Three Tips for a Good Phone Interview
Nowadays, more and more hiring committees are resorting to the phone interview as a way to sort through candidates they otherwise would have invited in for interviews. Companies have found that this is an efficient and cost-effective change in how they evaluate job candidates, and because of this, many applicants are often take-aback by the prospect of interviewing over the phone.
Don’t let yourself become one of those unprepared candidates. You cannot afford to risk having a poor phone interview in this current economy. You have to do your best to get by the inconveniences that go along with the interview process. The better prepared you are to handle those inconveniences, then the better chances of success you’ll have.
Cover your Bases
First, you have to cover the basics regarding how your phone works. Make sure your phone is fully charged well before the scheduled interview begins. Also, make sure your phone gets good reception wherever you plan to take the call. Don’t try to interview and do something else at the same time, like driving somewhere. You wouldn’t multi-task an in-person interview, so why would you do that during a phone interview?
Observe Phone Etiquette
Secondly, just as you would be polite when you meet your interviewer in person, so should you observe phone etiquette. When you pick up the phone, say, “Hello, [your name] speaking.” Doing so will allow your interviewer to avoid having to awkwardly ask to speak to you. Also, it shows him or her that you are prepared for the interview. Likewise, avoid speaking while your interviewer is speaking. This can be annoying in person, but it can actually create miscommunications on the phone, because you won’t have visual clues to help you understand what the other person is saying.
Be Prepared
Finally, have a plan in place in the event of an emergency or sudden disconnection. Try to establish as early as possible that you will immediately call back if your phone loses its signal or if the other person drops. By agreeing on a plan, you can avoid the awkward and frustrating phone-tag that might ensure if both of you tried to call each other at once.
Other than these few tips, you’ll want to treat a phone interview like a regular in-person interview. This means that you should come to the interview prepared to answer a variety of questions. Do research on the company and the position, noting down any questions that you have. Be sure to ask questions. Act relaxed and comfortable; be yourself. And finally, leave the interview with an understanding of the next steps in the process; you want to know what to expect once you hang up the phone. Oh, and good luck!
This guest post is contributed by Alisa Gilbert, who writes on the topics of bachelors degree. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alisagilbert599@gmail.com.