Phone interviews can be just as nerve-wracking as face-to-face interviews, but they don’t have to be. Follow the 8 tips, and you are sure to ace your next phone interview.
- Treat it like a face-to-face interview. If you’re doing the interview from home, get dressed. Though the interviewer won’t know the difference, your demeanor will change if you are dressed appropriately versus lounging around in your sweat pants. In the same spirit, sit up straight and smile when you speak. That friendly, positive attitude will be evident in your voice.
- Do your research. Learn more about the company, its segment of the health care industry, and the available position. Go beyond the company’s website. See if they have a company page on LinkedIn, and check out their most recent posts on social media. You’re likely to find out about new products, services, projects, etc. If you know who you will be doing the interview, look that person up on LinkedIn to learn more about him or her. See if you have contacts, jobs, schools or groups in common. If appropriate, bring this up during the interview.
- Be prepared. Have your résumé and cover letter in front of you and know what experience and attributes you can bring to this position. Also, be familiar with your LinkedIn profile. From the job posting or job description, pull out a few keywords or phrases to use during the interview.
- Use a landline or a fully-charged phone, and speak in a quiet room where you won’t be interrupted. Sorry, Starbucks, we love you, but that’s not a good spot for a phone interview!
- Budget your time accordingly. If the interviewer tells you the interview will be 30 to 45 minutes, allow for extra time, so you aren’t rushed.
- Prepare questions for your interview. At the end of most interviews, the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions. Prepare some questions in advance. Here are a few we like from U.S. News: What have past employees done to succeed in this position? What do you enjoy about working here? What is the top priority for this position in the next 3 months? Whatever you do, don’t ask about vacation time and benefits – unless you are at the negotiation stage.
- Take notes. The Undercover Recruiter suggests jotting down the questions you were asked and any comments you made. This can help with any follow-up interviews.
- Ask about the next step. If the interviewer doesn’t mention it, ask what the next steps are and ask who you should follow up with and when. Good follow-up: get an email address to thank the interviewer. Better follow-up: get a snail mail address for a handwritten thank you. Thanks to Job-Hunt for that great tip!
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Have a great week, and thanks for reading!
Diana Albertson, CEO
MyHealthRecruiter.com