Interview tips: phone interviews

There are lots of different types of interviews out there. In this article, we’ll touch on some dos and don’ts on phone interviews. Phone interviews are used to screen candidates, to determine who will go through to the next stage.

Treat a telephone interview as your only opportunity to impress your prospective employer or recruiter. Why? Because it could be. Acing a telephone interview is (more often than not) imperative to securing a face-to-face interview. Try these simple steps to secure yourself a place in the next round of the recruitment process;

  • Answer the phone with a smile (smiles can be heard in your voice)
  • Take the call in an area with no background noise
  • Be engaging and upbeat
  • Avoid taking the call when you cannot speak freely
  • Ensure that your voicemail is setup (and appropriate) in case you miss the call
  • Take your time and listen carefully

Remember to ask questions. It shows that you are both interested and engaged. Having said that, you must also do your homework. Avoid sounding silly by familiarising yourself with the company website and social media pages. This will not only answer some of your questions, it will also prepare you for the types of questions that will be asked of you.

We recommend asking question like, ‘how would I get feedback about how well my work meets the expectations?’ This shows that you are open to receive feedback and confident about discussing your performance, which can leave a great impression.

It can also be very helpful to know why the last person in the role is leaving/has left. You are well within your rights to know, so if you have the opportunity to ask, do so. If you are available for an immediate start, you can incorporate this into the interview by saying, ‘if I am extended a job offer, how soon could I start?’

Let your personality and character shine through, ensuring that you finish the interview on a positive note, because even if you are not successful, you never know what other opportunities may arise in the future.

For more advice and information on acing phone interviews, check out this article from Marble.

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