Phone interviews and how to prepare
More common than ever, a phone interview will generally be the first port of call post your application submission. A little stressful as you need to think on your feet answering questions and selling yourself with little to no warning that the phone call was coming.
The best way to help prepare for your next phone interview would be to:
Have a pen and paper handy; it is likely you will be given information during this phone interview, and you may want to take notes to help you prepare for your face to face interview.
Ensure your phone is fully charged, along with charging your wireless earphones or tablet that you might be using.
Have your CV handy in front of you, that way you can refer back to any questions from the interviewer as they will be referring to this document throughout the phone call.
Have the “tell me about yourself” answer ready to go. This should be a short and sharp summary of your current skillset and responsibilities, what you love and why you are looking for a new opportunity.
Ask questions about the next steps, so you are clear on what to expect moving forward.
End the call politely and professionally, thank the caller for their time and follow any instructions promptly to show your interest in the opportunity.
Ensure you are in a quiet room, free of distractions and possibly interruptions so you can stay focused on the interviewer and their questions.
Have a pen and paper handy; it is likely you will be given information during this phone interview, and you may want to take notes to help you prepare for your face to face interview.
Ensure your phone is fully charged, along with charging your wireless earphones or tablet that you might be using.
Have your CV handy in front of you, that way you can refer back to any questions from the interviewer as they will be referring to this document throughout the phone call.
Have the “tell me about yourself” answer ready to go. This should be a short and sharp summary of your current skillset and responsibilities, what you love and why you are looking for a new opportunity.
Ask questions about the next steps, so you are clear on what to expect moving forward.
End the call politely and professionally, thank the caller for their time and follow any instructions promptly to show your interest in the opportunity.
If you are given the opportunity to have a phone interview out of the blue, and you aren’t prepared, politely let the caller know you are unable to speak at the moment and ask if you can call back in half an hour or later in the day (don’t leave it too long). Doing this will give you time to prepare the above steps to ensure you are in the zone and ready to ace that phone call.
