You may have heard a lot about job interviews and how to get through one as successfully as possible. There is a good chance that you’ve already mastered several interviews and are now ready for anything that may happen during an internship. However, there is one more job interview aspect that you should prepare for, and it’s a phone interview. Your phone interview can only last a few minutes, but it’s enough to either make a good impression or make the interviewer drop your application from the folder of potential employees. Find out how to make the phone interview count!
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Schedule the call
One of the worst things that can happen is when you can’t take the call or the environment you’re currently in prevents you from having a normal conversation. This is why it’s crucial to make an appointment with the recruiter. Make sure that by the time you’re expecting to get an important phone call your location is calm and quiet. Although you don’t have to dress up for a phone interview, it still helps to look neat and put together – it helps your self esteem and gives you the confidence needed to charm the interviewer.
Get the papers ready
The benefit of an interview where you don’t see the employer eye to eye is that you can use whichever materials you like. For example, it can be very helpful to have a copy of your CV at hand, so that you could always know what the interviewer is referring to. Print out a copy of the job description to have a list of requirements and position description at hand. Finally, find the information about the company you’re interviewing for and print it out – it can help when the interviewer encourages you to ask questions about your future workplace.
Watch your voice and language
Even though the interviewer doesn’t see you, an experienced HR manager can still get a complete impression simply by listening to the way you speak. Your voice needs to be confident, but not smug. Long pauses before each answer can make the interviewer think you’re not a quick thinker, so it’s better to prepare answers to the most common questions in advance if you feel that you won’t be able to answer as quickly as possible. As for the tone of your voice, a good idea is to smile – although the HR manager won’t see it, he will likely notice the warmth and openness in the way you talk.
Express your interest
There is nothing more off-putting for the employer than your bored, curt answers to his question. In case you’re interested in getting that particular job, treat the phone interview like a real one – it can be the first step in landing your dream position. Sure, brief, definitive and confident answers always look good, but there is a big difference between a laconic answer and an answer that mainly consist of the words “yes” and “no”.
Ask about the next step
Normally, a phone interview ends in the interviewer’s invitation to the next stage of the selection process, which is usually a face-to-face interview. However, sometimes HR managers forget to follow up with that information, which is why you always need to make sure you are still considered for the job. The easiest way is to ask when and where the next interview will take place. If the interviewer says he needs time to process the interview, don’t forget to take his contact information and ask whether you can contact him later to find about the results. Don’t forget to thank the interviewer for his time!
