Phone interviews can be a tricky part of the hiring process. Picking up the phone cold and speaking with a recruiter or hiring manager can be stressful, especially if you’re not too sure what the person on the other side of the phone is looking for.
Don’t get intimidated with the phone interview. Instead, keep these tips and strategies in mind to help you communicate your technical skills and background effectively so you can move on to the next stage in the hiring process.
Do Your Background Research Before The Call
Many people who don’t make it past the phone interview struggle because they weren’t prepared. A lack of interest, enthusiasm, or knowledge is going to come out in your vocal tone and how you answer questions. Instead, take time to research the company, details about the role, and try to ask insightful questions when you have a chance. All of these elements will make the phone conversation more engaging for both sides.
Just Be Honest
Hiring managers or recruiters want honesty during a phone interview. They don’t have the time or interest in sifting through complicated ideas. Remember, if you’re on a phone interview – the company sees some potential with your resume. Now’s your time to be honest about your experience and realistic about the times you succeeded and failed. Doing so during a phone interview builds trust and makes you seem genuine.
Tell A Story
Many phone interviews are about getting a sense of the types of skills an employee has while also seeing if they could fit into a company team. For those on a call, storytelling is the way to go here. While on a phone interview, describe what you can do by telling a story about a project. Include the problem, the people you worked with, and then get narrower with the tools and skills you relied on to solve the issue.
Demonstrating initiative and a sense of self-sufficiency in figuring out issues goes a long way towards landing an in-person interview after a phone call. Storytelling is also an excellent opportunity to swap out your “I” statements with “we.”
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