Interview Tips

15 Ways to Crush a Phone Interview

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Phone interviews, whether with a recruiter or hiring manager, are often the first step in the job interview process. If you flub it, game over. Here are some key tips to make sure you make it to round two — an in-person meeting.

  1. Send your resume to the interviewer prior to the call, even if you think he’s got it.

  2. If you’re using a cell phone, find a quiet place. Don’t conduct an interview in the backseat of a taxi or walking down a noisy street — even with a recruiter.

  3. If you plan on using a headset, call a friend first for a test run to make sure you don’t sound like you have marbles in your mouth.

  4. Have a copy of your resume in front of you as a point of reference during the call.

  5. If you have a job description for the position at hand, re-review it just before your call so that the qualifications and responsibilities are top of mind and you can speak to these key points.

  6. Don’t interview in your PJs. Get dressed for the day. If you look the part, you’ll feel the part.

  7. Don’t yawn.

  8. Stand up while talking. You’ll automatically be in presentation mode which will give off an air of confidence.

  9. Do NOT eat or chew gum.

  10. Close out your email, Skype, Facebook and any other programs in which someone can ping, IM or distract you.

  11. Make sure you’ve locked out a 60-minute window of time so you don’t have to interrupt the ebb and flow of the dialogue.

  12. Establish a rapport off the bat by finding something to discuss outside of work, preferably not the weather. (You can be more creative than that!)

  13. Do your homework. Research the company (Crunchbase, InsideView, etc.) and come prepared with smart questions written down so you don’t forget.

  14. Create a one-pager that highlights your accomplishments, using numbers to quantify results whenever you can. Have it in front of you during the interview so that you can answer questions with examples vs. a simple “yes” or “no.”

  15. Don’t hang up without telling him you are interested in moving forward and meeting in person. Sell him, and then close him.

Carpe diem

 

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