19 Out of the World Phone Interview Tips for a Successful Career

When you learn that you are going to have phone interviews, you get mix emotions of both excitement and nerve-wracking. It feels really good that all your hard work behind your qualification, making a resume, writing a cover letter, providing writing samples, and filling out forms have finally paid off. You feel proud of yourself by just thinking that the employee or the company found you good enough to interview you. However, thinking about phone interviews can put anyone in panic mode. You start thinking about- “What if my mind goes blank? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I mix up my words? What if I start repeating myself?

I know you cannot afford to lose this round, and neither do we want you to. That is why I have compiled some of the best phone interview tips that will fully prepare you:

1.Clarify all the details

You must be clear on the interview details like the time of the interview, the name of the person you will be speaking to and their role, the number they will be calling you at, and any other means of contact information like email.

If the information is not provided to you, then just simply ask. There is nothing wrong with clearing on something that affects both of your schedules.

1.Conduct research

People a lot of times commit the mistake of taking phone interviews lightly. They do not find it to be a big deal and think they can handle anything. But in reality, they stumble over their answers and mess up their opportunities.

Focus on the requirements and everything about your job role. If you are opting for the position of essay writers, make sure you learn about all skills and knowledge required from you. You may also go through essay writing help websites to find all the necessary details that you need to know to get hired as an essay writer. Do in-depth research about the company by going through their website, gathering all the latest news updates. Besides understanding your role in the business, you need to understand the history and mission. It will help you craft tailored interview answers and come up with thoughtful questions.

2.“Tell me something about yourself”

Answering the question will help with connecting the dots between you and the position. The interviewer might not be the hiring manager but an HR who has little knowledge about the background of your field. While answering this particular interview question, focus on your skills and experiences that are most applicable. Explain your current position and what you do at present. End with a brief explanation of what you are looking for in the future.

3.Try listening and avoid dominating the conversation

Yes, you will face many questions from the interviewers, but you need to show that you can be a good listener when required. There should be a proper balance between listening and answering. You may talk about avoid dominating the conversation. Allow the interviewer to guide the conversation. You should just answer the question instead of turning it into a one-sided monologue.

4.Take a pause

After the interviewer finishes asking you a particular question, take a 3-4 seconds pause. Giving them a second or two after each question will avoid the awkwardness of both of you talking at once. Taking a pause also will let you think about you are going to sit instead of just rattling off whatever comes to your mind.

5.Keep all the necessary equipment

Before you attend the phone interview, make sure you keep all the following equipment with yourself:

Headphones

A water bottle

A charger

A notepad and pen/pencil

6.Choose a quiet and comfortable place

When staying at home, lock yourself in a room. Make sure there are no family members, roommates, or pets disturb you during your interview. Make sure you stay in a room with minimal distractions or interruptions. Also, check your room has good phone service.

7.Consider charging your phone and do a test run

You should always sound excited and energetic when you are in a phone interview. Since the interviewer cannot see you, you must work extra hard to show your enthusiasm about the job role. Use gestures like a smile when you are talking, and it will automatically inject emotion into your voice.

10.Talk slowly

Talking with high energy is obviously good, but it will become a problem if the interviewer does not understand properly when talking in a rapid-fire mode. Your interviewer will end up asking, “Could you repeat that?” everything you are trying to say in the conversion, make sure everything is concise and clear.

11.Be clear on what you are looking for in the next job

Your answer to the question “what are you looking for in the next job” will say a lot. If you are moving from one job to another, it probably means that something is missing in your job. You need to be completely honest while answering the question. 

You can easily do it without badmouthing anything about your current company.

12.Prepare your salary number

 If your phone interviews in an initial screening call with HR, this might come up. You must prepare for a smart answer. You can use a salary calculator to figure out what you’re worth. If you have not prepared a salary amount in your head, you will be lost in confusion when the interviewer asks you.

13.Create a cheat sheet

Not all the information may sit inside your head. The best part of phone interviews is you will be able to have notes in front of you. People tend to freeze up when there are nervous in a phone interview.

After doing the necessary research, jot down all the answers into a notebook on a page of na document or in a Post-it. Make sure you add your answers in bullet forms, or else your answer will be lost in the paragraphs.

14. Send a thank you email

After the interview is over, it will be a nice gesture to send a thank you mail to the interviewer. It shows your commitment and eagerness for the job role when you thank them for their time and give you an opportunity.

15.Maintain a professional tone

When you are doing a phone interview, make sure you maintain a professional tone. It will show your sincerity as well as the seriousness for the job role you are applying for. Maintaining a professional tone is necessary to show you are a perfect fit for the job and know how to maintain professionalism.

16.Ask them if they have more questions

Throughout the phone interview, you have answered all the questions, but it is always a nice gesture to ask if the interviewers have any more questions to ask you at the end of the call. This shows your level of confidence and that you are ready to take up any challenges. It also shows that you are engaged in the interview process.

17.Practice your answers

If you want to nail your phone interview, try practising your call by calling a friend. If you want to make the right kind of impression, prepare a few questions and let your friend listen to your questions and ask them to provide valuable feedback.

18.Ask “What are the next steps”

You must ask the interviewer about the next steps regarding the position that you have applied for. Straightaway ask them about when you can expect a follow-up from them. It shows how much you are interested in the role of the job.

SUMMING UP,

Consider your phone interview to be a real interview. It might need not be a formal conversation but make sure you conduct thorough research. You must prepare your responses and your own set of questions. Following all the tips will help you prepare for a successful phone interview.

AUTHOR BIO: clara smith is a professional editor at one of the top magazines in the UK. she is also associated with allessaywriter.com, where he is one of the most eminent essay writers. she also shares a passion for gardening and painting.