The Internet and job boards have spawned a real problem for hiring companies: they get more candidates than they can handle. Worse, most of these candidates are not a match. Thus, many companies save time and effort by screening applicants over the phone against very strict criteria before calling them in for an interview. Remember, the phone screen is a means to an end; the goal is to be invited in for a face-to-face interview or personal visit. There are three key pieces to the phone interview:

 Think about where you will be when the call takes place.

√ Make the necessary arrangements so you will not be easily distracted or interrupted. Remove yourself from noise and distraction by going to a quiet place where your focus will be entirely on the interview.

√ If you must conduct the interview at work, do it on your own time and not on a company phone.

 √ Answer the call with your full name, or if you’re the one placing the call, make a full introduction of who you are, who set up the call, and thank the person for taking the time.

√ Do not eat, drink, or chew gum during the call.

√ Have paper and pencil at hand and your resume and a list of accomplishments in front of you as well as a copy of the job description.

√ Be on a land-line, if possible, and disable your call waiting so the employer doesn’t hear any tones. And then, be ready.

 

 

Read the company’s website and its position description, and match your tone and questions to their tone. Telephone interviews can be as long as in-person interviews, so prepare just as carefully as you would for an in-person interview. Research the organization and your fit for the specifications in the ad or posting.  

 

Save questions regarding salary, vacation, or benefits for another interview. Your goal is to get to the second interview, so don't take yourself out of the running by answering questions about salary, for example, a common tactic to disqualify candidates who ask for too much or too little. If the interviewer starts the conversation by asking, “We really like your resume, but I have to tell you up front that the job pays no more than $X, are you still interested?” say “I'm very interested in this position.”  But, if pressed, state “presently my salary is $X. If you believe that I’m a fit for this position, I’m confident that you’ll make a fair offer.”

 

In general, less is more in a telephone interview. Save your long answers for the in-person interview that will follow a successful telephone interview. Use a point in the conversation to ask for that face-to-face interview or for the chance to dig deeper. 

 

  

In a telephone interview, both you and the interviewer are deprived of visual cues such as office environment and culture and most importantly, body language, so you have to pay more attention to intonation and tone. Smile through the phone, it works. Even stand up if it gives you more energy. Practice the presentation of yourself—several short sentences to summarize what motivates you, your accomplishments, and what skills you possess to at least warrant an in-person interview!  At the beginning of this article, we posed a question, asking if you’re nervous about an upcoming telephone interview. With the information outlined in this article, we hope that we’ve helped to decrease any anxiety you may be experiencing and also increased your confidence in being able to take the next step in the interview process.