What To Expect From A Phone Interview With A Company Recruiter

Many recruiters and hiring managers apply phone interviews as a way to filter candidates. A simple phone telephone call is a quick and piece of cake way to vet task seekers who have the correct skills and experience for the job, so it's up to you to testify your professional worth and increment your chances of existence asked for an online or in-person interview down the road.

In that location are many ways you can prepare yourself to impress potential employers over the phone before, during, and after the interview. Here are some of the best tips for executing a successful phone interview that will aid to land you a job offer.

Why Are Phone Interviews Important?

There are iii main steps recruiters and hiring managers utilise to sift through potential candidates when hiring for an open up position: chore applications, phone interviews, and face up-to-face up or online interviews.

If your cover letter and resume are a match for the office, you'll make information technology through the application process to the next phase, which is frequently a straightforward but telling phone call, where you'll exist asked some basic interview questions and to clarify information from your resume.

Motley Fool Stock Counselor recommendations accept an average return of 397%. For $79 (or merely $1.52 per week), join more 1 meg members and don't miss their upcoming stock picks. thirty solar day coin-dorsum guarantee. Sign Up At present

In roles and industries where competition is loftier, phone interviews play an essential role in determining whether or not you'll move forward in the hiring process. If you're unprepared, you could lose out to another candidate who took the fourth dimension beforehand to inquiry the visitor, come up upwards with answers to common phone interview questions, and planned alee to avoid any technical difficulties or interruptions.

Phone interviews can help recruiters and hiring managers to:

Make up one's mind whether your personality is a fit for the hiring company'south civilisation. For some companies, culture is an important office of ensuring that new hires are a fit, and a phone telephone call tin can help to showcase whether your personality will lucifer those of your squad members, managers, or co-workers. For case, how yous conduct yourself over the phone can make yous seem shy, outgoing, confident, formal, or casual.
Find out how strong your verbal communication skills are. If the position will require you to speak with customers or clients or to present new data to other staff members, how well you communicate verbally is an important part of the role. A brief call can be quite informative when information technology comes to gauging how well y'all speak to others and whether you'll be able to acquit yourself professionally and confidently when making common cold calls, treatment customer service problems, or giving presentations.
Confirm or analyze your awarding details. Sometimes, your resume doesn't requite a recruiter or hiring manager every bit much information every bit they'd like to have. For example, it'south mutual for potential employers to want to know more than almost any career gaps, reasons for leaving a previous employer, or unfinished educational endeavors. Telephone interviews let them to confirm details about your application that may be unclear or as well cursory, clarifying whether you're a qualified applicant.
Tell y'all more well-nigh the company. Some positions have special requirements, like working weekends or frequent travel. Telephone interviews allow potential employers to explain any uncommon or hard requirements to you and so that you lot're both on the same page. This gives you lot the hazard to decide whether y'all desire to pursue the position and ensures the hiring manager that you know exactly what the job will entail before y'all both invest time into a full formal interview.
Salve time and money on in-person interviews. In high-level positions, recruiters sometimes have to search for candidates in some other metropolis or country, which means they oftentimes take to foot the nib for travel to and from an in-person interview. Telephone interviews can save coin on flights, cabs, and hotels, likewise as time invested in interviewing candidates who aren't a good match.

How to Gear up Before a Telephone Interview

Regardless of whether your interview is in-person or over the telephone, you're more likely to succeed if you prepare yourself in advance. Here are some means to fix to put your best foot forward before a phone interview starts.

one. Research the Company

Knowing as much as possible virtually the visitor yous're interviewing for before you talk to a hiring managing director or recruiter will aid to put y'all on the right path when it comes to your telephone interview.

Familiarize yourself with basic data most the company, like what it does, its history, and whatsoever notable achievements or projects. Review the company's website, social media pages, LinkedIn, and any review sites like Glassdoor to get a well-rounded overview of what the company does and what the culture is like.

ii. Prepare a Cheat Canvass

One of the benefits of phone interviews is that no one can see whether you have notes in front of you. Jot downwards some of the information about the company and endeavour to find some projects of your own to mention that seem similar a fit. Make a note of any numbers you lot want to reference from successful projects, like how much y'all increased profit or how many new customers you lot brought in.

You lot tin also write down whatever questions you would like to ask or prompts for how you tin handle inappropriate interview questions and then that y'all don't freeze if they come up.

Go along your notes straightforward and apply them as a reference merely. Reading them word for give-and-take sounds much different than when you lot answer a question conversationally, making it credible that you're not confident y'all tin get through the interview without a helping hand.

3. Screen Your Phone Calls

Sometimes human resource representatives volition give you a call without letting you know in accelerate. Although this is oftentimes inconvenient, it's incommunicable to predict. That means that, once y'all first a job search, y'all need to be conscientious well-nigh how yous answer calls, even if an unknown number pops up on your phone screen.

If you get a call from a number you don't recognize, you can either let it go to voicemail or answer information technology. If it does happen to be a potential employer and you're not able to talk, ask them if and when you can reschedule. It's completely fine to ask to speak at another fourth dimension, especially because the call was unexpected.

4. Exercise With a Friend or Family Member

Non everyone likes talking on the telephone. If you're one of those people, do your telephone interview with a friend, family fellow member, or colleague to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. For case, practise yous say "um" or "uh" besides often? Practice you interrupt the other speaker?

Rehearse common interview questions and answers so that y'all know what you lot want to say when asked by a potential employer.

Getting comfortable with talking on the phone tin can help you lot to become rid of some of your job interview jitters and requite y'all an indication of any bad habits to sentry for.

v. Prepare Your Ain Interview Questions

Having a few thoughtful questions to inquire at the finish of a chore interview impresses potential employers and helps yous to gather data nigh the company. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to decide whether y'all can see yourself working at that place.

Although you tin certainly come upward with questions as yous become, try to take a list of questions written down that you tin autumn back on if none come up up during the interview.

6. Double-Check Interview Details

The date, time, and phone number are all important details in a phone interview. Confirm when information technology'south taking place, in what time zone, and who is calling whom. Schedule the phone interview for a time when y'all know you'll be able to access a tranquility room and where you'll take good cellphone service so that everything goes smoothly.

Information technology'southward also a good idea to ostend the name of the person you'll be talking to and to make certain that yous know how to pronounce it properly. If yous're non confident you know how to say it, y'all tin ask them at the kickoff of the telephone call, or try your luck using an online pronunciation dictionary similar Forvo.

7. Print Your Resume and Cover Letter

The recruiter or hiring director who calls you lot will probably ask yous to walk them through your resume, which will be hard to do if it'south not in front end of y'all. And you don't want to scramble to find it while your interviewer waits.

Print both your cover alphabetic character and resume before your telephone interview and so that yous can reference them if need be.

8. Accept Your Computer Set

Whether you prefer to utilize a laptop or desktop figurer, program to have it ready for your phone interview. Make sure it'due south charged, updated, and that your volume is off. Have the company website, social media pages, or other relevant tabs open in your browser, besides as the job posting.

Endeavor non to type too much or besides often considering information technology tin can be heard over the phone, which makes yous seem distracted.

9. Update Your Voicemail Message

If you happen to miss your job interview call, or a recruiter or hiring manager tries to achieve you for an unscheduled chat, they could stop up going to your voicemail. If your message is unprofessional or inappropriate, yous may non go an opportunity to reschedule.

During whatever job search, make sure that your voicemail bulletin is polite, professional, and articulate.

For example, use something like this:

"Howdy, you've reached [your name]. I'one thousand non able to come to the phone correct at present but leave a message and I'll go back to you lot as shortly equally I can."

Cull a serenity space when recording your bulletin and minimize any background noise from traffic, household members, or your Tv set or music player.

10. Accuse Your Telephone

If you're not using a landline for your phone interview, make certain that your cellphone is fully charged and fix to go, and have your charging cable on paw just in case. Do your interview in a room where you can easily plug in your telephone without causing an pause.

eleven. Look Upward Your Interviewer on LinkedIn

Before your interview takes place, observe your interviewer on LinkedIn. Accept note of their office in the company, how long they're been there, and what kind of professional path got them to where they are at present.

Look for experience or background y'all share in common, similar an alma mater, volunteering experience, or fifty-fifty a common connection. Bring up any shared experiences or relevant acquaintances in the interview to create a personal link betwixt you and the person interviewing you.

12. Avert Interruptions

Choose a tranquility, low-traffic room for your phone interview. Inform household members of when the area will exist off-limits and close or lock the door to whatever pets or children. If you have to schedule a phone interview while at piece of work, exercise information technology in your car during a break.

Select a time when you know you'll be available and in a position to have a focused, uninterrupted conversation.

13. Relax

If you've done everything y'all can to fix for your telephone interview, at that place's no reason to be stressed out. Try to relax considering fretfulness can make their way into your voice, causing you to audio uncertain or uneasy. Take a deep breath and treat the interview like an interesting chat and an opportunity to learn.

How to Do Well During a Telephone Interview

Preparing for your phone interview volition put yous a few steps alee of the competition, only you'll notwithstanding have to brand information technology through the phone call itself, all while impressing your potential employer and showcasing your professional skills and experience.

Hither are some phone interview tips yous can use while talking to a hiring managing director or recruiter.

i. Answer the Phone call Professionally

When you lot answer the phone call for your telephone interview, try to avoid only saying "Hello?" Instead, endeavor:

Good afternoon, [your proper noun] speaking.
Howdy, this is [your name].
[Your name] speaking.

These greetings all eliminate the need for the interviewer to make sure they're talking to the right person and brand you audio like you lot're used to speaking professionally on the phone.

2. Be on Fourth dimension

Fifty-fifty though it's non an in-person interview, it's still important for you to be on fourth dimension. If the recruiter or hiring managing director is calling you, make sure that yous are ready to answer the telephone when they phone call.

If you are calling them, call them at the time you scheduled together. If you call them too early on, they may non be ready for your interview. Call too late, and you appear unprepared and disorganized.

3. Speak With Enthusiasm

Your tone of voice and facial expressions tin can go a long way in making you sound engaged and interested during a phone chat, even if the interviewer can't see your face. Because you tin't utilise body language to emphasize your statements or questions, endeavour to smile, intonate, and inject your personality into the way that you lot speak when you reply interview questions.

Speak at a consistent volume then that your interviewer can hear yous and try to avoid existence monotone.

4. Tout Your Talents

In a phone interview, you demand to sell yourself but as much as you lot would during a face-to-face. Talk about your experience, accomplishments, and professional achievements. Pull relevant skills and requirements from the job description and draw directly connections to the abilities that brand you a fit.

Reference your notes for specific numbers and quantifiable results that you accomplished so that you can support your claims with data.

v. Employ Proper Names When Advisable

When possible, use the company name and the name of your interviewer as you reply questions. For example, if the hiring manager asks you lot why you would be a good fit for the position, begin your reply with, "I think I would be a slap-up fit for [company name] considering…"

At the finish of the interview, give thanks the recruiter by name for their time by proverb, "Cheers and then much for your time, [recruiter proper noun]. I really appreciate it."

This creates a personal connectedness between you and the visitor, and you and the person who is interviewing yous, which helps you to stand out and get noticed over other prospective candidates.

6. Optimize Your Answers

Go along your answers straightforward and to the point. Phone interviews are generally meant to be quicker than their in-office counterparts, so exist mindful of the time and keep your answers short. Avoid talking in circles or overexplaining. If a recruiter wants to know more almost something you've said, they'll ask.

7. Exist Polite

Because you tin't run into each other, it's like shooting fish in a barrel for you and the interviewer to accidentally interrupt one another during a phone interview. If that happens, let the hiring managing director speak first. Don't talk over them, even if what they're proverb is wrong. Instead, wait for them to stop, and and then provide clarification.

Mind your manners and remember to apologize if you unintentionally cut them off or interrupt them.

8. Accept Notes

During your telephone interview, feel gratis to take notes about the company or job that you desire to recall. This could include details almost the benefits the company has to offer or specific programs you would need to learn to utilise if you were hired.

This tin give yous a chance to familiarize yourself with the function and company, which will aid yous during an in-person interview. If possible, take notes in writing or on a touch screen to avert the noise of keystrokes in the background, which the interviewer could misinterpret as you lot beingness distracted while they're talking.

9. Don't Putter Around

While your phone interview is taking place, sit down and stay put. Don't putter around your role or tidy upwards your kitchen. Your interviewer will be able to hear background dissonance, and if it sounds like you're unloading the dishwasher or running to check the mail service, information technology'll make you seem like yous aren't taking the interview seriously.

Choose a comfortable chair at a desk or tabular array and commit to staying there for the duration of the interview to minimize noise and encourage y'all to focus.

10. Avoid Bacon Questions

Because a telephone interview is 1 of the first steps in the hiring process, leave your questions about bacon expectations and benefits for the side by side round. This phone call is but meant to help both you and the hiring director make up one's mind fit, and asking questions about compensation at this time can exist inappropriately premature.

11. Inquire About Next Steps

At the end of your telephone interview, ask about the rest of the hiring process and what the side by side steps will be. You lot tin can besides confirm when y'all should wait to hear back and what the best manner to make it impact is if you lot have any additional questions afterwards the call.

What to Exercise Afterward a Telephone Interview

Once your phone interview ends, at that place are a few additional tasks for you to have care of.

i. Summarize Your Notes

The notes y'all took during the call are probably in short-hand or were quickly scribbled downwards as you listened to the interviewer speak. Have a few minutes to write them out clearly or blazon them then that you can reference them downwardly the road if you become a call for an in-person interview.

ii. Send a Thank You Electronic mail

After your interview, send a quick thank you lot note to the recruiter or hiring manager who interviewed you lot. Here's a basic template you can use:

Hi [interviewer name],

Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me today. I hope to hear from you over again soon.

If you take any additional questions for me, please don't hesitate to get in bear on.

Warm regards,

[Your name]

3. Decide Whether You Want the Job

Afterward a phone interview, y'all should have a ameliorate idea of whether the position you practical for is a fit for y'all. Based on the interview questions and the hiring manager's reactions to your answers, yous should be able to gauge whether you want to participate in an in-person or video interview if offered.

Final Word

Being an interviewee can experience intimidating and uncomfortable, fifty-fifty during phone interviews. By preparing in advance, conducting yourself professionally and respectfully during the telephone call, and thanking the hiring manager for their time, you'll increase your chances of making a positive impression and landing an in-part interview.

Be polite, minimize distractions, and sell your skills to make your phone interview memorable, keeping you top of listen with potential employers.