What’s so scary about a telephone interview? You use the phone every day. But a telephone interview is far more than just a phone call. Here are some tips to get you through what could be the most important call of your life. A number of graduate recruiters interview over the phone. Telephone interviews are cost effective. They are also quicker, cheaper and more convenient for both you and the interviewer. The purpose is often to check out whether you are a serious applicant – to make sure you haven’t just been firing off random e-mails to every graduate recruiter. Expect questions such as ‘Why did you choose this career and this company?’ and ‘What do you have to offer?’ The aim of a telephone interview is as a tool for the recruiter to decide whether or not to take you further through the application process, so you have to try to show your worth in a short conversation.
Your phone manner on trial Telephone skills may be an important part of the position you have applied for. As such, the phone interview will be a test of your ability. Similarly, if the job you’re applying for relies as much on personality as on qualifications and experience, a telephone interview will be considered more useful to the recruiter than sorting through CVs.
The most important thing to remember for a phone interview is to be prepared. As it is unlikely that the interview will take the form of a relaxed chat, this could be your only chance to get a foot in the door and be invited to an interview proper. Make sure you find out as much as you can about the recruiter and the description of the job you have applied for. Websites are a useful resource, as are the job descriptions on targetjobs.co.uk. Write down any questions you may like to ask, as well as planning answers to those questions you think are likely to come up – especially questions such as ‘Tell me about yourself’ and ‘What interests you in the job?’ that can be hard to answer well on the spur of the moment. Be sure to have any notes close to hand.
Phone a friend and rehearse A telephone interview can be disorientating because neither party can see the other, so the usual visual clues are absent. Practise before the interview. Try asking a friend, a relative or someone at your careers service to help. They’ll be able to give you feedback on how you come across by phone. You could also record yourself so that you can listen back and identify any good or bad traits in your telephone manner, such as um-ing and ah-ing. Be sure to speak slowly, clearly and politely.
During the interview Be professional When you’re on the phone, remember to stay professional. It’s easy to start chatting, as if you were talking to a friend. Remember: it’s an interview, even if you’re sitting on your couch. Don’t eat, drink or smoke, and avoid distractions. Turn off the telly and get your housemates to leave the room. Some people like to dress formally, as if you feel professional you’re more likely to sound professional. Don’t be tempted to use speakerphone unless you can be sure there will be no interruptions. It won’t reflect brilliantly on you if your housemate (or dog) bursts in and start making a racket.
Be enthusiastic Much of the impact you are making comes through your voice, so it is essential that you are animated and enthusiastic. Don’t sit huddled up in a chair, but use gestures normally and try to relax. Sit up straight too, you’ll seem and feel more confident and alert. Smile as you dial! It will show in your voice. Remember to be interesting as well as interested. Even if the subject is close to your heart, try to be succinct rather than waxing lyrical.
Relax The good thing about telephone interviews is that it can be easier to hide nerves and relax. However, it’s also a lot more difficult to act normally when you’ve got a phone stuck to one ear. Try imagining that the other person is in the room and you are talking directly to them.
Be yourself A phone interview may be a test to find out whether you can handle a customer or supplier on the phone without becoming hysterical or clamming up. Pauses are OK, just as in any interview. If you’re asked a tricky question, pause to think – but say so, or the interviewer may think you have been cut off.
Remember, this is only the preliminary round. Do ask questions at the end, but this is not the time for a discussion about salary, training and start dates. If you progress to the next stage, you will have a chance to assess the company, and the interviewer will be able to really sell the organisation.
TARGETjobs' top telephone tips Be aware that first impressions count. Don’t just answer the phone as if it’s one of your mates: be professional. Something like ‘Good morning, Joe Bloggs speaking’ should go down well. Be sure to listen carefully: missing the point of what your interviewer is saying can not only be embarrassing but also reflects badly on you. However, don’t be afraid to say if you’re having trouble hearing. Be polite; address your interviewer as Miss, Mrs or Mr unless you are invited to use their first name. Try to answer in enough detail while remaining succinct. You want to leave the interviewer intrigued rather than bored. It is worth making a note of what questions you’re asked and how you answer them. This way you are less likely to repeat yourself too much in a subsequent interview, as well as being able to identify which answers they respond to best.
Wow, this is some really great advice. This is the kind of career guidance I can actually use. Everything else I've come across seems to be taken straight out of text book.
A phone interview may be a test to find out whether you can handle a customer or supplier on the phone without becoming hysterical or clamming up. Phone Systems Charlotte
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What’s so scary about a telephone interview? You use the phone every day. But a telephone interview is far more than just a phone call. Here are some tips to get you through what could be the most important call of your life.
A number of graduate recruiters interview over the phone. Telephone interviews are cost effective. They are also quicker, cheaper and more convenient for both you and the interviewer. The purpose is often to check out whether you are a serious applicant – to make sure you haven’t just been firing off random e-mails to every graduate recruiter. Expect questions such as ‘Why did you choose this career and this company?’ and ‘What do you have to offer?’ The aim of a telephone interview is as a tool for the recruiter to decide whether or not to take you further through the application process, so you have to try to show your worth in a short conversation.
Your phone manner on trial
Telephone skills may be an important part of the position you have applied for. As such, the phone interview will be a test of your ability. Similarly, if the job you’re applying for relies as much on personality as on qualifications and experience, a telephone interview will be considered more useful to the recruiter than sorting through CVs.
The most important thing to remember for a phone interview is to be prepared. As it is unlikely that the interview will take the form of a relaxed chat, this could be your only chance to get a foot in the door and be invited to an interview proper. Make sure you find out as much as you can about the recruiter and the description of the job you have applied for. Websites are a useful resource, as are the job descriptions on targetjobs.co.uk. Write down any questions you may like to ask, as well as planning answers to those questions you think are likely to come up – especially questions such as ‘Tell me about yourself’ and ‘What interests you in the job?’ that can be hard to answer well on the spur of the moment. Be sure to have any notes close to hand.
Phone a friend and rehearse
A telephone interview can be disorientating because neither party can see the other, so the usual visual clues are absent. Practise before the interview. Try asking a friend, a relative or someone at your careers service to help. They’ll be able to give you feedback on how you come across by phone. You could also record yourself so that you can listen back and identify any good or bad traits in your telephone manner, such as um-ing and ah-ing. Be sure to speak slowly, clearly and politely.
During the interview
Be professional
When you’re on the phone, remember to stay professional. It’s easy to start chatting, as if you were talking to a friend. Remember: it’s an interview, even if you’re sitting on your couch. Don’t eat, drink or smoke, and avoid distractions. Turn off the telly and get your housemates to leave the room. Some people like to dress formally, as if you feel professional you’re more likely to sound professional. Don’t be tempted to use speakerphone unless you can be sure there will be no interruptions. It won’t reflect brilliantly on you if your housemate (or dog) bursts in and start making a racket.
Be enthusiastic
Much of the impact you are making comes through your voice, so it is essential that you are animated and enthusiastic. Don’t sit huddled up in a chair, but use gestures normally and try to relax. Sit up straight too, you’ll seem and feel more confident and alert. Smile as you dial! It will show in your voice. Remember to be interesting as well as interested. Even if the subject is close to your heart, try to be succinct rather than waxing lyrical.
Relax
The good thing about telephone interviews is that it can be easier to hide nerves and relax. However, it’s also a lot more difficult to act normally when you’ve got a phone stuck to one ear. Try imagining that the other person is in the room and you are talking directly to them.
Be yourself
A phone interview may be a test to find out whether you can handle a customer or supplier on the phone without becoming hysterical or clamming up. Pauses are OK, just as in any interview. If you’re asked a tricky question, pause to think – but say so, or the interviewer may think you have been cut off.
Remember, this is only the preliminary round. Do ask questions at the end, but this is not the time for a discussion about salary, training and start dates. If you progress to the next stage, you will have a chance to assess the company, and the interviewer will be able to really sell the organisation.
TARGETjobs' top telephone tips
Be aware that first impressions count. Don’t just answer the phone as if it’s one of your mates: be professional. Something like ‘Good morning, Joe Bloggs speaking’ should go down well.
Be sure to listen carefully: missing the point of what your interviewer is saying can not only be embarrassing but also reflects badly on you. However, don’t be afraid to say if you’re having trouble hearing.
Be polite; address your interviewer as Miss, Mrs or Mr unless you are invited to use their first name.
Try to answer in enough detail while remaining succinct. You want to leave the interviewer intrigued rather than bored.
It is worth making a note of what questions you’re asked and how you answer them. This way you are less likely to repeat yourself too much in a subsequent interview, as well as being able to identify which answers they respond to best.
taken from targetjobs.co.uk
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Wow, this is some really great advice. This is the kind of career guidance I can actually use. Everything else I've come across seems to be taken straight out of text book.
Telephone interviews are cost effective. They are also quicker, cheaper and more convenient for both you and the interviewer. Business Voip
A phone interview may be a test to find out whether you can handle a customer or supplier on the phone without becoming hysterical or clamming up. Phone Systems Charlotte
In fact, the entire telephone system is operated and maintained by your Voice-over-IP (VoIP) service provider. Hosted Phone System
PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange, which is a private telephone network used within a company. PBX system
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