Phone Interviews: How to Give the Best Impression (and Tips)

Most companies use a phone interview as a first date. If you've been asked to chat, you've moved onto the first phase of consideration, but you have a long way to go before you get your official letter.

It's a mistake to think of a phone interview as a casual conversation. Blow it, and you may never hear from the company again.

With a little preparation and poise, you'll be ready to handle almost anything that comes down the phone line. Do that in eight steps.

Researchers suggest that rooms with about 70 decibels of noise (what you might expect in a coffee shop, for example) spark your creativity and thinking ability. But to someone on the receiving end of your call, all that noise is simply distracting.

The best spot for your call doesn't come with noise from:

• Lawnmowers or leaf blowers
• Beeping computers
• Ringing phones
• Yelling children
• Dishwashers, coffee makers, and other home equipment

Your interviewer should be able to focus on your voice and your answers without the distraction of background noise. And similarly, you'll need to focus on the questions you're asked. That means you should steer clear of spots that tempt you to:

• Do housework
• Check your phone or computer
• Talk to other people
• Interact with your pets

Pick a space that's quiet, boring, and for you alone. A home office space with a muted computer and a locked door is ideal, but your car can work in a pinch.

And remember: Don't hold phone interviews at work. It's easy enough to reserve a conference room, close the door, and feel safe. But if your boss wanders into the room to check on you, that could mean the end of both your current position and the hopes of getting a new one.

You'll need to stay put as the conversation unfolds, and you can't afford to open your computer or web browser to check up on things you don't know. Make sure you have everything you need at your fingertips so you can focus.

Grab your:

• Charged smartphone. Make sure you can stay connected during the entire call, and check your signal strength by calling a friend and asking about call clarity.
• Headset. Never conduct a phone interview via speakerphone. The delay can translate into awkward pauses and conversation gaps. Your headset forces you to focus on the conversation, and some microphones limit background noise transmission too.
• Printed resume. You're likely to field a few questions about your job history and descriptions. Keep a printed copy handy so that you'll know just what the interview is reading. Highlight a few skills or experiences you want to mention as you talk.
• Job listing. A printout can be a lifesaver during a brain-freeze forgetfulness moment. You'll know the name of the company and the name of the job at all times. If parts of the listing confuse you, highlight them.
• Water. You'll do a lot of talking during an interview, and your mouth may run dry. A sip can keep a coughing fit away.

No one expects you to be a professional vocal coach (unless that's the job you're applying for, of course). But the success of a phone interview relies on your ability to convey professionalism, warmth, and tact. In other words, the quality of your voice matters.

As you speak, strive to:

• Slow down. Nerves make us talk faster, and that leads to lost detail and missed opportunities. Breathe in before you speak, and talk at a slow clip.
• Reduce fillers. If you need a moment to consider a question, don't fill the air with "um" and "ah." Take a breath instead.
• Mind pitch and volume. Don't yell, squeak, or grunt. Imagine you're talking to the most important person in the world. You probably are!
• Project confidence. Your answers aren't questions. Don't lift the pitch of your voice at the end of each sentence. Rising inflection makes you seem hesitant about your answers.

Your interviewer is likely to ask you many, many questions. You can't predict all of them, of course, but some queries are standard for employers. Run through your answers a few times before the call starts, so you'll know what to say.

A few standard questions include:

• Why do you want this job? Your interviewer is hoping you'll explain how much you know about the company and why you're a good cultural and technical fit for the role.
• Why are you leaving your current position? Your interviewer hopes you'll talk about new opportunities while leaving out any snark about your boss, your salary, or your workplace.
• Can you explain this hole in your resume? If your career path is erratic, your interviewer wants to know why. A variation of this question involves multiple job hops.
• What attracted you to our company? Interviewers make questions all about them. They're a bit selfish that way. Here, you'll need to explain what you know about the company, so you can prove you're really interested.

The interview starts the moment your phone rings. With a bit of poise and polish, you'll pull it off like a pro.

Remember to:

• Answer your phone. Don't ever let an interview go to voicemail.
• Use a professional greeting. Hiya, howdy, and what's up are all fine for friends. They won't work for employers.
• Smile as you speak. Your interviewer can't see you, but a smile can show up in your tone of voice. It portrays friendliness and openness.
• Restate questions before you answer. Active listeners make sure they're answering the right query before they leap in. Summarize the question and then give your response.
• Never interrupt. A softball question begins, and you absolutely know the answer. Don't leap in before it's your turn to speak. While even Supreme Court justices get interrupted, no one likes it. Don't ever do it.

You're in the middle of the call, and you're nailing all the questions with ease. You see the end of the call in sight, but there's one last hurdle to clear. You'll probably be given the chance to ask a few questions of your own.

Don't give up this opportunity.

Your questions showcase how much you want the job and how engaged you are with the hiring process. It's crucial to participate.

You could ask about:

• Performance metrics. How is success in this position defined? What did a predecessor do well that you'll be asked to do as well?
• Goals. What is the company working toward in the next year? How will someone in your position support that effort?
• Workflows. How is the department set up? Whom would you report to?
• Company culture. How would the interviewer define the culture of the company? Is this a formal or informal space?

You've made it through all the difficult questions, and the call is nearly over. Make sure you leave the talk on the right note.

Ask about next steps in the hiring process. When can you expect to hear from the company again? How many interviews are planned? Is there anything you can offer (like an online portfolio of work) that would be helpful?

As the conversation draws to a close, thank your interviewer for the time you've spent together. Make sure you convey your knowledge that the person is busy and that this conversation was important to you. This little note of politeness can go a long way toward demonstrating your professionalism.

Don't let this conversation be your last connection to the company. Send an email to thank the person.

You can say something like: "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about [the position you applied for]. I appreciate your time. I remain confident that I'll be a great asset to your company, and I look forward to our next conversation. If you need any more information from me or if there's anything I can provide for you as you make your decision, please let me know."

And then wait for the next contact to come from the employer. If you follow these steps, that should happen soon.

If you're looking for the perfect job but haven't connected quite yet, let us help. Our job listings are complete, comprehensive, and easy to search. We'll give you everything you need to find the job you love, as quickly as possible. Let's get started.

References

Why You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open Office. (October 2017). Harvard Business Review.
The Science Behind Interrupting: Gender, Nationality, and Power, and the Roles They Play. (March 2018). South China Morning Post.