When you’re looking for a new 9-to-5, you will no doubt be elated when you finally land a job interview for the position you’ve been coveting. (We won’t blame you for busting out into a spontaneous happy dance. Go for it.)
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And you might be even more thrilled to hear that the recruiter wants to interview you over the phone
first, which means you can dazzle them with your personality and charm
without even getting out of your fuzzy pajamas, right? What’s not to
love?
Wrong. So wrong. Phone interviews can totally go wrong.
With a seemingly ever-increasing number of candidates for each open position, companies frequently use phone interviews as a way to screen candidates before bringing them in to meet IRL, which means that if you’re badass enough to snag a phone interview, you’d better bring your A-game.
But how do you handle a phone screening with your potential dream
company?The fact is, phone interviews are just as important as in-person
interviews, so listen up: Here are some crucial tips on how to nail that phone interview and move ahead to the next round of candidates, inching you that much closer to your dream job.
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Prepare just as you would for a regular interview.
You
would never go into an in-person interview without doing thorough
research on the company and the position, so don’t treat a phone
interview like it’s any more casual than an in-person one. You
absolutely have to prepare and know your stuff, otherwise the recruiter
will have no interest in moving you to the next round of candidates.
Know the basics (at the very least), and arm yourself with as much
knowledge as possible.
Pick your location in advance.
Since
you won’t be traveling to meet anyone, it’s on you to pick a suitable
interview location, so choose wisely. Don’t take the call while you’re
driving or walking on a busy street, obviously, but even taking a phone
interview at home requires some prep ahead of time. If you can call from
a landline, do so to prevent spotty cell service issues. And make sure
that all alarms and sounds are quiet. If you’ve got pets or children,
schedule the interview for a time when you can be completely alone. Pick
somewhere comfortable, but not, like, sleepy comfortable.
If you’re job hunting while currently employed and you schedule a
phone interview while at work, practice extreme discretion and make sure
you reserve a conference room or private space to eliminate any
potential disruptions — or your current boss walking in on you. Yikes.
[post_ads_2]Prepare your voice.
We
know you’re not an opera singer, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
prepare your voice before a phone interview. If you’re scheduling the
interview first thing in the morning, make sure you’re hydrated and your
throat is well-coated to prevent groggy morning voice, which is hardly a
desirable attribute in a potential candidate. Drink some water or tea
with honey, and suck on a cough drop or lozenge to get your voice ready
to go well before you dial that phone. Just take it easy on the liquids
so you’re not stuck in an emergency bladder situation mid-interview.
Dress the part.
Phone
interviews are great because you don’t need to change out of your comfy
clothes to put on a stuffy, professional outfit, right? Eh, maybe not
so much, friends. In fact, you might even want to still put on a formal
outfit if that’s what will make you feel more confident and put together
than you would in your sriracha-stained college sweatshirt and yoga
pants. It’s an easy signal to your brain that this is something to take
seriously, and you’ll definitely need that even if you don’t think you do.
Smile.
Yeah,
we know. It probably feels super creepy to sit in your living room
smiling at someone who isn’t there, but we’re big proponents of acting
like you are having a face-to-face conversation with the
interviewer, even if they’re miles away. The interviewer will pick up on
your positive, upbeat tone, which is exactly the biggest challenge of a
phone interview in the first place, right?
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If it makes you feel better to have a photo of the person on hand
while you’re chatting so it feels more like an in-person convo, do so.
Just make sure you throw it out afterwards or else you’ll feel even
creepier with a printed photo of someone you’ve never met.
Take notes.
You
should always take notes in an interview, but it’s especially important
during a phone interview. You’ll want to have reference points to
mention in your follow-up thank you note (which you’ll definitely be
writing, naturally) and also thoughts about potential questions you have
about the position. Keep your own resume and the job description handy
while you chat, and be sure to reference these as the conversation
flows.
The don’ts.
There
are a few things you wouldn’t do in an in-person interview but that
might seem OK in a phone interview. For example, don’t eat or drink.
Even if you think you’re being discreet, there’s a good chance the
recruiter can hear you slurping your tomato basil soup, and just…ew.
Keep a glass of water handy in case you need it, but don’t nervously
drink from it if you can avoid it. And this should be a given, but don’t
smoke or chew gum.
Again, don’t get too comfortable. Make sure you’re sitting
upright, preferably at a desk. Taking a phone interview from your couch,
bed, or even the bathtub is not the way to a successful phone
screening. Even if you think it will help you to relax, a bubble bath is
not the place to chat with your potential future boss. And honestly,
“relaxed” might not be what you want. A little tension keeps you on your
toes and keeps your brain turned on.
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Communicate thoughtfully.
Since
you’re lacking visual cues during a phone interview, you’ll need to
work extra hard to nail the flow of the conversation. Paul Bailo, author
of The Essential Phone Interview Handbook told Business Insider a few helpful tips for this even if you’re all sweaty palms and racing heart.
“Be sure to listen to what the interviewer
has to say, and think before responding. Take a few seconds to
understand the question, and then prepare a quality answer before simply
blurting out something less intelligent.” Additionally, “The less you
talk, the more you listen and the better you’ll do,” Bailo said.
Of course, you’ll still want to ask thoughtful questions and show
you’re engaged (and not falling asleep), so be sure to exude as much
confidence as you can, speak clearly and slowly, and cross your fingers
that your phone interview turns into a job offer before you know it.
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