Telephone Interviews

Telephone interviews are generally conducted in the very early stages of the recruitment process and are used by an employer to ascertain whether or not they want to invite you to attend a formal interview. They are particularly common when a large number of applications have been received so that these can be reduced to a more manageable quantity of applicants.

Calling a company

Sometimes, a company may ask you to call them and it is extremely important that you call them at the exact time specified. Although you do not want to appear overeager, you also do not want to set a poor first impression by being late for the appointment. Ensure that you have the correct information regarding the telephone number you need to call and the name of the person you need to speak to. If you are unable to get through to them, it is important to leave a message so that they at least know you tried.

Some telephone interviews involve a timed touch-tone system where you are required to press buttons on your keypad in response to questions or statements. Other interviews will be conducted by a manager in a standard question-and-answer format.

Waiting for a call

If an appointment time has been made for you to expect a call from an employer, it is important that you give them a telephone number that you will definitely be able to answer. Alert any other users of the phone that you are waiting for a call so that you can be sure the phone call is answered professionally.

How to prepare

Just as you need to prepare for formal face-to-face interviews, you must also prepare for telephone interviews by researching the company and the job role. Have a clear idea why you are applying for the role and how you meet the essential criteria. With telephone interviews, you are able to have notes with you, but be careful that it does not sound like you are reading from a script. In addition, you should prepare some questions that you want to ask the employer, just as you would in a standard interview.

Top tips for success

It is always useful to practise some standard interview questions with a friend to ensure that you are able to provide an appropriate response in a clear, articulate manner. Your tone of voice is very important in telephone interviews as the employer will be unable to study your body language or your level of eye contact as they would in a face-to-face interview.

Make sure that you come across as enthusiastic about the role – it may sound strange but smiling while you are talking can actually make you sound happier and improve your tone.

Ensure that you communicate effectively not only by speaking clearly but also by listening attentively. There is nothing worse than giving irrelevant or inappropriate responses so don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are at all unsure.

Address the interviewer formally, i.e. Mr or Ms, unless specifically told to do otherwise. Be polite but friendly so that you can build a relationship with them.

Make sure that the environment that you are in during the interview is comfortable and quiet. Avoid eating or drinking, do not fidget and remove any possible distractions.

Have pen and paper ready to take notes and your diary so that you can schedule your next appointment if necessary.

Follow up

If the interviewer does not mention a follow-up meeting, try to establish when you can expect to hear from them, but remember that while it is important to appear keen, desperation is not attractive. And finally, it is important to thank the interviewer for their time – politeness and professionalism are essential if you want to be invited for a formal interview.

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