Being interviewed for a new post is nerve-wracking, especially if the job is really the one that you have dreamed of your whole career. 

The job market is an increasingly competitive place, more so in some industries and sectors than in others. You have applied for the top executive position you have always craved and aimed for throughout your career. The letter arrive, inviting you for a preliminary interview… on the phone.  

This one phrase fills you with dread and, if you have not partaken in a phone interview before, then it can make the idea of talking to future employers, a panel of executives more daunting than ever.  

Why are phone interviews increasing in popularity?

With more candidates applying for positions, employers are presented with an interesting dilemma: spend days interviewing them all or, whittle down the massing throng to a chosen few. And it is for this last reason that many employers are now beginning to use the phone interview as a process of short listing the people they want for the post.  

Not an interview to be taken lightly

Phone interviews take practice and preparation is key and to help you out here are our top tips for getting it right when it comes to phone interviews… 

Take it seriously 

Commonly, many people don’t make it past the phone interview stage simply because they treated it as an informal chat, which it is not in any shape or form. This is not how it is. An interview carried out over the phone can seem a little detached and face-less, but you still have to shine through. Just as you would at a fact-to-face interview, you need to show you are top level material. 

Research, research and more research 

If this is your dream job, then the phone interview stage is clearly important. Picking up the phone and finding you can’t answer the first question they ask is an embarrassment that you want to avoid. Research the company, research the job, find out their history, what they do and don’t do and where you think you could fit in, and what you could offer etc… 

‘Intelligent’ questions 

Really tough, even in a face-to-face interview, is the asking of questions but at higher level interviews, the questions need to be ‘intelligent’. Asking when your tea break is not quite the question they would expect from a high end candidate. From your research, you should be able to create a short list of intelligent questions but also have a firm idea of what it is you would be looking for in the answers.  

A quiet room, with no distractions 

Being able to focus 100% on the phone interview is essential and thus, you need to be prepared. Clearly, if home is not the place, then you need to be able to find an alternative venue where you can be comfortable. The phone interview can sometimes take more preparation than a face-to-face interview, so be prepared to go that extra mile.  

Make sure your phone is charged 

Might sound obvious but, if you are using your mobile, it needs to be full of battery life. If you are using the landline, make sure if it is a cordless handset that it is fully charged too… 

Stand up and smile 

You can tell or read the emotion of a person over the phone so rather than slouching in the corner of the sofa, you need to be ‘suited and booted’ as the saying goes. Body language experts suggest that to create the right impression, you also need to stand and smile as you talk. It is more difficult to read a person’s body language over the phone and so you, as the candidate will need to work a lot harder to get over your personality and character.  

Vary your voice 

In a face-to-face situation, 90% of what people read about the interviewee is from body language and so this important element is missing. Not only do you want to convey your best qualities, but you also need to sound interesting and motivated. The way to do this is with your voice, so make sure you vary your tone and depth of voice. This does not mean breaking out in to impressions of well-known people, however… 

Stop rambling! 

Just like any other kind of interview, make sure you ‘rehearse’ answers and so on, watching out for rambling on when there really is no need. In a phone interview, it can be a death knell as over the phone it can come across even worse than in a face-to-face situation.  

Allow extra time 

Phone interviews, when they go with a swing, can be a great way interview potential employees and can go on for longer than the stipulated time. So, in your schedule allow for this as you really don’t want to cut it short.  

Take notes 

In some cases, the phone interview is the shortlist process that the company uses thus, it is important that you take notes. If you are shortlisted, it could be weeks before the final interviews and you will need notes to refresh your memory.  

Good luck!