Optima’s 10 Tips to Help You Nail your next Telephone Interview!

Telephone Interview Top Tips

When you search for a new role it’s always advisable to be open to the idea of a telephone interview at a moment’s notice. Its common practice for companies that are looking to start the recruitment process. So to help you on your way we’ve put together our top tips to make sure you nail your next telephone interview!

1. Preparation

Benjamin Franklin famously said ‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’. Do your research and check out the company website. Make sure you know the size of the company, its products and the markets it operates in.

2. Have a notepad at hand along with a copy of your CV

You might want to take notes because in a tense interview scenario you are not guaranteed to remember every detail.

3. Tone of voice

Make sure your voice is engaging, energetic and enthusiastic! Don’t sound like you are bored out your head thinking about what to have for dinner tonight! Not much else we can add to that!

4. Communicate clearly

Make sure you speak clearly and slowly. No doubt nerves will catch you off guard but keep your cool and slow down! The last thing you want is for the interviewer to ask you to repeat yourself because you’ve raced through a question.

5. Don’t interrupt the interviewer

Don’t race ahead and answer a question before the interviewer has even finished. It’s not only rude and bad mannered, but you might not have fully heard and understood the question.

6. Choose the right surroundings

Your local Starbucks is probably not the best place to have your telephone interview. Choose a quiet, comfortable and private space without distractions and noise.

7. Use a landline if you have one

It just means there will be less chance of a phone call being cut short due to low reception.

8. Prepare mentally or even better in writing

Think of how you might answer certain questions. Tell me about yourself is one of those that normally kicks off most interviews. Give yourself a head start and write down a few things an interviewer might want to know in advance.

9. Give short answers

The interviewer doesn’t want to hear your life story and the pain staking time you’ve had in finding a job! Even though you think your story is worthy of a Pullitzer prize!

10. Use the other person’s name regularly throughout the conversation (but not all the time)

Another tip is to use the company name a few times. Remember, the most important things all employers are looking for in any circumstance is energy, enthusiasm and 100% commitment to the job. Once you can display that then your half way there!