Phone Interview

Sabre0001

I have an upcoming phone interview that I am a little nervous about. Have not done one before...I am relatively comfortable in face to face ones because it's possible to tell when to stop talking, talk some more and judge certain things (like when to explain something).

Just hoping that I could get some general pointers from those who have done one or the HR gurus here Thanks very much!

j4vier

the good things about phone interviews is havin all the info u need in front of you!
it depends on what roles ur goin for really , i had some very general hr phone interviews and more technical ones, the purpose is generally the same which is screen candidates to make a short list.
its mainly to see if you know something about the role and the company

MIN2511

My current job required a phone interview

1. What do you know about the company?
2. Did you look at the role? How do you think you would fit into the company?


Then it got more technical...

Mine lasted 30mins! Some are shorter, be sure to prepare for it like a face to face interview. You would be nervous, if you notice you are, make a joke about it. Try to lighten the general conversation


goodluck and let us know how you get on

Sabre0001

Thanks for tips...I have been told it will be 30mins - running through my CV, asking some typical interview questions related to the role and talking through the role in a bit more detail.

Here's hoping for the best!

the_syco

REMEMBER: they can't see you nod. You'll need to verbally nod "ok", "ah-hah", etc.

WooPeeA

I had one or two in life. Good thing is that they cannot see you so you can write down all needed informations or questions that might be asked. Might be helpful, especially when you're nervous. Usually people forget to tell many things at that state.

board om

just a quick point that might seem obvious but i will say it anyway. if possiblen try to do the interview on a landline and not a mobile phone. reason being is becuase the signal goes, reception can be bad, battery can go, etc. i did a phone interview a few years ago on a mobile and it was a nightmare. i spent most of the 20 minute phone call walking around the room trying to keep a good signal. nothing worse than trying to concentrate on interview questions while walking in circles.

it sounds silly i know, but trust me, it is one less thing to worry about.

also have a copy of your CV in front of you to read from. and also any other questions or information you might need, have it printed off in front of you with a pen and a notepad.

good luck with it.

mrpink6789

Hey, for phone interviews i recommend you stand up and look at yourself in the mirror while speaking. Helps people get over the nerves and also allows you to be more confident. But I'm a recruiter so what do I know :P

jester77

I had my first phone interview 2 weeks ago. It's alot more laid back than a personal interview. I was sitting on the couch with my CV, laptop, some notes and a glass of water in front of me. To be honest they weren't really necessary, apart from the water. Interviewers told me a bit about themselves and I did the same. They explained that their policy is to first have a 30 min. tel interview and if they like what they hear they call the person in for a 1 hr personal interview. They explained the company, tools they use and what they are looking for, this was a 2 way conversation though as I was asking quite a lot as well. We actually had to end the call as it ran 30 mins over schedule. Just be yourself, remember it's an interview for the 2 parties and you'll want to know what the role is and what the company is like and tell them how your skills will help them.

Sabre0001

Done and done. 30mins (~) long. They were 40mins late ringing so happily enough it was a phone interview - could just chill out, read over stuff and listen to music rather than sitting in a waiting room in a suit, etc.

Wasn't as bad as I thought it may be - questions about CV, interests, "tell me a time you showed x", knowledge of company and then how I would fit. Then she told me about the role (which does sound interesting).

Definately thankful for not being face to face at times > "I'm enthusiastic and a go-getter............I'm not willing to sit back but will go get what I want" (*face going wtf did I just ramble about?!)

So happy enough, hopefully this feeling continues into next week when I hear back from them...