TIPS TO ACE YOUR NEXT PHONE INTERVIEW
We all know phone interviews are awkward and sometimes can be nerve-racking, trying to impress a stranger on the other end of the phone without the benefit of body language is very difficult. Every time the two of you speak over one another by accident, you cringe a little more. We know phone interviews can be a little tough to ace but once you know all things required to make it go right, we can assure you all the fear will go away. No matter how uncomfortable phone interviews are, they’re integral pieces of the hiring process for most organizations as it is an easy process to hire candidates and does not take a lot of effort and time. If you want a job, there’s a good chance you’ll have to ace a phone interview. Here are some tips and tricks for you to ace your next phone interview. Things to do before your interview
- Record a professional sounding voicemail message:if your updated resume in online on various sites, potential recruiters can call you any time anywhere. This will ensure that a professional response to the interview will ring sooner than you’ve expected it to be.
- Print out a cheat sheet of facts about the company: during a phone interview, all the main emphasis is on your knowledge and engagement would be higher than if you met in person.
- Take your seat ten minutes before the appointment time so you can get in the right headspace: the one and only thing you can control in your phone interview is your environment. Always remember to be comfortable and undisturbed as that is the time you need to focus on your answer and you can only do that when you are free of all other things.
- Warm up your voice: it is very important to be clear and précises during a phone interview, vocal warm-ups can help you to relax and help you to get used to your own voice.
- Switch off push notifications on your phone: unwanted beeps and interruptions during your interview can distract you and can suit your concentration and can sound very unprofessional to the interviewee.
- Keep a list of all the job requirements handy and try to mention each one during the interview: the benefit of a phone interview is that you can have notes around you as prompts. Make sure you have read them twice or thrice before the interview starts.
- Always keep a pen and a paper with you to make brief notes of everything that is being said during the interview: it is very easy to lose focus in an interview when you don’t have a visual connection with the person who is interviewing Picking up with the small details will show that you are engaged with the process and that youreattentive.
- Sit up straight and put your chest out: research has shown that power poses can actually improve your confidence on a hormonal level and make it easier for you to identify “ empowering, positive” traits about yourself.
- Be honest about any major distraction that may crop up: an interviewer is also a human and will surely understand if something unusual happens. Its better to be direct rather than covering it all up, you may sound dishonest.
- End the interview by asking what the next steps are: ask them what kind of timeframe they expect out of you. If you follow up with the company for an answer too soon or too often, you may look unprofessional.
- Send a follow-up note: send a follow-up message thanking the interviewer for their time and interest, this is a great way to demonstrate youre organized, proactive and polite.
- Hold off on making social media connections: adding a potential employer on LinkedIn may seem a little forward. Avoid adding the employer on other social media platforms too like facebook, Instagram, twitter etc.
- Send a thank you note if you find out you didn’t get the job: remember that industry professional talk to each other. How you deal with rejection is an important part of building your reputation in the industry.