Telephone Interviews: An early chance to shine

If you are asked to interview over the telephone there are a few basic things you can do to help you excel. The most important thing you can do is to treat the telephone interview exactly the same as you would treat an in-person interview. This means preparing ahead of time by researching the company, knowing the questions you would like to ask, and clearly knowing your Career Commercial. Your goals for the telephone interview should be to provide some factual information to support your resume and cover letter, and to provide some additional background specific to your experience and accomplishments. In addition to providing the facts and figures of your career, you want to give the interviewer a glimpse of your personality. And finally, the ultimate goal of a successful telephone interview is to move on in the process to a face-to-face interview.

To be successful with telephone interviews you need to manage the process carefully. This primarily means being prepared for each interview. If the interviewer catches you by surprise, politely explain that you are unable to speak with them at the moment and schedule a time for the telephone interview. This allows you to properly prepare for each interview and takes some of the advantage away from your interviewer.

Prior to picking up the phone you will want to be prepared with the following items:

• A copy of your resume and any correspondence you have sent to the company
• Any information or research you have gathered on the company
• A list of questions you would like answers to
• Your Career Commercial or a list of talking points about yourself and your experiences
• Your calendar – make sure you are prepared to schedule an in-person interview if asked
• Pen and Paper to take notes on your conversation

In the telephone interview, use your talking points and questions to guide you. Allow the interviewer to direct the conversation and do most of the talking. Listen carefully and answer their questions completely. Keep the following list of do’s and don’ts in mind as you prepare for and execute your telephone interviews.

Do

• Stand Up – your voice is stronger and clearer when you are standing
• Utilize a quiet and private room for the interview
• Speak clearly and enunciate your words carefully
• Take notes including the names of any interviewers
• Ask for the interviewer’s direct phone number in case you get disconnected
• Ask for the interview – before you hang up, make sure you know the next step in the process
• Let the interviewer do most of the talking

Do Not

• Interrupt the interviewer
• Answer questions with yes, or no. Instead elaborate on your answers and provide details.
• Chew gum
• Smoke
• Eat
• Discuss salary on the telephone interview. If asked about salary, simply respond that you do not know enough about the position yet to discuss salary.
• Hang up until after the interviewer has hung up

In a telephone interview it is unlikely that you will “win” the job. It is, however, possible to lose it, so be careful to present yourself well. Remember, your primary goal for a telephone interview is to move on in the hiring process to a face-to-face interview or other next steps in the process. Preparation, practice, and execution will help you get passed the early rounds of the hiring process and land the job you want.

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