6 Tips for a Great Phone Interview

With so many people applying for the same job, phone interviews are still something that employers use to narrow the field a bit more. Understanding how to stand out, even in a phone interview, will greatly help in taking that next step towards the job. Take your phone interview seriously by implementing these six tips.

  1. Prepare

A phone interview is still that: an interview. You need to prepare and think through your responses like you would if you were going to an in-person interview. Make sure to have your resume or CV out and handy. Do some research and refresh yourself on the company that’s calling and who the person is that will be interviewing you. Along with that, just like for an in-person interview, study up on what questions commonly come up in a phone interview and prepare for those. Tailor your answers for that specific job. Think through ahead of time your strengths and weaknesses, so that you have a quick, easy answer for that specific question. Then make sure, just like with a normal interview, that you have questions ready to ask them.

Finally, get dressed and ready like you would for a regular interview. You may think now is the time to skip out on that step and relax, but getting ready like you normally would is a great way to get yourself into the right mindset. It’s also a good idea to have pen and paper nearby for taking notes.

2. Take your time

When you’re on the phone, it can be difficult to know when the other person is done speaking. Make sure to listen and wait so that you know that they’re done and don’t have more to add to their statement or question. Then take time in answering, don’t rush it. Try to tailor your response to their specific needs. Make sure you speak slowly and enunciate clearly.

3. Get rid of distractions

If you’re at home, don’t sit out in the living room with your kids and dog running around. Think ahead and eliminate any distractions. This includes browsing the internet or flicking through the channels of the T.V. Your interviewer will know you’re distracted, guaranteed. So don’t let other things steal your focus.

4. Practice

Just like you would practice your response to an in-person interview, practice for your phone interview. Record yourself so that you can see what speech habits you need to eliminate. You can also see if you speak too fast or aren’t enunciating well.

5. Smile

Yes, they can’t see your smile. However, when you smile, it brightens the tone of your voice. Your tone is all the other person has to go on, but they can tell when you’re smiling. So do your best! Turn up the watts and have your smile on full-blast during your interview.

6. Send a thank-you

Don’t forget this important step. Again, this is a real interview. Make sure you follow up with a thank-you. Sending one by email is sufficient, but you’ll certainly stand out if you send one the old fashioned way. Either way, make sure to thank the interviewer at the end of the call, and then send some sort of thank-you.

Don’t be forgettable by providing a colorless, generic phone interview. Stand out by using these six tips.

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