How to win at a phone interview -

How to win at a phone interview - Companies often use phone interviews to screen candidates before meeting in person. Seize your chance to impress the interviewer so he or she cant help but want to meet you in person. Consider the following dos and donts. How to have winning phone interviews Dont miss the details. What time is the interview? Is the interviewer calling you, or is it up to you to place the call? Does everyone have the right phone numbers? Who will be interviewing you? (Make sure to get the correct spelling of their names and also their contact information so you can easily follow up with thank you notes.) When the interview is remote, its very easy to muck up the key details, but if you are waiting for a call and the interviewer expected you to initiate the conversation, youve lost an opportunity. Its wise to send an email to confirm all the specifics so everyone is on the same page. Dont take the call from a noisy place. There is nothing worse (for you and the interviewer) than trying to have a serious conversation when there is a lot of noise in the background. It does not matter if the noise is your daughters soccer game or the cappuccino machine at the local coffee shop; its up to you to find a quiet place to take the call. If you dont, the interviewer will question your judgment, and no employer wants to hire someone who doesnt make good decisions. Dont forget to tell your friends and family youre on a business call. Even if you are in your home office with the door closed, if your roommate or family members dont know youre on an important call, expect to be interrupted. Dont schedule an interview when you have other responsibilities. Needless to say, its not a good idea to schedule an interview while youre at work. Other bad times: when youre in charge of children, driving or expecting a service person or visitor. Make sure you can give the interviewer your complete attention, or you may regret it later. Dont interrupt for a call thats waiting. Just as you would never answer your phone during an in-person interview, dont ever be tempted to ask the interviewer to wait a minute so you can pick up the call thats waiting. Not only is it rude, but its possible youll get disconnected. When you are in an interview, give the interviewer all your focus and attention. Do write some notes and refer to them. Be ready for the interview. Take advantage of the fact that the interviewer cant see you and keep a few notes handy to help you remember to say all of your key points. Use bullet points, not complete paragraphs. (You dont want to read them word-for-word.) Do prepare as you would for an in-person meeting. Just because the meeting is over the phone doesnt mean the employer isnt serious about your candidacy. Return the favor and prepare and research as you would for an in-person interview. Learn all you can about the organization, their successes and their concerns. Be prepared to explain exactly why you are a good fit for the job. Emote. In a phone interview, you need to be extra attentive about your tone and enthusiasm. If necessary, stand up when youre on the call. Smile and gesture as you would in person to help make sure you verbally project your interest in the job. Use a phone that wont drop the call. You do not want to lose the interviewer in the midst of your conversation. Be sure to take the call on a reliable phone in a location that isnt typically problematic. Listen carefully and take notes as long as it doesnt distract you. Just as its OK to refer to your prepared notes during your interview, you can take advantage of the phone interview setup to write down things during the interview so youll remember them later. It can be helpful to jot down a few things so you can write detailed thank you notes. Dont feel compelled to transcribe every word, but some well-placed notes may help you later. Youll be glad when you get the job. A phone interview can be a great opportunity to shine, and without the pressure to shake hands well or dress in exactly the right thing, it can be a lot easier than an in-person meeting. Dont blow your opportunity to make the most of this chance.