Preparing For Your Telephone Interview: What To Say...

In all probability your telephone interview may be the first contact that the prospective new employer has with you. Therefore, it is important to prepare thoroughly for your phone interview if you are to improve your chances of winning the job itself.

I wrote this page about interviews by telephone to help you prepare for them and I will outline the importance of this type of job interview, why they are used by employers and what interview skills you need to concentrate on. You can also download my own interview guide plus supplementary e-books to help you prepare thoroughly.

From an organization's perspective, the telephone interview is a highly effective tool to quickly determine which candidates to interview in person and allows them to reach a number of people quickly, thus enabling the reduction of a long 'short-list' to a final short list of candidates to call in for a face to face interview to see if they really are suitable for the job on offer.

How To Prepare For A Telephone Interview

From your perspective as a candidate for employment, the phone interview allows you to talk to the organization without the pressure of a face to face meeting and with all your notes, other aids and data at hand.

Begin by studying the job description and the person specification or candidate profile. This will enable you to identify the organization's particular needs and what specific information you need to successfully demonstrate that you possess the skills and experience they require.

Before your telephone interview, do some research to discover all you can about the organization's products, services, history, and culture. Make particular efforts to identify where your skills and experience match their processes and may be of value to them.

Your online research must include a visit to the organization's website. Get a feel for what it is like and what you think an outsiders impression will be; you may be asked to comment upon it.

Write your own list matching your achievements to the organization's stated requirements. Keep this list in front of you during the interview and refer to it at every opportunity.

A telephone interview is similar to other interviews and demands the use of the same interview skills so avoid any temptation to generalize when asked about your accomplishments. Be specific, for example "improved stock turnover by 36%" or "reduced scrap waste by 24%". It helps to have a copy of your CV to hand at all times.

Interviewers need to hear about relevant challenges or problems you have experienced in the workplace, the specific actions you took, and the measurable results you achieved. They seek to identify key competencies such as communication skills, analytical skills, teamwork, drive and initiative. Work out and write down some examples of how and when you have demonstrated these key competencies.

As with any interview, it is a good idea to compile a list of likely interview questions beforehand. To simulate the telephone interview ask a friend to 'interview' you by phone first. Prepare your answers carefully, matching your words and phrases to the job description and candidate profile. It's best not to write out your answers in full because they never end up sounding natural or spontaneous.

Make sure that other family members know you are expecting the phone interview and keep the line clear and away from the the area you are using so will not be disturbed during the phone call. Keep your resume and cover letter, a copy of the job advertisement, and all your notes in front of you. Have a pen and notepad by you and jot down key points throughout the course of the telephone interview.

Professional presenters will tell you that it is a good idea to stand during a telephone interview as this makes you sound more confident and helps project a positive and professional image and that smiling creates a friendly and enthusiastic impression. So make an effort. To help you in establishing rapport on the phone, try to match your speaking rate and pitch to that of the interviewer.

Interview Tips - do's and dont's:

• Don't tell your whole life story - they really want to know what you can do.

• Keep to simple language and be easy to understand. No shortcuts or jargon.

• Try to make it sound interesting. Let the interviewer enjoy your accomplishments.

• Credit the interviewer with having read your CV. (Even if he hasn't)

• Be specific; cite facts. Don't fall into the "I've got a lot to offer" trap. Say exactly what you've got to offer.

• Quantify your results - numerically, if possible.

• Gently dramatize the problem so your results can be important.

• Use I, not we. Claiming an accomplishment ain't bragging if you did it. And it's you they might hire!

• Use concrete examples.

• Tell what you did that is unique. Leave out the methodology unless they ask how you did it

• Be relevant to the interviewer’s questions.

• Always make a point which favours your cause.

• Help the listener conclude. Tell him/her what is relevant about your accomplishment; ‘which means that…’

Yes there's a lot to think about, but these interview tips will stay with you once you've read them through.

As with every interview it is important to convey the impression that you are genuinely interested in the organization and eager to make a contribution, so include references to information you discovered during the course of your research.

Listen carefully to the interviewer's questions and comments. If you don't understand a question, its OK to ask for clarification. Provide well-developed, balanced, and analytical answers, not just a simple 'yes' or 'no'.

"My telephone interview coaching is successful because I have trained hundreds of people like you in interview techniques and I can therefore teach you how to present yourself most effectively to potential employers"
Peter Fisher your-career-change.com

Flexible, Confidential Telephone Coaching

The telephone interview coaching sessions are flexible and may include a practice interview, feedback and advice on answering questions. You will be asked a series of relevant interview questions as you would be in a real interview so that you will understand the likely questions and how to structure your answers to them. All discussions are confidential.

This service may also include;

• A practice interview
• Feedback on how to improve your interview performance
• Advice on how to answer difficult interview questions
• Answers and formulation of competency based interview questions
• How to formulate answers to competency based interview questions
• Most common interview questions
• Help on recognising, interpreting and using body language to build rapport with your interviewer
• Tips on handling different types of interviews including panel and telephone interviews
• Winning the best job offer: negotiating salary, start dates and references

Telephone Interview Coaching Fees

My fees for telephone interview coaching start at just £30.00 + VAT for a 30-minute session and are based on the amount of time you book; book more time and the rate per 30-minute session is reduced. For example, when you book a total of 2 hours coaching at the same time you will pay just £90 +VAT.

Most people choose to take a total of two hours coaching but I usually find that two one-hour sessions taken a week apart are more effective than trying to do everything in a single two-hour session.

I will then email you a brief questionnaire to find out what you are most need from your telephone interview coaching so that I can tailor the service to suit your specific needs. I’ll also ask you to schedule the days and times that suit you best.

Number of 30-minute sessions required:

Ring me, Peter Fisher on 01270 881811 for more details and a preliminary discussion about how telephone interview coaching can benefit you...

This telephone interview coaching programme is highly recommended because it gives you an opportunity to practise your answers before the real interview and there is nothing like receiving feedback from a person who understands what you are going through and can help you to polish your interview performance. That person is me, Peter Fisher, the owner of this site who will help you prepare fully for the real event.

You may be asked to explain your reasons for wanting to leave your present job, so make sure you have positive reasons prepared. Under no circumstances should you criticize your previous employers or colleagues. Having researched the organization and analyzed the job description as suggested, you should find it easy to prepare a few thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer when the opportunity arises.

At the end of the phone call, emphasize your interest in the job and the organization and reiterate your qualifications.

After the telephone interview, write a short thank-you letter, again reiterating that you would welcome the opportunity of a face-to-face interview.

Are you bothered about using the phone? Please read this page: Telephone Phobia

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