Telephone interviews are often one of the first stages of the recruitment process, so it’s important to make a good impression on the call. Prepare in advance, take the call in a quiet environment and stay enthusiastic when you are answering or asking questions.

More and more recruiters are using a telephone interview as one of the early stages in the recruitment process. The telephone interview enables the recruiter to select the best candidates to move forward to the next step.

With that in mind, make sure that you prepare for this stage of the recruitment process as you would any other stage.

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Preparing for your interview

Typically you will know when a telephone interview is going to take place, so make sure that you are ready for the call – don’t take the call when out shopping, don’t allow your three year old brother to answer the call for you, and do make sure your phone battery is going to last! A telephone interview is the same as any other interview: you still need to prepare for the interview as you would any other.

What the interviewer wants to find out

The recruiter conducting the telephone interview is assessing whether you have the communication skills required, whether you have a genuine interest in the position, if you have the skills required for the role – and ultimately whether they should take the time to meet you in person.

There are no visual cues over the phone, so remember that communication is key. Be confident and positive, smile – they will be able to hear the enthusiasm. Be comfortable, but not too comfortable – are you going to be at your best lying in bed in your PJs, using the recruiter’s call as an alarm clock? Or would you feel more confident once you are up, dressed, and ready to answer any question the interviewer will ask?

Answering questions

As with any interview, listen to the questions and structure your answers so that they are clear and concise. Don’t ramble, and remember: if there is a moment of silence, the interviewer is likely making notes on what you are saying, not waiting for you to say more! There is a tendency to feel the need to cover your desk with interview preparation notes, but don’t let those notes become a distraction. Keep your notes to a minimum, if you use any at all. The call will flow a lot more easily if you are not constantly pausing, desperately searching for that example of your great organizational skills you wrote down earlier!

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Asking questions

Once the recruiter has finished questioning you, don’t forget to ask them questions of your own. This shows interest. Ask about the company, their values, the next steps – anything that genuinely interests you and that is related to the company or the role.

Once the call is over, don’t forget to send a thank-you note or email reiterating how much you enjoyed the call and that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

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