Phone Interviews: More than meets the Ear

Your resume is flawless, your cover letter impeccable and your credentials have earned you an interview; a phone interview, that is. Many companies are now using this method of interviewing to decide if a candidate is worth spending the time and money to get to know better and some even use it for final interviews. So, how should you go about preparing for this type of interview? Much the same way you would prepare for a face to face meeting.

The first thing to remember is a phone interview should be taken just as seriously as an in-person meeting. The same way you would research the company in order to ask intelligent questions, make bullet notes to highlight successes and accomplishments in your professional career and dress appropriately for a traditional interview, should be done when planning for a phone interview.

Be sure you schedule the interview at a time when you will not be distracted and interrupted. Allow yourself a quiet room that will be off limits to children, pets and other distractions during the call. These things cannot only cause you to lose focus, but could also annoy the person interviewing you.

During the call, speak clearly and confidently. This eliminates the possibility for miscommunication and keeps the tone of the conversation positive. While you can’t be seen by the interviewer, try to keep a smile on your face. It helps to convey an enthusiastic tone in your voice and shows your excitement about the position.

One of the best things about phone interviews is you can keep cheat sheets right at your fingertips. Research about the company, notes you want to emphasize about yourself, and a copy of your resume should be on hand for quick reference. Often HR managers will reference your resume during an interview and having a copy will allow you to answer questions with confidence.

In this digital age, more and more organizations are turning to phone interviews as a less expensive and time efficient way of finding new hires. If you take the time to prepare, it could lead to being called in for an additional interview.