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Interviewing Tips

Telephone Interviewing

Telephone interviewing is unique. You can't count on visual stimuli such as professional appearance, eye contact or body language to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewer's response. In this context, both strengths and weaknesses are magnified through the phone. Preparation is the key.

Since you are unlikely to win the job from a telephone interview, your goal is to entice the buyer and secure an in-person interview. Approach the call with that attitude.

1. Find a quiet place
   Try to avoid as much noise and as many distractions as you can during the call. If you're at home, go to a quiet room and ask your family not to disturb you and not to pick up the phone. Some people set up a separate business line during a job search, which allows for fewer disturbances. You shouldn't pick up calls on another line during the interview.
2. Use an animated voice
   The quality, pitch and tempo of your speech convey a certain attitude, energy level and enthusiasm. Practice responses out loud before the call and be mindful of your level of expressiveness.
3. Don't be afraid of silence
   The interviewer may be taking notes or reviewing your resume when he or she is silent. Some candidates are unnerved by this and continue to talk though the silence, often saying anything just to fill the gaps. When you have completed an answer, wait for a response. Even a few brief seconds may seem like hours on the phone but remember to be patient.
4. Pay attention to verbal miscues
   Some people use pausing like, "um" or "you know" in everyday speech and aren't aware of it. On the phone, the interviewer will detect these verbal sign of nervousness even more so than in person.
5. Listen for clues
   In person it's much easier to detect when someone is going to speak by their body language. When speaking over the telephone, however, be mindful of the interviewer and listen for clues that he or she wants to break in and ask another question.
6. Have notes available
   One advantage of a telephone interview is that you can have many resources at your fingertips. If possible, pull up the company's homepage on your computer so it's live during your interview. Have handy the lists of the questions and major selling points that you plan to address during the interview.
7. Keep a resume handy
   The interviewer will have your resume close by so keep your own copy in front of you to answer questions about specific points. You might want to make notes on the resume so that you illustrate prior experience with maximum impact.
8. Follow up
   As the conversation comes to a close, ask the interviewer about next steps and reiterate your interest in the position. Just as in a person-to-person interview, send a follow up letter after the telephone call