9 Tips to Ace Your Phone Interviews

Job hunting is a long and tricky process. You’ve reached out to countless companies, uploaded dozens of personalized cover letters and résumés and, low and behold, you finally landed the initial phone interview!

Treat it very seriously, if not more seriously than any other standard interview. This is your first point of real contact with the company, so you want to be prepared, make a good impression and hopefully make it to the next round of interviews.

To help you navigate through this process, we have categorized the phone interview into three parts:

• Before the call
• During the call
• After the call

Follow these 9 tips to help you ace the interview!

BEFORE THE CALL

1. Read the job description and practice connecting your past experiences/skills to the job duties.
2. Practice a mock interview either in front of a mirror or with a friend.
3. Research and learn about the organization (their culture, mission and operations) and prepare a list of questions you can ask.. Don’t forget to jot down questions about specific job duties and skills.
4. Make sure you’re on time and in a quiet/private space.
   • Stand and dress as if you’re interviewing in person
   • Do not interview in your car or on public transportation
   • Schedule your interview when you have ample time, so you don’t feel rushed. You’ll want to make sure you have a “buffer.” Be honest about any time constraints. If you need to reschedule, do so sooner rather than later.

DURING THE CALL

1. Place your updated résumé near you in case you need to reference it..
2. Don’t dwell on any negative experiences with past employers.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask about compensation and whether or not it’s negotiable. Interviewers will be honest regarding “wiggle room” and we know it’s an important part of the job. Just don’t make it your main focus.

AFTER THE CALL

1. Send a “Thank you” follow-up email about 24 hours after the interview.
2. If you don’t hear back, don’t be afraid to follow up with your interviewer.

By putting in just a little extra effort prior to you phone interview, you could land your dream job!

Reposted with permission from Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc.