How to Ace a Telephone Interview and Get the Job.
Being interviewed for a job over the phone is very different from being grilled in person.
To get the gig, you need to tweak your technique.
You will need A quiet place Your resume A landline A professional outgoing message Research
notes Salary requirements Role-play partner Business attire A thank you note Headset A
quiet place Your resume A landline A professional outgoing message Research notes Salary requirements
Role-play partner Business attire A thank you note and headset.
Step 1.
Arrange a time when you can speak freely without interruptions.
That means no kids, dogs, or nosy co-workers anywhere nearby.
Keep your resume on hand in case an employer calls unannounced.
Step 2.
Take the call on a landline; cell phones are vulnerable to poor reception and dropped calls.
If you have call waiting, check with your phone service about suspending it during scheduled
interviews.
Whatever phone number you left as your contact, make sure its outgoing message is professional.
Step 3.
Unlike an in-person interview, you can have notes in front of you.
Take advantage by setting up information cheat sheets about the company and your interviewer.
Organize your notes in bulleted points so you don't sound rehearsed, and prepare answers
to common questions, like, "Why do you want to work for our company?"
If your interviewer is in another part of the country, check their local news so you'll
have some timely icebreakers ready.
Step 4.
Know your salary requirements.
Because phone interviews are sometimes a way to narrow an applicant pool, many prospective
employers begin the dialogue with that discussion.
Step 5.
Record a mock phone interview with a friend so you can correct any verbal tics like speaking
too fast or saying "you know" too often.
Step 6. Make sure you're far away from anything that could make a distracting sound, and be
sure to mute your computer, cell phone, and PDA to avoid interruptions.
Step 7.
Sit or stand up straight during the interview, wear something professional, and smile when
you speak.
You may feel silly, but speech experts say it will make you sound more alert and self-possessed.
Use a headset if you can.
It will allow you to move around and make the gestures you normally make when you speak,
which will help you come across as more relaxed and confident.
Step 8.
Don't be a blabbermouth.
The interviewer is likely taking notes, so give them some time to do so.
Step 9.
End a phone interview the way you would end an in-person one – by sending a written
note or e-mail thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in
the position.
Did you know A candidate who flushed the toilet during a phone interview made a top-10 list
of the worst job-hunter blunders.