During a Phone Interview you feel less pressure, you don’t have to worry if you’re having a bad hair day or if you spill red sauce on your white shirt. You can put all these on hold and try to do your best in order to get to phase two: the face-to-face interview. You need to focus on one thing only: what you say. Be calm, confident, relaxed and you will definitely nail it.

If this is your first interview, you probably have a lot of questions: what will you talk about, what should you say, etc.

What’s a phone interview about?

Usually, a phone interview is a preliminary phase in the recruitment process. That means you are a potential candidate, and if you do well, you can make it to the face-to-face interview and then to the shortlist. This kind of interview is usually about general things meant to give both the interviewer and you the chance to talk about the job and how your experience would apply to it.

What to expect from the interviewer: questions about your motivation, previous experience, skills, if you agree with special requirement like relocating or travelling, etc.

What should you focus on: don’t miss the opportunity to ask about the company’s future projects (complexity and duration); workflow dynamics, what are they expecting from you in terms of responsibilities, etc.

These might seem the usual things one discusses at an interview, but it can say about you more than you think. An experienced interviewer can see right through you, even if you’re at the other side of the phone. So, it’s better to prepare before the interview as if you’re doing a face-to-face one. Think of potential questions and write the answers on a piece of paper. The interviewer will want to see:

• Your way of thinking and the way you build your arguments;
• How you react in hypothetical situations – this type of questions usually tests your creativity and the ability to adapt;
• Your own values – from the way you talk, tone of voice, vocabulary;
• Your knowledge and expertise level – from the answers you give, superficial or complex;
• Emotions – if your voice trembles or if you talk too fast it means that you are nervous. Try to keep calm, think before you answer and seem confident.

You need to be as prepared and well presented as you would be for a face-to-face interview. Go through these tips and you’ll feel more prepared and less scared.

• Go through the job description and take into consideration all the things mentioned above to anticipate potential questions from the interviewer. You can even ask a friend to role play. You could get valuable feedback on whether you’re speaking clearly and how many ‘errms’ you are using.
• Choose a quiet place with no possible interruptions;
• Keep the phone at a proper distance – aprox. 1 cm and be careful not to speak softly or too loud;
• Talking about the things you’re good at can add confidence to your voice. Maximize this by saying things like “I am sure that…”, “I appreciate the fact that…” instead of “it’s okay, but…”, “I’ll try to”;
• Keep it simple and structured. Don’t try elaborate answers, because of the nerves it is very likely you’ll get lost in the train of thought and will only make you seem unprepared;
• This is a no brainer, and many people tend not to pay much attention to it. Be polite, never interrupt your interlocutor and don’t even think of lying. What you have to transmit is: respect, politeness and honesty;
• Smile, it “shows” even if you’re on the phone. If you smile it can make you sound confident and friendly. And if you use hand gestures it can help you to sound enthusiastic and expressive. Also, sit up straight and lean forward slightly, as it can help concentration.

Photo credit: http://www.seek.co.nz/

Remember: words are all you’ve got. In a phone interview what you say is even more important than in a face-to-face one. You haven’t got the luxury of non-verbal communication, so make sure you concentrate on every word the interviewer says, and make sure you’re doubly clear on the words you say.