Phone Interview: You Had Me At Hello
It is 7:45 in the morning, you are still in your pajamas, and the phone rings. It's time for an interview. This seems normal, right?
The fact is phone interviews are on the rise. Why? Quite simply, it is inexpensive, and it's an easy way for the Recruiting Director to screen candidates efficiently. It takes more time and money - especially for out-of-towners - to interview candidates in person.
Having conducted hundreds of phone interviews, I can tell you candidates make a lot of mistakes. As you might imagine, the biggest one is that you happen to sound quite boring.
You lose a lot of personality when you talk on the phone versus meeting someone in person. When you add the fact that people tend to be more serious in an interview than in normal situations, the problem is compounded.
Here are some tips to ace that next phone interview:
1. Get your game face on.
I'm not suggesting that you need to put on the three piece suit men, or wear your control-top panty hose women, but don't be sitting there in your underwear and a t-shirt. Wake up early, take a shower and dress decently.
2. Talk beforehand
There's nothing worse than picking up the phone, saying hello, and sounding like Peter going through puberty on the Brady Bunch. For those morning interviews, make sure you have spoken a few sentences out loud (to yourself, your roommate, or even your dog) before it's interview time.
3. Go old school - talk on a land line
This may be tough for some of you, but you definitely want to get on a land line - Preferably a corded land line (remember those?). I've had people's cell phones go dead or suffer from such serious static that we had to cut the call short. Not a good way to go.
4. Be overly animated
This is the biggest mistake most people make. As I mentioned above, phone interviews tend to be boring. Why? I don't see the twinkle in your eye, and I can't catch the smile or nod that you make. You're a bit nervous to begin with, so you come off as monotone and personality-less.
Here's what you do. Get excited! Stand up, talk with you hands and plaster a smile on your face. If you can get one of those Janet Jackson headsets, even better. Use both hands when you talk. You may think you're going overboard, but when it comes through on the other end, it sounds so much more engaging and interesting.
Phone interviews can work to your advantage - if you do them right!
Brad Karsh is President of JobBound a company dedicated to helping job seekers with resume writing, interviewing, career coaching and landing that dream job. Brad has been featured on CNN, The Dr. Phil Show and CNBC and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Fortune, The Chicago Tribune and many others. Author of Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider's Guide to Landing Your First Job (Prentice Hall Press), Brad is considered one of the nation's leading expert on the job search.
Presenting ideas, insight and tips for college graduates on how to find their first job
Honor Roll Online Best Graduates. Best Companies. Best Jobs.
This is actually great information! I did a phone interview recently and a phone interview was so much easier than a face to face. I was able to be more relaxed and I think show more enthusiasm on the phone, than I would have in a face to face.
Reply to this
Great! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Reply to this