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Phone interviews are a great way for companies to screen applicants that look good on paper to filter out a group for face to face interviews. Speaking over the phone to a potential future boss or colleague can be daunting, especially as you can’t gauge how it’s going from facial expressions or physical gestures. In our experience as a leading recruitment company, there are a few things that make people stand out from the crowd. Here are our tips to make you a phone interview pro:
Know who you’re talking to
As soon as you know who you’re going to be interviewing with, do a LinkedIn search on their role within the company and do some research on the developments of their department. This will enable you to gain a better understanding of what they are looking for and tailor your answers to the person you’re speaking to.
Treat it like a face-to-face interview
It’s vital to prepare as if for a normal interview because believe it or not, it will come across in your phone manner. That means dressing smartly (perhaps not in a suit, but not in a dressing gown), being ready five minutes before the phone call and responding as normal i.e. smiling and nodding.
Create sub-sections of notes
Having your research on the company and the things you want to address written down is obviously key. What is equally important is having these notes split into different sections and knowing where each thing is. This will mean that you can create an ‘interview map’ which will help you to be concise with your answers.
Take notes
Some people become so wrapped up in coming across well over the phone that they forget that being able to take notes is the biggest advantage of a phone interview. Unlike a face to face scenario, it doesn’t seem distracted to take notes when no one can see. These notes will strengthen your knowledge of the company and role for the next interview if you’re successful.
Phone interviews can seem less significant than a face-to-face interview. A great way to change this is to make the company know that you have taken it seriously. Send a simple follow up email thanking the person who interviewed you for their time and letting them know they can contact you. That way you’re keeping the conversation open and keeping yourself fresh in their minds and showing you are diligent and professional.
Know your CV
There is nothing worse than securing an interview and being asked about specific areas of your CV that you may not even remember writing! Utilise the fact the interviewer cannot see you and have a copy to hand.
If you’re prepared, phone interviews are an ideal way to show that you’re perfect for the job. The key is to treat them just as you would a normal interview, but also capitalise on the advantages that a phone call situation presents. Remember: you got selected for a phone call, which means that the company is interested – your job is to validate that interest.
Job hunting can be full of uncertainty. But with us, you can be sure that we’ll do everything we can to get you to your ideal job. Send your CV to us to get started or search for the latest job vacancies and we’ll get the ball rolling.