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These days, many recruiters have decided to save everyone the hassle of a walk-in interview and take a new approach to hire: phone interviews.
This has birthed a new form of anxiety for candidates. How do they know it's going smoothly? Since they can't see the interviewer physically and watch out for body language cues, how do they know they aced it?
Thoughts of a phone interview can be overwhelming especially if you haven't undergone one before, but be rest assured, if many people have nailed phone interviews, you can too. Read further to know how to crush a phone interview and get hired.
Phone interviews: How to nail them
Use the 5Ps rule - Proper preparation prevents poor performance. It's normal to feel nervous in anticipation of a phone interview but as you prepare, you get much more confident and this reduces the risk of you stumbling over your words, being completely void of words, being incoherent or any other thing that can send the interview down south. It really helps to get a friend to practice and role play with.
Practice good phone etiquette
Bad etiquette is a huge turn off. It is one of those things that can leave a bad mark and close the door of the opportunity. The general rules are;
Don't Interrupt while the interviewer is speaking, wait for your turn to take the stage
Listen actively. Don't just listen to the interviewer because you want to make a good reply. Really understand what the interviewer is saying.
Don't ramble on and on, leaving no chance for the interviewer to get a full sentence in. It's not a battle of words.
Maintain a good pace of speech. Don't talk so fast that you can't be heard but don't also slur your speech.
Smile while talking. Sure the other person can't see your smile but it gives a tint of friendliness in your voice that can be sensed by the other person.
Take the call in a quiet undisturbed place
During the interview, if your interviewer gets wind of background noise and chaos, you can come across as an ill-prepared and unorganized person. The interviewer might think, "If this candidate can't even set things in place for a basic interview, how much more a job?" And just like that, a potential job offer could be gone. Hence, it is important to rid your interview space of pets, children, people, basically anything can pose a distraction. The rule is, if it doesn't contribute towards a good interview, it should be taken out.
Assemble all materials
You really don't want to be in the middle of an interview and then scramble around for your documents. Again, your interviewer can sense that through the phone and you can risk losing the job offer.
Before the D-day, make copies of important materials like your resumé and cover letter. It also helps to have a list of likely questions you might be asked and their answers.
Prove your worth
The interview aims at one purpose- to determine if you're the right fit. Being mellow and playing low is leaving money on the table. Highlight key strengths, skills, unique personality traits and emphasize how they align with the company's objectives.
Maintain an air of professionalism
An interview being on the phone doesn't take the seriousness out of it, it's no casual affair. Although, you would want to come across as friendly and likable, also maintain professionalism that can be detected in your manner of speech. That means no vain talk, no slangs and a firm yet friendly tone of voice.
Get dressed
It may seem pointless but how you dress doesn't just dictate how you'd be addressed, it also dictates how you feel. You're in doubt? Throw on a suit and find out.
Final note:
Phone interviews aren't difficult to scale, head into them calm and confident and you would find yourself nailing it.
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Read this too: Unique questions to ask a recruiter during an interview