Get on your Feet

The Phone Interview… Part Two in the Series

According to US News & World Report, since employers usually have far more qualified job applicants than they can realistically interview, they’re increasingly using preliminary phone interviews to screen candidates and narrow the pool before bringing finalists in for face-to-face interviews.

Today we’ll walk through some valuable tips on how to prepare for this specific form of interviewing.

Get on Your Feet, Literally

• On average, we spend 9.4 hours per day sitting. This includes the commute to and from work, time at work, eating, and watching TV. Right now you’re probably adding up the hours to see if you come in under or over the average. Compare that to the average sleep time of 7.3 hours. We sit more than we sleep! Body functions slow down during sitting to be very close to sleeping levels.
• So, if you can, stand while on the phone interview; it will make a difference in how you sound and feel when on the phone.

Get Your Ears On

• Be prepared to be an excellent listener. With pad and pen, take good notes so that you are in-tune with your audience and their needs, as you understand them.
• Each time a question is asked of you, answer fully and with exampled stories wherever possible, then show the interviewer that you understand, by asking him/her questions directly related to the question. (E.g. what does that look like in your organization?)

Sell Yourself

• Always ask questions of the “who, what, when, where, why” variety, so the interviewer is required to respond with more than a yes or no answer.
• Continue to sell the benefits of your skills as they relate to the needs as perceived by interviewer.
• Continuously strive to conduct a discussion as opposed to taking a quiz. In that format, you become part of their team without any overt pushing.
• Be sure you gain commitment to further steps in the process. Let him/her know that you are excited about the opportunity and you would like to know what the next step is in the process.

Smart Money

• Compensation questions can feel awkward. If you are asked about salary requirements, tell the interviewer where you are today, and that you would consider any and all offers.
• It is better to find out what the company will offer than to tell them what you want.
• Also, your recruiter generally has given you a range for the position, so you should already be OK with the range.

The Big Wrap-up

• Don’t forget to ask for the job, especially if you are interviewing for a sales position. Being able to demonstrate that you are capable of asking for the order is extremely important. Everyone’s style is different. Some styles are very direct, “I believe I am your best choice for the job”. Or, “When do I start?” Or the indirect approach, “What is the next step?”
• Try to schedule a follow-up meeting/conversation, or leave the door open for you to reconnect.