or consultation costs).
6. What is your greatest accomplishment?
Use this question to brag about your career achievements. Focus on your recent accomplishments. Give examples of how you have given your best and how it has helped you in the past. Be truthful and be very careful about being professional and not casual.
7. Why did you quit your previous job?
Answer smartly. If you say you hate your company or the boss, it will make them feel you will hate them eventually. And if you say the compensation was below your standards, they will assume the worst. Tell them the truth, but also be smart. You can use answers like your previous company had become unstable or you were not offered professional growth.
8. Do you have any questions?
This is your chance to interview the interviewer. Do not ask them technical questions to test their knowledge. Ask them about the culture, the role, the company, and the management. Your questions should show that you have done your research about the company. Mention related things about you and show that you can prompt an interesting discussion.
9. What is your salary expectation?
This is the start of your salary negotiation. This does not mean you have got the job. research the industry standards for your role and experience. You can use sites like PayScale, Glassdoor, Salary.com, LinkedIn, and Google. Provide a salary range rather than a specific number. You should be comfortable with the salary at the bottom. If they ask you about your current compensation, dodge the question by telling them your expectations. In most places, it is illegal to ask about current compensation.
10. Explain your career gap
Do not tell them that it was time for your long waiter break. This will give them the impression that you might need a break again in the middle of a huge project. Make sure to lay the foundation that you were productive, improving yourself. helping friends or family or working on something constructive.
These were the few telephonic interview tips that we thought might be helpful. You can ask them questions about your interview while still in the interview. Questions like “Is there anything I said or did not say that would make me unfit for the role?” would be a great ending to the interview.
When you are well prepared for the interview, there are more chances of it going well. A telephonic interview is a great experience. Focus on the interview. Hopefully, you keep these telephonic interview tips in mind and get that job!!
