How To Nail The Telephone Interview

Phone interviews are becoming increasingly popular as a means of narrowing down candidates for a more traditional face to face interview. In the ultra competitive society we now live, a job advertisement can attract hundreds of resumes from candidates with similar set of skills and backgrounds. The recruitment process is all about finding the one perfect candidate among the basket full of candidates. The phone interview has become a popular, flexible, inexpensive and speedy way of finding that one person.

Preparing for a PHONE INTERVIEW

Before you begin your phone interview make sure that you are confident in your understanding of the position you are applying for and the company you are applying with. Do extra homework on the company’s history and research recent company news. Preparation is the key and will make a great impression on your interviewers.

Prepare your Interview location. Make sure you’re in a comfortable place with no distractions. Keep your resume in clear view, have a pen and pad to take notes and a glass of water sitting close by. Minimise any outside distractions that could potentially take your mind off the interview (HOT TIP: Disable call waiting on your phone). Dress the part so you feel and sound professional. The more professional you feel the more professional you will come across on the telephone.

Most importantly – Practice Interviewing. Rehearse and Practice. There are many ways to help you prepare for the telephone interview. Have a friend/ family member conduct an interview. Ideally, rehearse with someone from the same industry. The best way to hear how you sound is to tape yourself. Remember the more preparation you put into the interview the better prepared you will be.

Preparation is the key! Write down answers to questions you believe are going to be asked. Have questions ready to go so when the interviewer says “Do you have any questions to ask us” you’re ready and prepared.

And don't forget that accurately written resume will help you to answer certain questions. You may ask resume review service like Pro-Papers to check your resume,

What to do during the phone interview:

• Remember to Smile. Experts say that smiling puts you in a better state of mind and will project a positive image to the listener
• Speak in a steady voice. Don’t rush what you’re trying to say. Ensure that you sound enthusiastic and passionate.
• Don’t forget to breathe. It will help you stay calm and sound more relaxed.
• LISTEN – Answer the questions which are being asked. Do not make the mistake of telling the interviewer what you want to tell them. Give them the answers to their questions.
• Keep a glass of water handy – Nothing is worse than having a dry mouth
• Address the interviewer in the appropriate way. Do not shorten people’s name. They are your potential employer not your “mate”
• Take your time – Don’t rush the interview. This is your time to shine. If your feeling nervous take a moment or two to collect your thoughts
• “Cheat Notes” Prepare beforehand with notes to help drive you through the interview. If the interview is going to be technical than have notes ready to prompt yourself if needed
• Don’t forget to ask questions.

What NOT to do during the interview:

• Don’t eat, drink, chew gum
• DO NOT SMOKE
• Don’t interrupt the interviewer.
• Don’t answer with just a “yes” and “no”- elaborate your answers, provide examples if applicable
• Don’t be too Casual/informal
• Long winded answers to questions

The only way to master a phone interview is to practice, be professional, and show your passion for the job role. Remember you have made the phone interview stage so don’t blow your interview by not being ready.

4 Tips To Nail The Skype Interview

How great is having Skype these days? I can live 9,000 miles away from family and friends and still “see” them on camera as much as I’d like!

Skype is also making it fast and cost-effective for companies to interview job candidates who aren’t local. If you’re offered a Skype interview, you may want to jump for joy and kiss that awkward, stressful in-person interview good-bye! Believe it or not, there is still preparation and technique required for you to ace your Skype job interview!

Follow these 4 tips and you’ll be on your way to interview success!

Dress Smartly.

Even though your interview is on Skype and interviewers might not see your entire outfit, it’s still necessary for you to dress professionally from head to toe as if you’re interview were face to face. First off, dressing professionally will make you feel more professional and ready for the interview. You also never know if you’ll need to get up for whatever reason during the interview. If you do, and you’re wearing pajama pants instead of slacks, this will reflect badly on your interview.

Maintain Good Eye Contact.

Even though your interviewer is not in front of you, you should still maintain good eye contact throughout the entire interview. You shouldn’t be looking at things on your desktop or down at your notes in front of you. Remember you’re still in the hot seat and being assessed for your attentiveness, responses and body language.

Set up an Interview Space.

If you’re doing a Skype interview, you’ll likely be doing it from your own home if you don’t have an office space. You should still set up a clean, organized and professional looking space for your interview though. Make sure you don’t have dirty laundry visible behind you, inappropriate posters and so on. Also check your lighting where you’ll be interviewing to place you in the best light possible.

You also need to make sure that you let any roommates or family know to keep quiet during the entire time, or go out somewhere to give you a quiet space. You may want to turn any phones on silent and make sure there won’t be any loud interruptions during the interview. Since it’s a Skype interview, there may be unavoidable noise or disruptions from outside. Be sure to remain calm and handle any disruptions in a polite and professional manner.

Practice makes Perfect.

As great as the benefits from technology are, there’s still a downside. When having a Skype interview, your connection could be bad, lighting not clear, etc. Make sure to practice with a friend beforehand so you can practice where to look in the camera, lighting, connection and just to get more comfortable having an interview on Skype. Don’t forget to have a back-up internet source in case your internet is having problems.