It is not as easy as it may sound. When you think telephone interview you immediately think, “this is going to be easy and I don’t have to put a suit on or worry about shaving or having my nails done”. WRONG! The telephone interview is just as important as in-person interview and probably more challenging to do ace than the standard in person version. Sadly, I speak from experience recently performing poorly on the phone with a recruiter for a company I was really interested in working with.
Even though the person on the other line won’t see you changing out of your pajamas, sweats or jeans into an outfit that you would have worn to a face-to-face interview will get you in the proper mindset and set you up for success.
So what can you do to ensure the best results possible from a phone interview?:
Dress for success – Even though the person on the other line won’t see you changing out of your pajamas, sweats or jeans into an outfit that you would have worn to a face-to-face interview will get you in the proper mindset and set you up for success.
Find a quiet spot that feels “business-y” – Don’t take the call from your bedroom, lying across the bed with the TV on in the background – even if it is on mute. Set yourself up at a desk or dining room table.
In Vivian Giang article 12 Tips On Acing Your Next Phone Interview, Vivian provides some really insightful tips from Paul Bailo CEO of The Phone Interview Pro.
Look at a photo of your interviewer – Find their photo on LinkedIn (this should be part of your research anyways) and pull it up when you are talking with them. If you can’t find a photo Bailo recommends pulling up a photo of someone you respect and would have a professional conversation with.
Soothe your throat an hour before – A spoonful of honey does not just help the medicine go down but will clear your throat. It should prevent you from having to clear your throat repeatedly during the interview. Leading up to the call avoid dairy, it causes extra mucus production and may make it hard to speak clearly.
Exercise your voice before the interview – Giang’s article makes a great point; how many times did you record your voicemail message before you had the one you decided was good enough to save? Do you think that you will be able to get the answers out succinctly on the first try? Practice out loud, playing with tone and volume. Remember just like you can’t see the interviewer, they can’t see you so there are physical cues that they would have seen in person that are not visible. Your voice has to do more!
Have you had a phone interview recently? What steps did you do in an effort to make it a success?