- [Instructor] Phone interviews are becoming more
and more popular by the day.
Many recruiters use them as an intermediate step
between the CV and a face-to-face interview.
It helps them filter out qualified applicant
who will continue to the next step
without spending too much resources.
And as the trend continues moving towards remote working,
interviewing on phone or through video call
has become an essential skill
that aspiring job seekers need to master.
Now be careful just because you chat with your friends
on phone for hours or can make a stellar sales call,
doesn't automatically mean
you're going to ace your phone interview.
You have between 15 minutes and an hour
to make a statement and stand out among the applicants pool
and a small mistake can seal the fate of your chance
at the job altogether.
In this episode, we're going to tell you
eight common mistakes people make on phone interviews
and how to avoid them,
giving you inside information
from the industries top recruiters.
Let's get into it.
Mistake number one.
Not preparing enough.
Counting on your wit
and the adrenaline rush once the call starts
might sometimes do you good,
but it's not always the best idea.
The interviewer usually specifies a time for the call.
Make sure you prepare well for it.
Find a noise-free environment, have a hot drink
and do some voice practices.
It helps me makes you feel confident
and clears the lump in your throat
that suddenly appears when you're nervous,
giving you a better flow of words
and a chance to express yourself properly.
Don't assume that the reception is going to be good.
Make sure you test your microphone
and stay in a place with good signal.
Nothing is more frustrating
than having to repeat yourself over and over again
because the interviewer can't hear you properly.
It's also a huge mistake
if you don't do your research well enough.
Just because it's a phone interview,
doesn't mean you can get away with doing a quick research
on your laptop while you're on the call.
Experienced recruiters
can immediately tell if you're searching
while they're interviewing you.
Your responses will be filled with uhhhs and errrms,
and they could even sometimes hear the keystrokes
as you type on your keyboard.
So make sure you go through
the most common interview questions
and the technical skills
related to the role you're applying for.
Also have a look on the job listing
and requirements so you can tailor your answers accordingly
and study the CV you've submitted
so that everything you say is consistent with it.
The last thing you want is for the interviewer to think
that you haven't put enough time
to prepare for that interview.
Mistake number two.
Interrupting the interviewer.
We know you might be too enthusiastic
and excited to answer the question as soon as you hear it,
or you may rush into correcting a misunderstanding
you think the interviewer has,
but interrupting them is never a good idea.
They might feel offended
because you're not taking them seriously.
And being a bad listener is an impression
you definitely don't want to make on your interview.
You might even miss a part of the question at the end,
because you started speaking too soon,
or it may have been a two-part question,
which you interrupted in the middle.
As a general rule,
once your interviewer stops speaking,
count to three silently, take a deep breath
and then start answering.
This makes you sound like a professional
and it gives your brain enough time
to organize the response.
So you would sound coherent
and know exactly what you're talking about.
Mistake number three.
Talking too much.
In face-to-face interviews,
you can tell when the interviewer has heard enough
by a small nod or gesture, but on phone it's not so obvious
and they probably won't interrupt you,
so don't get nervous.
Going on a 10-minute monologue is never a good idea.
You probably lost the attention of your interviewer
after three minutes anyway.
Keep your answers short and sweet
and give them the chance to ask for more details.
However, don't give too short answers either.
Aim for the golden interval between 90 seconds
and three minutes, depending on the complexity
of the question.
I know that you're eager to express yourself,
but remember there are more questions coming.
Don't cramp everything up into one response
and be at a loss for words in the next one.
Mistake number four.
Not remembering which job this is.
You might think that this is unlikely,
but you'll be surprised
at how often recruiters say this happened.
If you sent your CV to tens of companies
and have a few interviews in the span of a couple of days,
you might get mixed up and forget which job this is.
This probably eliminates your chance at the job
at the very start of the call.
They'd immediately think you're not interested enough
to even remember what you've applied for.
So make sure you have a neat schedule
and know exactly who's calling you at what time.
As soon as the interviewer introduces themselves
and their company, you need to instantly recognize them.
Mistake number five.
Multitasking.
You might want to have a pen and a piece of paper
to take notes, but other than that,
anything else is sure to distract you.
Driving, cooking, background music or television
and doing any chores or task other than the call at hand,
is a bad idea.
You won't be as focused
and your responses won't be organized,
not to mention that you might have to put the interviewer
on hold, if something urgent comes up,
like for instance, having to get off the bus
or turning off the stove before the food burns.
Never put the interviewer on hold.
Even if you're receiving an important call,
don't pick up until interview is over.
Try to tell people who call you frequently
that you'll be having an interview at that time.
And if you're expecting an urgent call,
make sure it's time doesn't clash
with the time of your interview.
Free up an hour
and give the interview your undivided attention.
If you absolutely have to do something at that time,
ask to reschedule the interview at another time
when you'll be free.
It's imperative that you do nothing else during the call.
You do not want to seem distracted or uninterested.
Mistake number six.
Talking about your personal life.
Unless the interviewer specifically asks for it,
giving details about your personal life
is not the best idea.
For example, don't talk about your religion,
relationship status, children,
or anything of the sort.
The interview is supposed to determine
your ability to do the job
and whether you fit the role you're applying to,
so keep it professional.
When you're asked,
where do you see yourself five years from now?
Don't say I'd like to be married and buy a house,
but tell them how you'd like to see your career develop.
It's a huge plus if you can show how this particular job
can help you achieve your future vision and goals.
Mistake number seven.
Appearing uninterested.
It's a complete myth that appearing casual
or uninterested will make the interviewer
want to hire you more.
They probably receive hundreds of applications
for the same role you're applying.
And if they feel that you don't want the job,
they'll just give it to someone else.
Of course don't make it sound
like it's the end of the world if they don't hire you,
but show that you're keen by being enthusiastic
and asking smart questions.
Mistake number eight.
Skipping the Q&As at the end.
Almost every time the interviewer asks you
at the end of the interview,
do you have any questions about the interview or the job,
never say no.
We cannot stress this enough.
Not asking anything makes the employer
think you might not be interested enough,
or even that you're glad the interview is over.
Surely if you care about the job,
you can think of something to ask.
However, don't ask questions
that you can find the answer to by a 30-second Google search
or ask about something already mentioned in the job listing.
Try to come up with inquiries
about things they had said during the interview,
write them down on a note so you don't forget
and ask them at the end.
This makes them know that you've been carefully listening
to everything they say, and that you're truly interested.
If you can't think of anything at all,
thanking the interviewer for their time
and asking when you should expect
to hear back for the results can be enough.
Summary.
That's it for the eight most common mistakes
people do on phone interviews,
brought to you by experienced employers and top recruiters.
We'll do a quick recap
to make sure you didn't miss anything.
One, make sure you prepare well.
Don't think that you need to do less work
because it's over the phone.
Stay somewhere with no background noise
and with good signal.
Do some voice practices and do your research thoroughly.
Two.
Don't interrupt the interviewer.
When they're done talking, count to three,
take a deep breath and then start your response.
Three.
Don't talk too much.
Keep your answers between 90 seconds and three minutes.
More than that and you're bound to lose their attention.
Four.
Don't forget which job this is.
As soon as the interviewer introduces themselves
and their company, make sure you instantly recognize them.
Five.
Don't multitask.
Free up an hour for the interview.
Tell your friends not to call you at that time
and give it your undivided attention
and never put the interviewer on hold.
Six.
Don't talk about your personal life.
The interview is about your ability
to do the job you're applying for.
So keep it professional.
Seven.
Don't appear uninterested.
The employer likely has more applicants
than they need or want.
If you don't want the job,
they'll just give it to someone else.
Eight.
Don't skip the Q&As at the end.
Think of some smart questions during the interview
and write them down.
Ask about when you should hear back
if you can't find anything else.
Conclusion.
That's it for this episode.
Hopefully it helps you all out there in search for jobs.
If you found the information here useful,
hit that like button.
And if you want to know more
about the rest of the job application process
and how to accelerate your career,
make sure you hit that subscribe button
and the bell for notifications.
If you like to support us in making more videos like this,
buy us a coffee from the link in the description below.
And best of luck.