Telephone interviews traditionally last 25 – 45 minutes.
A telephone interview gives the employer an insight to your suitability to the role AND an opportunity to experience your communication skills and ability to have a conversation on the telephone – a key skill in any role!
Telephone interviews are generally competency based. Competencies are skills, such as communication, problem solving, team work, organisation etc.
The questions will be targeted on the skills needed to do the job, so remember to review the job description.
Each candidate will be asked the same set of questions, although the Recruiter / Hiring Manager may ask additional follow up questions based on your answers if they need clarity or want to find out more. This is helpful for candidates as it provides a chance to offer additional useful evidence related to the skill area.
Know the job description (JD). Thoroughly read the JD and highlight key parts – including the skills that the employer is looking for from candidates.
Prepare examples of your experiences that evidence that you have the skills on the job description.
Have two examples of each skill listed. The employer may ask for another example if they feel your first example hasn’t been comprehensive enough to fully demonstrate the skill.
Focus not just on the ‘how’ part in your example, but also on the outcome/impact – how did the use of that skill enable a great outcome/result.
Research preparation: Employer website
Thoroughly research the employer. The more you know about and understand the employer, the better targeted your responses will be to the interview questions.
Review their website and look at the following sections to gain an insight into the employer, key development and culture:
Values / Culture section
News and press section
Careers/working here section
Follow the employer on LinkedIn and other social media. You will be able to access latest news, updates and insights that could be useful in an interview.
Practical preparation
Check the time! Be ready five minutes before to answer the phone.
Be somewhere quiet, with good network reception. Check this in advance.
Tell the people you live with not to come into the room or to make noise outside the room. You do not want to be distracted.
Set yourself up in advance. Make sure you are at a desk and your phone is fully charged.
Dress smartly. Even though the employer can’t see you, it is helpful to make sure you are in a ‘professional mindset’.
Sit up straight. It really does makes a big difference to your voice projection. Some people prefer to stand – it can help energise!
Read the paper/listen to the news in the few days before the interview. You may be asked about a current news story.
On the day of the telephone interview
Have in front of you:
A note book and pen.
A drink of water.
Key facts about the company you have discovered that could be useful to have noted – you may be asked what you have found out about the organisation.
The job description (JD).
Examples of your experiences that correlate to the skills on the JD.
Your CV – you could be asked questions on your CV.
A list of questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview.
Answer the phone professionally – first impressions count.
Speak slowly. The interviewers will be taking notes – make their job easier by speaking at a steady pace. The more they can hear of your response, and have time to make note, the better it is for you.
Give the interviewer sufficient time to complete the question before you respond. Leave a couple of seconds at the end of the question to make sure they have finished before you respond.
If you need to, ask them to repeat or clarify the question. You will never be marked down for gaining clarification.
At the end of the interview
Confirm the next step – will it lead to a video interview/virtual assessment centre?
Find out who to contact if you require further information after the interview.
Thank the interviewers for their time, and finish off with saying ‘I look forward to hearing from you’.
Make sure you have disconnected the call properly.
Send a thank you follow up email after the telephone call.
