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Many jobs
have been lost during the phone interview because of bad phone
etiquette. Many times, this is because the candidate perceives
the phone interview to be nothing more than an ‘informal’
interview and thus does not take it seriously enough. Anytime
you are going to be speaking to a prospective employer, you must
always prepare. However, lack of proper preparation is many
times caused by a misunderstanding regarding the goal of the
phone interview. The basic goal of a phone interview is to set
up a face-to-face interview.
Therefore,
phone interviews should be focused and to the point, and they
should generally last between 20 and 30 minutes. Here are some
things to think about when preparing for a phone interview:
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This may
sound unconventional, but a good way to get ready for a
phone interview is to pull out one of your favorite upbeat
CD’s and do some singing. This warms your voice up and it
also gets your blood moving.
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Next,
prepare your environment by removing or turning off anything
that could make noise while you are interviewing, such as
the TV, stereo, radio, or your cell phone. Turn off call
waiting on your conventional phone, and put the dog out.
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Don't
smoke, chew gum, or eat while interviewing, but do have a
small glass of water without ice handy in case your
throat gets dry.
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Spread
out all your notes as well as your resume in front of you
for easy reference, but do not make loud paper rustling
noises during the interview.
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Compile
a list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list
of answers to questions that you think may be asked of you.
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Always
be honest, positive, straightforward, pleasant, and
friendly.
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Try to
match the speaker's pace and pitch; but speak naturally and
calmly, enunciating clearly.
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Don't
interrupt the interviewer.
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At the
conclusion of the interview, ask about the next step in the
interviewing process, especially if you are looking for a
sales position. This will show an eagerness for the
position and lets the manager know that you are interested
in the opportunity.
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