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Telephone Interviews: How to Succeed

By Andrew Reed

Telephone interviews are used by employers for a variety of reasons. They are most commonly used as a way of identifying and recruiting candidates for employment or for screening out unsuitable applicants.

Occasionally they are used when a candidate cannot come to a face to face interview for example when they are based overseas.

If you have been informed that you will be interviewed by telephone, be prepared and always treat this "informal chat" as a proper interview.

Usually you will have prior knowledge of the telephone interview and have agreed a time and date. Sometimes however, the call may arrive when you least expect and can come during an awkward moment.

You should be asked if it is convenient to talk and if not, say so and while not ideal you can agree an alternative time and day. You can turn this into a positive by saying that you are glad they called, you are very interested in the position/company and would be delighted to talk further.

Telephone Interview Tips

Some handy tips for Telephone Interviews include:

Be prepared:

To do this we recommend that you keep a file containing your CV, details of the jobs you have applied for and the relevant company details close to the telephone.

Do not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum:

They will all be heard by the caller and may even by magnified by the powers of modern technology. Treat the telephone call as a formal interview in this regard.

Smile.

While the caller cannot see you, they will detect this in the quality of your voice. In addition you will feel confident and more positive and this will also come across to the caller.

Stay Calm:

If you are surprised and caught unawares, stay calm, be positive and friendly and say 'I'm glad you called and would be delighted to talk. Can you hold on a moment while I close the door/pop into my office?" This will give you a minute to put the kids into another room, get the file to hand and take a few deep breaths.

Switch Off:

If you had a TV or radio on, if you were cooking or if any machinery is working in the background then switch them off

Names:

Use the person's title and only use first names during the telephone interview if they ask you to.

Take your time:

It's perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts before answering.

Listen and converse:

A skilled interviewer should be able to elicit detailed answers however do avoid any yes or no replies. Even though this is a telephone interview it is a two way conversation so give detailed factual and honest answers.

Take notes:

After the interview, jot down the interviewer's name, position and any other relevant details. Notes will help if you are called to a face to face interview as you will have a better recollection of what was discussed, any questions you asked and the replies given.

How to Succeed in Telephone Interviews

So, how would you answer tough interview questions such as 'What are your weaknesses?' or 'Why should we hire you instead of the other candidates?'.

And, how confident do you feel about answering Competency Based or Behavioural questions, both very commonly used at present.

For expert help with answering these difficult questions, we recommend InterviewGOLD™ a great online interview skills course that has helped thousands of candidates get jobs. Easy to use online system Video Practice Interviews Interactive Mock Interviews Questions with Model Answers All specific to your job and level Created by Recruitment Specialists

Telephone Interview Coming Up? Click Here to Learn How to Succeed » 

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About the Author

Andrew Reed is an experienced interviewer and has developed successful recruitment strategies for large organisations within the Customer Services, HR and Finance sectors.

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Telephone Interview Tips Succeed In Telephone Interviews, Dynamic Online Course Shows How. www.interviewgold.com

Interview Coaching For Success Serious About Getting The Job? We Will Help You Succeed. www.AnsonReed.com/Coaching