Answering Phone Interview questions well is so important, more than you may think.  The other day I spoke with a job seeker who had phone interview that lasted over an hour. The conversation went well, and he thought he made a great impression on the recruiter.  They asked tough interview questions, and he was prepared to give them thoughtful answers. Surely enough, he was invited to an in-person interview at the company’s headquarters.

If you think a phone interview should not be taken seriously, you’re quite mistaken. Sure, phone interviews are used to screen candidates, but they are very much a real interview.  Often, candidates expect to be asked basic questions, thinking they do not need to prepare.  Any reputable company with a good recruiter, though, will ask tough interview questions on the phone because they simply do not want to waste time (and sometimes money) meeting the wrong candidates in person.  Had the job seeker I met with not prepared for his interview, he would probably not have made it any further.

Often I hear from prospective clients that “it’s just a telephone interview,” later telling me they “hope” to get a face-to-face interview.  I always tell them to prepare just as they would for an in-person interview because they simply can never know for sure what kinds of interview questions are asked. It is much better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.

The truth is that you can’t get to the next step without getting past the phone interview.  Just because you are qualified on paper does not guarantee you that you will have your chance to make your case in person.  Instead you need to focus on impressing whoever you are talking to on the phone, whether it is a recruiter or even the hiring manger.

Difficult Phone Interview Questions

Here are the basic interview questions that good recruiters ask candidates during the phone interview.  Some are trick questions and others are designed to put you on the spot to see how you react. These tougher questions help the interviewer understand who you are and why you are a good fit for the company.

1. “How would your boss describe you? How would your best friend describe you?”

Employers want to find out whether you are passionate about what you do and responsive to the needs of others.  It is often hard to gauge a job seeker’s passion over the phone in a matter of minutes. That is why one common (but tough) phone interview question asks how your manager perceives you as well as how your best friend perceives you.

By asking this question, the interviewer wants to know how you are both on the job as well as in your free time.  He/she wants to see, especially, whether there are any differences between the two situations.  For example, does your manager perceive you as a poor team player but your best friend would say you are always there for them?  Would your manager say you care about making a difference at work, and your best friend would agree that you care about the world around you?  Would your manager say you are well composed but your best friend would say you are a train wreck?

You should answer these questions authentically.  If necessary, take a pause to think about how to answer the question thoughtfully and tactfully, using examples that are relevant to the job.  If the job requires that you are organized, and you really are, give examples of that in both your professional and personal worlds. Don’t pretend to be something that you are not, because it will get discovered, whether it’s at the interview or later when you’re on the job.

2. “Why are you interested in this job?”

This question may seem straightforward but it really goes deeper beneath the surface. How you answer this phone interview question will provide a view into how much you care about the company or the opportunity.  Your interviewer will try to “read between the lines” to decipher whether you have done your research on the company and have thought through how the opportunity fits your skills and career goals.

Your interviewer will look for candidates who have gone above and beyond to understand the company as well as its products and services.  To a recruiter or hiring manager, candidates who show diligence and care will likely carry it into their work, and those who do not spend a few minutes on the company’s website will probably do the bare minimum (if at all) on the job. Don’t put your work ethic in question… Spend some time researching the company, taking pre-interview notes, and be prepared to answer this phone interview question that is likely to come up!

3. “What’s one of your proudest accomplishments?”

This phone interview question is an opportunity to showcase your strengths, so don’t let this opportunity pass.  While you should be able to identify, quickly, what successes you have recently had on the job, you will need to be able to tell it in a concise way that is easily understood and remembered by your interviewer. When your interviewer hears your response, they are listening for you to speak in a way that is well thought out, articulate, and organized.  They are also looking for confidence and a sense of personal accountability.

When you answer this phone interview question, make sure you speak not only about the challenge but also the outcome of the situation.  How did what you do help your team or company move forward in some way? Using the STAR technique (covered in our Interview Course) can help you craft a response to this question in a structured yet conversational format.

4. “How much do you expect to get paid?”

Skills are only part of the hiring equation.  The company wants to know if it can afford your skills and whether your expertise is worth it to them.  Often, the “salary question” is asked during the phone interview process as a way of screening out candidates that the company can not afford, or whose skills they do not feel are a good value for the money.

Before you start talking pay (and salary negotiations) with a prospective employer, you need to find out how much the job (and you) are worth. You will need to take the time to understand the job itself and then research salaries. That way you will be prepared to negotiate the salary that you’re worth.  For now, if asked your salary requirements, you should try to hold off on it and even try to get them to name the number first.  You could say, politely: “I am very interested in learning more about this opportunity and determining its market worth. Is there a range you already have budgeted?”

5. “What is your ideal job?”

Companies want to hire candidates who care more about the opportunity than the pay.  (Sure, we all work to make money, but research shows that money is not the be-all, end-all to motivating employees.)  To gauge what motivates you as an employee, they will look for clues you give.  They will look for your personal story to show how you have taken ownership of your career.

As you answer this phone interview question, explain what drives you in your career.  Think about what is motivating you to look now, and what you are looking for in your next company.  Of course, no job will be perfect; but what will make you happy to stay a while?  Talk about how your past jobs have led you up to this point, and how this next job will get you where you want to be.  Most importantly, show how you are accountable for your own destiny… How will you work, what will you do, to get where you want to be?

Focus on How You Answer Phone Interview Questions

Phone interviews are challenging because of everything that could possibly go wrong — dropped calls, background noise, and even misunderstandings due to lack of body language. It’s up to you to keep the energy high and to be prepared to answer the phone interview questions you are asked. Not every question has a “right” or “wrong” answer, after all.  By focusing on projecting a positive image of yourself, through your tone of voice as well as your choice of words, you will create a lasting, positive impression on your interviewer.

Practice makes perfect, and that is especially true with phone interviews.  Take time to practice answering phone interview questions numerous times, until it becomes second nature to you.  When you are most prepared, you will be confident when the time comes for the phone interview.