Job interviews can sometimes be inconvenienced by distance and time zones and may need to be conducted over the phone. This does not mean they should be taken any less seriously and can indeed make it more difficult to relate with the interviewer. Adequate preparation is necessary to ensure all goes smoothly.
To ace a job interview over the phone, follow these guidelines and tips and get ready to land your dream job.
Logistics
- When using a cell phone, ensure it is fully charged to avoid the battery dying midway during the job interview. A landline is recommended since it ensures no call drops and 100% uptime.
- Ensure there are no background noises that could cause any interference. Disable your call waiting where it exists.
- Schedule the interview for an appropriate time when there are minimal to no interruptions especially if you are in a work, class or home environment that may involve kids or pets.
- Have a glass of water nearby to ensure no dry throat moments when answering the questions.
Preparation
- Prepare your notes with your key answers, ideas and messages you want to transmit to the interviewer. If you write them down you won’t forget anything you want to say!
- Research the company you are applying to. Check their website to confirm anything you need to know about the company.
- Have your documents at hand to refer to in case anything is asked about your curriculum vitae. This requires a bit of multitasking which one must be good at.
- Take notes to allow you to progressively answer the questions appropriately. For example, if the interviewer introduces themselves with their name and job title, jot this down to allow you to remember who you are addressing throughout the job interview.
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Prepare the perfect answers
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Questions
- Brief answers like “yes” or “no” to any questions asked will make the job interview end abruptly and won’t allow you to “tell your story”.
- Do not take more than 2 or 3 minutes to answer. Much longer answers may make the interviewer disconnect from the conversation.
- Carefully consider the responses you give ensuring they paint a clear image to show your achievements.
- Enunciate your words and ask for clarification where needed to allow you to answer the question as needed.
- Focus on the interview, as difficult as that may be to do over the phone in a very different environment where no dressing up is required.
- Do not be selfish and ask questions regarding your pay or benefits unless you are assured of the position.
- Prepare questions to ask when the interviewer asks if you have any questions for him or her.
Voice And Language
- Speak up, loudly and clearly to make sure your responses are well heard and to avoid any chances of miscommunication.
- Use positive language throughout the job interview.
- Stay upbeat, demonstrate enthusiasm and smile as this can be heard on the other end of the line and will make a positive impression on the interviewer.
- Pace your speech, do not speak too fast or too slowly for the interviewer to understand. Do an extra effort to vocalize.
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Make your answers stand out
Ready to check how the interviewer will like your answers? Send it to our experts to learn what you are doing well, if there are any red flags and how to fix them.
Conclude
- If you have an online profile that could help with your job application, direct the interviewer to it.
- Do not hang up before asking about the next step of the interview process.
- After the phone call, send a thank you email to the interviewer appreciating the time taken to carry out the interview and reiterating that you are indeed the best candidate for the job.
Preparation is key to success. Provide perfect answers with your online job interview coaching services at FasterSkills.