Best Tips For Phone Interviews

After sending out your resume to prospective employers, there’s a great likelihood that you will be getting a phone interview.  This interview may be a response to your application, a phone call from a headhunter, or a scheduled time to speak with the hiring manager. Jobfox scam tells us that in some companies, they want to make sure that they have screened all the applicants via phone first to determine if they should proceed to a face to face meeting. Phone interviews can be exciting and tricky at the same time, so you want to make sure that you are able to use this chance to your benefit. (You can read more on this subject here.)

It will not be advisable for you to use a speaker phone; speak directly into the mouthpiece so that you will be clearly understood. Make sure that you avoid chewing gum, inhaling deeply or even smoking! While this may sound preposterous, there are some applicants that try to calm themselves down by lighting up a cigarette. The last thing you want is for a non-smoking interviewer to screen you out because you started to make puffing sounds over the phone.

You should also be able to give out verbal nods while the interviewer is speaking. Most likely, they will go ahead and provide you a brief summary of their company, the kind of profile they’re looking for or any discussion that can take more than a few seconds. Interjecting verbal nods such as okays and uh-huhs can help show interest and engagement in the discussion.

A phone interview has both advantages and disadvantages: because they don’t see you, they will not notice your sweaty palms or if you’re fidgeting. On the other hand, the hiring manager will only rely on your voice to gauge your skills and capabilities, and for those of you who are not too confident in their communication skills, that can be an added pressure. If you get a call in the middle of a busy workday or in the midst of playing with your kids, the first thing you need to do is to stay calm and collected. Let the interviewer know that you may need some time to move to a quieter place. Take a deep breath and make sure that you have a smile in your voice as you speak.