Phone Interview Tips During phone interview Here are the some points for successful phone interviewing. Follow these simple rules and you should achieve success in this important phase of job-hunting. Here are some do's for phone Interviews: Smile always helps you in every situation. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice. Do keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth. Do know what job you are interviewing for. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Take your time, it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment to collect your thoughts. Remember your goal is to set up a face to face interview. After you thank the interviewer ask if it would be possible to meet in person. Do give accurate and detailed contact information in your cover letter so your interviewers can easily connect with you. Household members must understand the importance of phone messages in your job search. Use the person's title (Mr. or Ms. and their last name.) Only use a first name if they ask you to. When being interviewed by phone, do make sure you are in a place where you can read notes, take notes, and concentrate. If you cannot devote enough time to a phone interview, do suggest a specific alternate time to the recruiter. Give short answers. Do ensure that you can hear and are being clearly heard. Do create a strong finish to your phone interview with thoughtful questions. Following are some Don'ts for phone Interviews: Do not smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink. Do not interrupt the interviewer. Do not cough. If you cannot avoid these behaviors, say, "excuse me." Do not feel you have to fill in the silences. If you have completed a response, but the interviewer has not asked his or her next question, do not start anything new; ask a question of your own related to your last response.   The Open and Available Technique You have a major advantage in a phone interview which does not exist in a face-to-face interview. You cannot be seen. Use this to your advantage. Have all of your materials on yourself and the employer open and available on your desk as you are speaking on the phone. This includes not only your resume, but also a "cheat sheet" of compelling story subjects, which you would like to introduce. It can also include a "cheat sheet" about the employer, including specific critical points describing the employer and their products. As anyone may be interviewer is speaking with you on the other end of the phone, he/she has no idea that you are actually being prompted from a document as you are speaking. All that person can hear is a well-informed, well-prepared interviewee. Keep in mind that this preparation is not "cheating" at all. It is preparation, pure and simple. So have your materials open and available when you are preparing for a phone interview. They are there to support you and enhance your value to the employer, who will greatly respect your ability to answer questions with focus and meaningful content.   Focus on what you offer and can do The phone interview is surprise for us, so we must prepared for the telephonic interview. The recruiter's mission is to screen candidates and recommend those who will best meet the employer's needs. When describing your background, avoid the negative points. You will only get one chance to make a positive first impression. Stay focused by reviewing and use the key points you wrote down about your strengths. << Previous Next >>