“ Oh, no. I have a earphone interview… ”
If that was your reaction to scoring a call interview, then we wholly get it. Phone interviews can be nerve-racking, in partially because there is so much that can potentially get lost in translation. Did the interviewer seem satisfied with your answers ? Did they smile at your jest, or did you just come across as a total jerk ? It can be in truth difficult to tell one direction or the other when you ’ rhenium missing significant gestural cues such as torso lyric, facial expressions, and hand gestures .
Despite their anxiety-inducing nature, earphone interviews aren ’ metric ton all bad. After all, you get to have the interview in the comfort of your own home. Plus, you can have utilitarian materials in battlefront of you and jot down notes ( or barely doodle nervously — we won ’ t judge ). But more importantly, scoring a earphone interview means that you ’ re one footfall closer to landing an internship or getting your dream job !
The secret to crushing the address and impressing your hire director ? Preparation — and lots of it. Below, we ’ ll concisely explain the function of phone interviews before diving into the best ways to prepare for the call .
The Purpose of Phone Interviews
It ’ sulfur no secret that people under the long time of 35 tend to dislike talking on the phone. so, why do some employers and colleges insist on conducting earphone interviews ?
It by and large comes down to convenience and necessity. Some employers may end up having far more qualified applicants than they can realistically consultation. To narrow down their pool of applicants, they ’ ll manipulation earphone interviews to identify the top finalists .
During a phone interview, most employers have the pursue objectives :
- To confirm the applicant ’ randomness interest in the position .
- To make certain that you have the required skills they need .
- To assess cultural match .
- To get a better mind of your expectations, specially on wage and benefits .
In college admissions, telephone interviews are typically conducted by college representatives and former students. These interviews are slightly lower stakes in that your phone interview likely won ’ t make or break your chances of admission. still, you should come into the interview with an idea of what college interview questions will be asked and how you want to answer them .
The main objectives of a college consultation include :
- To get to know the applicant a little better, beyond their test scores and grades .
- To confirm the applicant ’ south sake in the college .
- To discuss the scholar ’ s educational and career goals .
- To answer questions about the college .
How to Prepare for a Phone Interview
Whether you ’ re trying to launch a career, land an internship, or get into your dream school, first impressions are everything. To get an put up letter, you ’ ll want to dazzle the interviewer and showcase yourself in the correct inner light .
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Before you hop on the phone, check out these pre-interview tips to make certain that you ’ re prepare and cook to impress .
1. Confirm the Details
You ’ ve merely scheduled your earphone interview. Woohoo ! Before you forget all the details, start drafting an electronic mail to confirm your consultation .
Confirming a phone interview through electronic mail is constantly a good idea because it ensures that everyone is on the like page with the clock and the date. It besides makes you look professional and shows that you respect the interviewer ’ south fourth dimension .
Before the call interview, you should know the following data :
- When the interviewer will be calling you ( be sure to pay attention to the clock time partition ! )
- Who will be calling you and what placement they have
- The number the interviewer will be calling from
- The issue they can reach you at
- Additional touch information in case the call drops
If any of this information wasn ’ metric ton made clear in the initial margin call or e-mail, don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be afraid to ask the lease team to spell it out for you .
2. Do Your Homework
This one is a no-brainer, right ? flush if your telephone interview is nothing more than a basic screen, it ’ mho authoritative to have a exhaustive understand of the company. The survive thing you want is to get cut from the adjacent circle of interviews because you incidentally revealed your ignorance about the company during the call .
Spend some time learning about the company prior to your earphone interview. What do they do ? Who are their competitors and target markets ? Where is the company headed ? Start thinking about where you might fit into the company and how you can add value .
BTW, you ’ re not doing all this research barely so you can sound smart and enthusiastic on the call — it ’ s significant information for you to know, besides ! indisputable, the lease director is trying to find the best campaigner, but you ’ re besides trying to determine if the company is a good equip for you .
3. Find a Quiet Spot to Interview
The nice thing about earphone interviews is that you don ’ t need to worry about the interviewer judge you on your appearance. The regretful news ? They ’ re definitely evaluating you on your ability to find a repose blot to interview .
We get it. It ’ s not your fault that your andiron randomly barks at cars or that your roommate likes to blast highly forte death metallic element. But a noisy background is super distracting and can make it unmanageable for both you and the interviewer to connect with each other .
To reduce electric potential distractions, let everyone in your family know about the interview in advance and remind them again right before the interview is scheduled to begin. Pick a quiet room that is located away from the kitchen, the media board, and other noisy areas. then, lock yourself in the board so cipher barges in during the interview .
If you ’ re still worried about electric potential make noise, you can besides sit in your car on a quiet street or reserve a league room. fair be sure to scope out your options in advance so you ’ re not scrambling for a better location at the last moment .
4. Research Common Interview Questions
Don ’ triiodothyronine forget to prepare for questions you might be asked during your phone interview. Start by reaching out to people in your network who have worked or interviewed with the company in the past and ask them about potential interview questions .
If you don ’ metric ton know anyone with connections to the company, wear ’ t perspiration it. There are other ways to get the inside scoop on the interview process. For case, Glassdoor has interview questions and reviews that can give you a better idea of what will be asked in your interview .
If you ’ ra interview for internships, you need to be prepared for a different set of questions. Be sure to check out our number of park internship interview questions and know how to answer them.
5. Be Prepared to Ask Thoughtful Questions
Speaking of questions, it ’ s crucial to ask a few questions of your own. Interviews are a bipartisan street !
Near the end of the earphone call, the interviewer will normally ask if you have any questions for them. Be prepared with intelligent questions that can ’ t easily be Googled .
For example, here are a few keystone questions you might want to ask :
- What does a distinctive day look like in this function ?
- Are there opportunities for advancement or professional development ?
- How will my performance be measured ?
- Where do you see this caller in the adjacent few years ?
- Can you tell me a little about the team I ’ ll be working with ?
These questions will give you valuable penetration into the caller. It besides shows the rent team that you ’ re engaged and interest in working for them .
6. Create a Cheat Sheet
news bulletin : cipher is going to see you during a telephone interview. Why not take advantage by making yourself a short cheat sheet that you can keep nearby during the birdcall ?
Cheat sheets are particularly utilitarian if you ’ re apprehensive about freezing up during your interview and forgetting key points that you want to get across to the interviewer. In fact, merely having your notes nearby can go a long way in making you feel more relax on the call .
A darnel sheet can include important notes, anecdotes, talking points, your sketch — anything you want. When creating your document, refer back to the occupation description and type up talking points that help you demonstrate why you ’ re a effective fit for the ship’s company .
7. Practice with a Mock Interview
Are your interview skills a small rust ? Participating in mock interviews ( besides known as practice interviews ) is a big way to rehearse your answers and work away some of the kinks in your interview scheme before the call .
Stop by your school ’ s career center and ask if they offer earphone mock interviews. merely be mindful that they may record the phone call so you can listen to yourself afterwards. Although this may sound agonizing, listening to yourself speak can be highly effective at helping reduce those awful “ ums ” and “ uhs ” on a earphone call .
If you ’ re not affiliated with a school, consider reaching out to a former emboss, coworker, or mentor and asking if you could run your speculate experiences by them. This is a low-pressure way to rehearse your consultation skills — plus, it ’ s an excellent opportunity to get back in touch .
8. Plan for Worst-Case Scenarios
You ’ ve practiced your answers to common interview questions. Your talking points are printed out and ready to go. Everything is going according to plan — until abruptly, it isn ’ thymine. The call drops. The interviewer forgets your interview. The call is dragging on and you didn ’ triiodothyronine book enough fourth dimension for the league room .
While these scenarios aren ’ triiodothyronine likely to happen, it ’ s a adept idea to plan for them ampere much as you can. Be proactive by thinking about the most common worst-case scenarios and imagining how you might respond .
9. Set Up a Professional Voicemail
“ Hello ? Helloooo ? Just pull the leg of, this is my voice mail. Leave a message ! ”
many of us have fallen for this classical voice mail buffoonery before. One person who credibly won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be laughing : the lease director — or any recruiter that comes calling, for that count .
Before your call consultation, go to a quietly room and set up a professional voice mail. Stick to a bare, “ Hi, this is [ your name ]. I ’ m not available right now, but please leave your name and count and I ’ ll get back to you arsenic soon as I can. Thanks ! ”
besides, don ’ thyroxine forget to regularly open your voice mail messages to avoid a broad inbox. nothing is more torment to an interviewer than playing a game of telephone chase with an applicant .
10. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Feeling alert and refreshed on the day of your earphone interview is fabulously significant. If you ’ ra dazed from a lack of sleep, the interviewer will probable be able to hear your exhaustion through the telephone — not a great first base stamp !
To set yourself up for a big night ’ mho sleep, turn off engineering a few hours before you go to bed. Blue light from digital screens can mess with your circadian rhythm method of birth control and keep you awake. Do a few brooding exercises before bed to help you relax and consider sipping on sleep-inducing drinks ( Yogi ’ s Soothing Caramel Bedtime will knock you right out, FYI ) .
Additional Tips for Phone Interview Success
- Make your answers detailed, but abbreviated. The interview should be a 50/50 exchange .
- smile on the earphone. While the interviewer can ’ t actually see you, smiling on the phone will make you sound warmer and friendlier .
- Keep your call amply charged .
- Do not chew mumble during the interview .
- Use headphones. It reduces backdrop noise and will help the interviewer hear you better .
- Have a bottle of water nearby in encase you need to clear your throat .
Wrapping Up
Phone interviews typically don ’ t take farseeing — about 30 minutes or less, normally. But don ’ triiodothyronine lashkar-e-taiba that jester you into thinking you can take the “ wing it ” border on. By knowing how to prepare for a call consultation, you can showcase your best side and make it to the adjacent orotund of interviews .
good fortune !
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