15 Phone Interview Tips That Will Get You To The Next Round - Fairygodboss

15 Phone Interview Tips That Will Get You To The Next Round - Fairygodboss Acing phone einstellungsgesprchs has never been more important. Thejob bewerbungsgesprching processrequires you to hone a variety of skills and being well prepared to have a conversation over the phone is no exception. Just because yure elend meeting with someone in person doesnt mean that job bewerberbewerbungseinstellungsgesprch etiquette goes out the door.Phone interviews have become a common screening device used by hiring managers and recruiters to enaya an in-person interview will be a good use of everyones time. Job hiring managers tend to schedule phone interviews with candidates who have a great cover letter so that they can ask some preliminary phone interview questions.So, if youve applied for a job and land a phone interview, odds are that youve passed the initialresumeglance-over or written a compelling cover letter. Kudos to you, potential job candidate (If you havent landed a phone interview, p erhaps youre using a generic cover letter and need to brush up on some cover letter examples.)But now that youre about to have a phone interview, what are the fruchtwein important tips to really nailing it?15 Phone Interview TipsThe first stage of the hiring process requires some preparation.Here are 15 tips to help you through it.1. Watch your energy.For starters, be sure to avoid making the number one mistake that kills any job applicants chances of getting to the next round sounding low-energy. You need to be professional of course, butenthusiasmis also of paramount importance if you dont sound like you even want the job, do you really think youre likely to get it?You may feel like since youre leid meeting someone in person, enthusiasm isnt particularly relevant or important but the opposite is true. You have to work even harder over the phone to convey your excitement about the jobPerhaps you dont feel particularly energetic, but thankfully, this is easier to feign over the pho ne than it is in person. However, to truly be putting your best foot forward, do what you can leading up to the phone interview to make your energy levels authentic get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, eat foods that are high in fiber and low in sugar, anddont overdo the caffeine.2. Prepare, prepare, prepareSometimes people are guilty of perceiving telephone interviews as less important, choosing to save the real prep for the face-to-face interview round. This is a mistake, considering youre unlikely to be a candidate for that in-person interview if you mess the phone one up. This is often your first job interview for a given position, so the same job interview tips that you try to follow for an in-person interview are equally, if leid more, important when youre preparing for a phone interview.Go through a list ofcommonly asked interview questionsand get some stock answers ready. The top phone interview questions or initial phone interview questions are often not too dissimilar from basic job interview questions that youre used to hearing. Popular phone interview questions especially HR phone interview questions tend to be relatively general rather than asking phone interview questions that will require you to delve into a ton of detail about every single one of your past jobs, a hire manager will likely want to gauge your enthusiasm, your general experience and whether its a good fit for the job, and your ability to articulate your interests and qualifications.You dont necessarily have to answers prepped for every single question, per se, but the exercise will serve to get your juices flowing at least. Ideally, youve also been able to pour over the job description in advance of the interview. And while the questions youre asked are bound to vary, the one thing you shoulddefinitelyhave 100 percent ready isyour elevator pitch that way, when you inevitably hear the words tell me about yourself,why do you want to work here? or where do you see yourself in 5 years? youre not left fumbling.3. Practice makes perfect.You may have used your elevator pitch before, so you know that the more you practice it, the more confident youll sound. While you dont want to come off as rehearsed, you should be able to answer basic phone interview questions sounding self-assured. Try practicing a few times with someone you trust, such as a friend or colleague. She can play the part of the interviewer, while youll be yourself, answering the questions as you would in a phone interview. The more times youre able to practice, the better equipped youll be to answer these questions in the real interview.4. Remember This is your first impression, not the in-person interview youll (hopefully) get later on.Studies suggest that you make a first impression on your interviewer in less time than you might think. One study in Psychological Science suggests that we form our visual impressions of people in less than one-tenth of a second This has been established by rese arch showing that longer visual exposure to how a person looks doesnt materially change our initial impression of them. In other words, we form our first impressions of others in less than a blink of an eyeYou may be wondering, candidate, how this translates to telephone interview tips and making a great first impression on your interviewer.Well, on the phone, you make your firstimpressionby the sound and tone of your voice. Just as someone meeting you for a face-to-face interview first registers a lot of visual information, during a telephone call, your voice its cadence, rhythm, timbre, and volume serves as that first impression. ur advice? Dont do a phone interview first thing in the morning when youve yet to fully wake up or warm up your vocal chords much. Our voices need some time to adjust to wakefulness just like our mind does. So wake up and have a conversation even if its with your dog or do some singing in the shower before you eventhinkof talking to that hire manager. 5. It sounds strange, but body language over the phone counts.UCLA Professor Albert Mehrabian is best known for promulgating the 7% - 38% - 55% rule about the relative importance of words, your tone of voice, andbody language in communication. While his findings have been widely taken out of context, the overarching point of his academic work is that a meaningful component of communication has less to do withwhatwe actually say thanhowwe say it i.e. nonverbal cues.On the phone, of course, there are no visual clues such as body language. The question then becomes whether body language seeps into your tone of voice. If youve ever seen Amy Cuddys TED talk on the importance of body language and power poses, you know that its very likely that how we sit or whether we choose to stand has an impact on how we are heard and received when were conducting a phone interview.In addition to your posture, in some telephone sales training materials, experts advise that you sit differently becaus e breathing deeply and having an upright posture will help make improve the sound quality of your voice.6. So does smiling.Theres also the question of whether a smile is something people can pick up on during a phone interview. Would it surprise you to find out that smile and dial isnt just a saying because it rhymes? In fact, Nestle is reported to have resorted to putting mirrors on their salespeoples desks so they can see whether theyre smiling when they are on the phone. Rest assured, the warmth in your voice a smile creates will translate to your potential employer.7. And you should still dress upIf youre in between jobs and taking a phone interview at home, the temptation to stay in your PJs or favorite athleisure garb is real. After all, we want to feel comfortable during an interview, dont we? So doesnt wearing our favorite t-shirt and Nike leggings make sense?Well, perhaps it makes sense on the surface level, but in reality, this practice is all wrong. More than anything, yo u need tohave confidenceduring an interview, and its a little difficult to feel like your most high-achieving, high-powered self when your unwashed hair is in a messy bun and youre still rocking your nightwear. So, shower, fix your hair, put on a little makeup (if thats your thing), and dress as though you were headed to an in-person interview. Its crazy the impact a button-down shirt versus a t-shirt can have on your attitude8. Loosen up your limbs.If standing, taking deep breaths, and smiling arent enough, you can also try moving around during your phone interview. This is easy enough with our smartphones and headphones since were no longer tied to landline phones at our desk. Moving around can create a feeling of positive energy and some of those good vibes may spill over into your phone interview.9. Have any relevant materials in front of you.As this isnt an on-site interview, you may be tempted to think that having a printedcopy of your resumeisnt essential. Wrong Rest assured, your interviewer has a copy in front of them, and it will most likely guide their first few questions. You know your own accomplishments that qualify you for this position, of course but interviewing, whether it involves an in-person meeting or not, can still provoke anxiety. Its best to have a visual reference to the details regarding your many achievements in front of you, as thats one last thing your brain will be tasked with remembering. You might as well have a copy of your cover letter, tooOn a related notenzeichen, be sure to materials with you to take notes. The notes you take during the phone interview can serve to inform the questions you ask during your next one-on-one interview for this position (fingers crossed).10. Research the company and position.This is a no-brainer, but along with preparing for general questions about yourself and your experience, you should invest some time in understanding the basics of the company, such as the mission and day-to-day functions. You should also research aspects of the company that are relevant to the position for which youre interviewing. For example, if youre interviewing for a marketing or social media position, make sure you look at all the companys accounts and handles. See whats missing, too, so you can make suggestions as to how the company can improve its efforts and what youll do to get it there.11. Ask questions.At any stage of the hiring process, youll be asked if you have any questions for your interviewer. You should always have two or three questions at this time. During the conversation, its a good idea to jot down some questions that are relevant to topics youve been discussing to show that youre engaged and care about the company and position. Just in case, you should also come prepared with a few general questions. Try to avoid asking questions whose answers are easily Googlable or found on the companys website you dont want to look like you havent done your homework. Plus, this is an oppo rtunity to learn information that can benefit you. After all, you dont want to end up at a place thats not a good fit for you.12. Pick the right location.Doing a phone interview from your home is a fine idea if your home is an appropriately calm and quiet environment, that is. The last thing you need during the next 30 minutes to 45 minutes is distractions. Do you have roommates, perhaps pint-sized ones? If you cant guarantee that your environment will be a quiet place and free of interruptions for the full time of your interview, consider taking the call elsewhere from the inside of your car, perhaps (if you arent parked next to a busy freeway). If youre still struggling to come up with a fitting option, know that youre not alone at least three internet forums are struggling to find a real solution for this problem in New York alone.13. Minimize distractionsOn the topic ofminimizing distractions, make sure your cell phone notifications wont be dinging away throughout the job int erview. Basics, people You should also make sure you wont be distracting by anything else. Do you have an alarm that goes off at the same time every day? Make sure it wont go off during your interview.14. Get comfortable.No matter where you are or what youre wearing, its important to feel as comfortable as possible during the interview. Being comfortable means being in the right head space to conduct an interview and show the interviewer your best self. Try to avoid stressors on the day of the interviewfor example, you might not want to have your performance evaluation on the same day. On a similar note, if youre going to have trouble finding a quiet, comfortable place to conduct this conversation at work, you may want to take a vacation or personal day or take a long lunch break.15. Send a thank you note.Dont skip the crucial thank you note component Just because its not an in-person interview doesnt mean you should ignore the fact that the interviewer has taken time out of her bus y day to speak with you. A thank you note is an important step that will show your courtesy and professionalism.You dont need to go crazy here, but do send a polite follow-up email expressing your enthusiasm for the job and thanking the interviewer for her time. If your interviewer has asked for any materials from you, such as writing samples or other documents, you can send them in this email as well.Next StepsHopefully, youre now feeling way more ready for that phone interview and confident that youll soon be meeting your potential employer face to face. Take a few minutes before the call to get comfortable and stand powerfully itll make a big difference in making a great impression. To prepare yourself for the next stage, you may want toask the interviewer about the timelinefor the hiring process and when shes looking to bring candidates in. That way, youll be better prepared either way.