Be Successful in a Phone Interview
You've made it passed the black hole of applying online or have had your resume hand picked from a stack of hundreds. You might have even had a brief screening interview. Congratulations; but you're not quite there yet. Usually the next step of the hiring process is a phone interview. Don't be fooled, because it's not as easy as you think!
Contents
Steps
- Do your homework. If you don't know enough about the company or position that you will be applying for, then you're not going to have much to talk about and the last thing you want is silence during a phone interview! Talk to people in that industry, friends who may have similar jobs, go to the company's website, learn where their headquarters are located etc. Now is the time to STUDY.
- Now that you're armed with information about the company, you have to make the interviewer feel like you're an excellent fit for the job. If you mention that you're not a morning person when the type of job you're applying to requires attendance at 6 AM, you're going ruin it all. How do you find out what life is like at the office or job you're applying to? Do some more homework. Talk to people, search online, go to CareerCritique and find the particular job you're applying to, study this precious information, contact friends who might have more info.
- Now you have the knowledge about the company and the knowledge about the job (like you've been working there all along). During the phone interview, delivery is key, so get a good night's rest and if you need coffee in the morning, make sure you can get it easily the next day.
- Kick everyone out of the room you will be doing your phone interview in. You might think you're ok, but I've heard countless people tell me they got nervous talking about themselves while others were in the same room.
- Be confident. You did your homework and you're well prepared. Relax and remember what you learned about daily life and imagine you already work there.
Tips
- Practice with a friend and have your resume out while doing the interview.
Warnings
- If you don't usually drink caffeine to get alert, don't start the day of your phone interview. It will increase your anxiety and make you stumble over your words.
Related Articles
- Approach a Webcam Job Interview
- Speak Nicely on the Phone
- Answer an Interview Question on Your Previous Job Experience
- Identify Your Strengths
