As the pool of job applicants widens by the second, employers turn to phone interviews as the quickest method to shortlist candidates for in-person interviews. Incidentally, so as to circumvent the excess expenditure and time consumption implicated by crossing boundaries for personal interviews, organizations have resorted to phone interviews. Why endure a long and uncomfortable bus journey or blow up all your piggy bank savings on an air ticket when the receiver is just a couple of digits away? Besides, you can spare yourself and the interviewer the anxiety symptoms of a face to face interview. Nonetheless, phone interviews shouldn’t be taken for granted. You might be saddled with thirty odd questions. A careless slip of the tongue could cost you your dream job! When you aren’t physically present, every word you emit is ten times more audible. Therefore, job seekers (especially those stationed elsewhere) must invest a good deal of time and effort before preparing their responses for scheduled phone interviews. Continue reading this section and glance at a few sample phone interview questions and tips.
Sample Phone Interview Questions
Sample Phone Interview Questions
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Tell us about yourself and your background.
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Where have you studied?
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What are your favourite hobbies?
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Why are you considering leaving your present job?
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What position do you seek and why in our company?
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What do you know about this company and why does it appeal to you?
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Describe your most enviable qualities and attributes.
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How can you contribute to this company?
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What are/were your responsibilities at your present/previous job?
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What major challenges and problems did you face?
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What challenges are you looking for in a position?
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What encourages you to perform?
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How do you handle stress and pressure?
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How would you describe the pace at which you work?
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What type of work environment do you prefer?
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Why should we hire you over the other several candidates?
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What are your greatest strengths?
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What are your greatest weaknesses?
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How do you evaluate success?
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Are you willing to travel a lot?
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Are you comfortable with rotational shifts?
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What are your goals for the future?
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Anything more you would like to know about our company?
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What were your starting and final levels of compensation?
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What are your salary expectations?
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When will you be free to join?
Phone Interview Tips
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Sketch a couple of well phrased answers to a list of the potential questions that could be asked, beforehand.
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Keep your resume in clear view. Either on the top of your desk or you could tape it to the wall near the phone. So when you need to answer questions, it’s just a glance away!
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Have a pen and paper handy for taking down notes.
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Turn call-waiting off to avoid interruptions.
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If the time isn't convenient, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest some alternatives.
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Clear the room of noisy pets and kids. Turn off the stereo and TV set. Keep distractions to the minimum.
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Rehearse your potential answers and ask a friend to review your tone and pace.
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Conduct a mock interview and record it. This will help you check for inconsistencies and errors like “ums” and “uhs”. Ensure that you curb these interjections during the phone interview.
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Keep a glass of water in front of you in case your mouth runs dry.
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Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will positively modify the tone of your voice.
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Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
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Address the interviewer by a Mr. or Ms. followed by their last name. It is perfectly alright to use their first name if they ask you to.
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Take your time! It wouldn’t hurt if you took a moment or two to gather your thoughts.
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Remember to say "thank you."
