How To Handle The Phone Interview - CareerAlley

How To Handle The Phone Interview - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Today is yesterdays pupil. Thomas Fuller Recently, hiring managers and recruiters have turned to the phone interview as a method of cutting down their enormous list of applicants to a select few who are eligible for an in-person interview. The method has grown in popularity because it can help make the search process moreefficient and also cost-effective. Unfortunately, that means it also creates a bigger obstacle than you would like to deal with if you hope to go on to do the in-person interview. But, that doesnt mean you cant succeed at a phone interview. You just have to be aware of how the context of a phone interview means you must do more to make a meaningful connection and impression. Here are a few things to consider as you get ready for that phone interview. Prepare! You used to be able to go into a phone interview expecting a few questions and nice ten minutechat, but nowadays, phone interviews can last between thirty minutes to an hour. So whatare you going to talk about for so long? Well, everything you normally would in an in-depthpersonal interview. The preparation here is very similar to what you would do before showing upto meet the recruiters in person. Likewise, you should also prepare your schedule. Make sure youhave plenty of time before and after the time slot so you have flexibility to adjust to a change inschedule. Set the Scene A phone interview is a little different than an in-person interview because it lets you have ahome-field advantage. You can do the interview when and wherever youd like, within reason ofcourse. This means that you can make yourself as comfortable and prepared as possible, whichyou wouldnt be able to do in a meeting room. Try spreading out your notes, resume, and letterof application on your kitchen. By doing this, you can make sure you have all the necessaryinformation within easy reach. Observe Phone Etiquette This may seem like common sense to you, but youd be surprised how many horror stories areout there about poor phone interview etiquette. For example, dont do an interview while yourein the car or eating lunch. One thing to do is to answer the phone clearly and state your name.This will show the interviewer that you are expecting the scheduled call. It will also save him orher the hassle of asking to speak to you if all you had said was Hello? when you picked up. Andbecause you do not have visual clues to help you in following the conversation, dont be afraidto ask for the interviewer to repeat a question. Similarly, refrain from speaking while the other person is speaking. And lastly, be aware of the circumstances that go along with having a phonecall. Try to establish a way of getting back in touch if the call drops. If you can remain calm andcollected over the phone, think of the success youll have at the in-person interview. Good luck! By-line: This guest post is contributed by Kate Willson, who writes on the topics of best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: [emailprotected]. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook