The way we look for jobs has completely changed in the last decade, and so has how we go about interviewing and hiring people. One popular trend in the world of job searching is the phone interview, instead of having people come to the office for first-round interviews that usually last about 5-10 minutes. Job recruiters and managers are starting to just ask those questions over the phone. This saves businesses and those seeking employment more time and money during the interview process.
For those who have never done an interview over the phone, there are some tips I would like to share. Here are some tips and tricks for nailing that phone interview!
1. It’s okay to call back if it’s a bad time.
Everything that is going on around you can be heard through the phone by the interviewer. If you are in a loud area, a place with poor service, or even walking around on a busy street, then we can hear all of that going on. If you need to call back later, that is perfectly okay.
2. Make sure you actually call back.
If you are not interested in looking for a job, do not say that you will call back and you never do. Recruiters will give you a call back eventually, and it completely wastes both their time and yours if you say you are going to call back for a job you do not want.
3. Do not ask any questions until they are done asking you.
Recruiters are calling you to ask you questions. It is completely rude and unprofessional when you interrupt them and ask them questions. You would not - or at least I hope you would not - go into a face-to-face interview and abruptly ask questions in the middle of the interview, so you should not do that during a phone interview.
4. Pay attention!
Again, you would not ask someone during a face-to-face interview to repeat the question. Why does an interviewer have to repeat the question if there is not noise in the background and you are in an area with good service? Act as if this is a face-to-face interview.
5. Do not ask them what this company is and what position you applied for.
You should always keep track of the companies you applied to and for what positions. It gives the impression that you are just applying for anything you can get if you don't remember. Do not tell the person conducting the phone interview that you have applied to many other places and that you can't remember what you're interviewing for.
6. Watch your tone.
The best advice I can give you is to not argue with a recruiter! This kind of ties into the asking questions part I had discussed earlier. There are some questions that a recruiter cannot answer. You should not get upset or angry at the recruiter, who is supposed to ask you questions, not being able answer some questions you have in that moment. If a recruiter senses any sort of bad attitude at any point, they will most likely delete your application, and you are not going to be hired.
7. Know the difference between giving one-word answers and elaborating more.
I know that phone calls from strangers can be a bit awkward. You have no idea who this person is on the other line, but just because they are a complete stranger, that should not hinder you to make a good impression. There are some questions that require a one-word answer. That is a given. But for example, if someone asks you if you are working, do not just say yes or no. State where you work now and what you do. This states that you are paying attention and giving more information about yourself. But this is a double-edged sword, because sometimes you can talk too much. If someone asks you where you are from, just give them a simple answer. No one needs to know that you were born in Texas, lived in New York, and just moved here from LA. Just say you are from Texas!
8. If the recruiter is silent on the phone, that just means they are taking notes.
Phone interviews can be awkward. Sometimes there will be complete silence on the other line. This is most likely that the person conducting the interview is taking notes. A good recruiter will either state this in the beginning of the call or even make sure there is no awkward moments of silence over the phone.
Phone interviews can be awkward, stressful, and impersonal at times. I have done a number of phone interviews as both an interviewer as well as an interviewee. The best advice I can give is to treat it like an actual interview and take them seriously! These phone interviews are your first impression for the company. If you are rude, not paying attention, or even boring on the phone, then you are not going to impress them. How you answer a call, talk to people, and even your voicemail greeting, says a lot about who you are. You always want to present your best self, especially if you need to find a job.
