Telephone Interviews: How to Succeed
By Andrew Reed
Telephone interviews are used by employers for a variety of reasons. They are most commonly used as a way of identifying and recruiting candidates for employment or for screening out unsuitable applicants.
Occasionally they are used when a candidate cannot come to a face to face interview for example when they are based overseas.
If you have been informed that you will be interviewed by telephone, be prepared and always treat this "informal chat" as a proper interview.
Usually you will have prior knowledge of the telephone interview and have agreed a time and date. Sometimes however, the call may arrive when you least expect and can come during an awkward moment.
You should be asked if it is convenient to talk and if not, say so and while not ideal you can agree an alternative time and day. You can turn this into a positive by saying that you are glad they called, you are very interested in the position/company and would be delighted to talk further.
Telephone Interview Tips
Some handy tips for Telephone Interviews include:
Be prepared:
To do this we recommend that you keep a file containing your CV, details of the jobs you have applied for and the relevant company details close to the telephone.
Do not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum:
They will all be heard by the caller and may even by magnified by the powers of modern technology. Treat the telephone call as a formal interview in this regard.
Smile.
While the caller cannot see you, they will detect this in the quality of your voice. In addition you will feel confident and more positive and this will also come across to the caller.
Stay Calm:
If you are surprised and caught unawares, stay calm, be positive and friendly and say 'I'm glad you called and would be delighted to talk. Can you hold on a moment while I close the door/pop into my office?" This will give you a minute to put the kids into another room, get the file to hand and take a few deep breaths.
Switch Off:
If you had a TV or radio on, if you were cooking or if any machinery is working in the background then switch them off
Names:
Use the person's title and only use first names during the telephone interview if they ask you to.
Take your time:
It's perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts before answering.
Listen and converse:
A skilled interviewer should be able to elicit detailed answers however do avoid any yes or no replies. Even though this is a telephone interview it is a two way conversation so give detailed factual and honest answers.
Take notes:
After the interview, jot down the interviewer's name, position and any other relevant details. Notes will help if you are called to a face to face interview as you will have a better recollection of what was discussed, any questions you asked and the replies given.
How to Easily Answer Any Interview Question
So, how would you answer difficult interview questions? And, how confident do you feel about answering Competency Based or Behavioural questions, both very commonly used at present.
For expert help with answering tough questions, enter your email below and receive a FREE 3-Part Interview Tips Course delivered direct to your inbox. Developed by Annette Lewis, one of our expert interview coaches and published author, this great course will boost your confidence and get you ready to win in your next interview.
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About the Author
Andrew Reed is an experienced interviewer and has developed successful recruitment
strategies for large organisations within the Customer Services, HR and Finance
sectors.
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