Phone Interview Etiquette Matters
Job seekers always hear plenty of advice about how to ace an interview. You have to dress for the position, show up early, have a strong handshake, and position your body so you appear to be interested in the interview. However, none of these pieces of advice apply to phone interviews. Many employers, especially ones that are not located near you, use phone interviews as a preliminary step before bringing you in for an in-person interview. Here are some phone interview tips [3] on how to make a good first impression during your phone interview.
Telephone Interview Tips - Let's Get You Ready!
1. Get Your Phone Ready: There's nothing worse than having the battery on your phone die in the middle of an interview or realizing after you start that you're in a place with a bad connection or a lot of background noise. Instead of running into these problems during your interview, prepare your phone ahead of time. Choose a location that's quiet and make a test call to a friend to ask them about the sound quality of your voice. Then fully charge your phone so it's ready to go on your interview day.
2. Have a Strong Greeting: Just because you don't have to walk into a room and have a strong handshake doesn't mean you can forget about the beginning of your interview. Smile while you talk, because it comes through in your voice. Make sure to address the interviewer by name, state your own name, and say something along the lines of, "It's good to talk with you."
3. Use Verbal Cues of Interest: Nodding or using eye contact isn't going to get you anywhere on the phone, so think of some ways you can verbally let the interviewer know you're interested while listening to him or her speak. You may say, "mmm hmm," "that's interesting," or just a simple "yes" to let the interviewer know you're following the flow of the conversation.
4. Speak Slowly and Clearly: Hearing over the phone can sometimes be difficult, so make extra effort to regulate the speed of your speech and enunciate while you're talking. You don't have to do this to an unnatural degree, but if you're usually a fast talker, slowing it down a notch can help your interviewer get everything out of your carefully prepared answers. In addition, ensure that the microphone on your phone is close to your mouth, although not too close, so it's picking up your words with clarity.
5. Talk to a Picture: If you can find a photo of your interviewer before the phone interview, have this in front of you while you're talking. It can be helpful to remind you who you're talking to and provide a direction for your answers rather than saying them into thin air. The personal touch can really help improve your overall performance on the interview and remember that this is the person who is listening carefully for every word you say.
Being Properly Prepared for Your Phone Interview is Key!
With the help of these tips, hopefully you will ace your next phone interview!
Already had your interview... find out how you did with our post interview checklist [4]!
The wave of the future... more bosses are doing video interviews [5] to hire new workers.
Do you have any additional phone interview advice? Please comment below!