Preparing for a Phone Interview
Here are some tips as you prepare for a phone interview:
Physical copies are still in: In today’s digital age, you may think that printing is only a waste when you can have everything on your computer, laptop, or smartphone. These gadgets have truly improved our way of life, but they are still prone to problems. Printing copies of your resume is recommended so that will you have a copy if problems arise.
Having a physical copy in front of you during the phone interview will inevitably help you go over your strengths and accomplishments.
Always be prepared: Have documents you’ll need during the interview prepared in a place where you can easily access them.
Landline is better: Cellphones are fine, but they can also have problems with the network, so unless you are 100% sure that network problems won’t be an issue, a landline is best. To ensure your cellphone reception is good, make a test call to a friend or family member.
Disable extra features: Today’s electronics are very intuitive, but they can also be the reason why an applicant fails a phone interview. Turn off all of those extra features of your phone 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time of the call. You don’t want these things sabotaging the interview.
Pick a quiet place: During a phone interview, you don’t want any disturbances. Remind yourself of the scheduled time of the call, and make sure that you will be in a quiet place where you feel comfortable. Ideally, during a scheduled phone interview you want to be at home, in a room where kids or pets are not allowed inside during the duration of the call.
Loud and clear: In the course of a phone interview, use an assertive and clear voice. Annunciate - You want the interviewer to understand every word you say.
Take time: An area in which most applicants fail in a phone interview is not taking the time to prepare their answers. Just because you are in a phone interview doesn’t mean that you can’t take a few seconds to collect your thoughts. Taking time in answering questions will help you give more thorough answers.
The ideal candidate will be excited about this opportunity, with this company. Dig deep to find the reasons you are passionate about the job. And make it your focus, to paint yourself into the company culture, within this specific role.
Stand up and smile: Just because the interviewer isn't able to see you, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take the interview just as seriously. Standing up during the phone interview will help you relax. And smiling makes you sound friendlier.
A phone interview is the first step in getting the job. You want to be prepared and be at your best.
Additional Resource: