8 Tips For Nailing Your Phone Interview | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

8 Tips For Nailing Your Phone Interview

Phone calls can be awkward, stressful, and often impersonal.

179
8 Tips For Nailing Your Phone Interview
Unsplash

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.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

193799
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

17017
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

459441
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27508
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments