5 Expert Tips on Preparing for a Phone Interview

August 1, 2017 Staff Advice for Job Seekers 0

The phone screen is an early step of any interview process and can make or break your job chances, particularly if first-rate communication skills are required for the position you are seeking. Your first impression to the company is important and you need to make it count. Whether the phone screener is a recruiter, a hiring manager, or just a company employee, we’ve used our experience on both ends of the process to come up with some tips to help you ace your next phone interview.

We spoke with both a long-time recruiter and a VP of hiring from a fast-growing startup company with plans to hire over 50 people in the next year. A phone interview is required right off the bat as part of their hiring process. While studies show that less than 20% of candidates make it past the initial phone screen stage, we have some valuable insights which will prepare you to beat those odds.

TIP #1: Research the company

It’s amazing how many phone screens we’ve gone through where the candidate hasn’t done any research about the company. For example, if you’re interviewing to work at a company that creates content, you’d better be ready to provide an opinion of the content the company creates. Being prepared to ask good questions is an important result of learning the company product or service before your initial interview. The type of questions a candidate asks on the phone is one of the best ways to tell if he is both intelligent and curious. Some people show a lack of interest by not asking anything, while others ask the wrong questions because they’re not prepared. By doing some research into the product or service, you’ll ask the right questions and the person on the other end of the phone at the company will feel like you just “get it”.

You can also use your research and knowledge of the company to stand out among all the candidates. One successful strategy used during phone screens is to actually offer an opinion, or even a criticism about the product or service. Just be certain that your stated opinion has some validation. This type of comment will usually not be taken negatively by hiring managers who are looking for candidates to stand out. Managers or company owners are always searching for the next good idea and are looking for ways to make improvements. As a candidate, you can shine if you’re able to form that connection by recognizing a weakness that the company is already aware of.

TIP #2: BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS YOUR BACKGROUND

Be able to discuss your story, including any question marks or holes in your resume. If you’ve switched jobs several time in the past few years, be prepared to talk about it. Rather than avoid the topic, explain that you’re always looking to grow, learn, and develop more and are continuing to seek out the right opportunity.

While preparing your resume history and background, consider how to match your previous job experience with the position you’re interested in. If your experience isn’t completely relevant, make the connection by using your interests and personal history. One common mistake with candidates is the focus on we accomplishments, so while going through the process of explaining your work history, make sure to share what you did at the company. Because every company is looking for someone who drives results, you may be asked specifically how you contributed to a team success or initiative.

TIP #3: ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS AND BACKGROUND NOISE

You’d be surprised how many people don’t take phone screens seriously because it’s not a face-to-face interview. Don’t take your phone interview in a distracting environment like a coffee shop or a restaurant. We’ve heard stories of people doing the dishes, driving in the car, and even getting kicked out of a conference room while on the line at their current job. Take the time to prepare your surroundings for a pleasant phone experience if you want the company to take you seriously.

TIP #4: PREPARE ANSWERS FOR THESE QUESTIONS

  • What most interests you about the position?
  • What are your impressions of the position and what do you think you’ll be doing?
  • Why would you be a good fit?
  • What are your goals for the next 5 years?
  • What’s the most important accomplishment of your career?

The questions above might not be the exact questions, but you should expect something similar on an initial phone interview. If you are prepared to answer these, you’ll be prepared for just about anything. Let’s look at question individually and discuss what the hiring manager or recruiter is looking for.

What most interests you about the position?

This is where you can show passion and excitement for what the company is doing and why you’d be a good fit, because the organization is looking for someone who understands the company, has some self-awareness, and shows enthusiasm. Don’t be afraid to mention both the company and the position. Also, be aware that this question usually gets the conversation started so you’ll want make a good first impression. Let’s be honest, none of us really enjoys a phone screen — everyone has other work we’d rather do. However, if you can get the conversation off on the right foot, you’ll grab the attention of the interviewer and keep them engaged.

What are your impressions of the position and what do you think you’ll be doing?

Make sure to go over the job description in order to understand it as best you can in the context of the company. It’s very obvious when someone is applying to hundreds of positions and comes unprepared to a phone interview. Those type of people do not bring perspective and are hoping to be told exactly what the position entails instead of coming in with some knowledge. If unsure, you can show initiative and interest by giving your best guess and then asking the interviewer if you’re on the right track.

Why would you be a good fit?

Here you can align your background and experience to either the position or the company. It might be easy to show that you have all the right experience, or you lack experience and instead try to show why you would fit into the company. You might be highly adaptable, have a new perspective, or bring different experience to the role. Whatever you do, stay humble. Nobody wants to listen to someone brag about how great they would be at this job. Draw on your experience and background while showing that you’re excited to learn more.

What are your goals in the next 5 years?

This question trips people up more than any other. While there’s no right answer, there are plenty of wrong ones. Generally speaking, people respect others who have goals. Consider this and come up with some attainable goals. Show confidence in achieving them and demonstrate interest in specific goals. You might state that, while unsure about which path to go down, you have several sets of different goals depending on the route you choose. This will demonstrate that you are reflective and forward-thinking.

What’s the most important accomplishment of your career?

You’ll want to remember two things to answer this question properly. First, talk about your accomplishment and contributions leading to it. If it was a team accomplishment, clearly explain your role and how it lead to that success. Second, make sure to be clear about what you’re talking about. If you get too technical about your job accomplishments and nobody can understand you, it will have no impact. We’ve heard over and over about candidates who get into the technical nature of their work and accomplishments in an attempt to impress, but instead lose the attention of the person on the phone. Keep it clear and simple.

TIP #5: BE READY FOR THE NEXT STEPS QUESTIONS

You’re likely to encounter some questions at the end of a positive phone interview that will determine how the company wants to proceed. One question you should be prepared to answer is when your start date would be. You’d be surprised how many people go through the interview process without considering the actual of leaving their current job. Companies usually like to hire and train fast, and not being available within the next few weeks can hurt you.

You’re also likely to encounter questions about your salary expectations, plans to interview with other companies, and availability for next steps in the interview process. When faced with these questions, our advice is to answer them as honestly as possible. The salary question can be awkward, but we recommend giving a salary in the range you’re looking for. After providing it, you can ask if it’s similar to what the employer has in mind. Doing research ahead of time and using a site like Glassdoor will confirm if you’re in the ballpark, because being way off about salary can be a waste of both your and the interviewer’s time. It’s helpful to be honest about interviewing with other companies too. If you are interviewing, it could make the situation more pressing. If you’re not, you can act more casual by saying that you’re satisfied with your current job but just keeping your eyes open for other prospects. And lastly, know your schedule in case the interviewer wants to set up a meeting right away.