17 Phone Interview Tips You Don’t Want To Miss

An interview is one of the make or break moments in your job search. Often for convenience, they are conducted over the phone. Phone interviews make it easy for recruiters and applicants to get in touch without having to schedule a meeting in person.

Phones allow us to connect with people all over the world. This makes it easy for applicants and recruiters to do interviews with people who are looking to relocate or have a busy schedule.

It’s important to be ready and prepared for any phone interview. Here are a few phone interview tips:

1. Stay on topic. Phone interviews are not a casual conversation.
2. Be in a quiet place to minimize distractions.
3. Stay in one place.
4. Have a printed copy of your details, resume, and any questions you have so that you can refer to it.
5. Take notes.
6. Be near the Internet in case you need to quickly reference something.
7. Listen and clearly answer all questions.
8. Do NOT answer call waiting.
9. Use a landline whenever possible to eliminate bad cell signal reception.
10. If you use a cell phone, don’t accidentally hit the mute button with your cheek!
11. Allow plenty of time.
12. Don’t take the call if you have prior obligations or are in a time crunch.
13. Have a professional voicemail in case you miss the call.
14. Remember your interviewer’s name.
15. Don’t eat snacks.
16. Let your interviewer speak, don’t interrupt.
17. Do not use a speaker phone because it picks up background noise.

Phone interviews are just like any other interview. They are very important. If the recruiter calls at an inconvenient time, apologize and reschedule. Always keep it professional and you’ll nail your interview.

US News has additional tips that you should read to help you ace your next phone interview. Apply for a job on JobMonkeyJobs today and get ready for your next job interview asap. Just remember these phone interview tips. Good luck!