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Telephone interviews are part and
parcel of the hiring process, yet
preparation is often overlooked,
simply because the interview isn't
face-to-face.
However, your telephone interview
performance will likely dictate
whether or not you are invited in for
a face-to-face interview or in some
cases, offered the job.
TOP TIPS FOR THE PERFECT TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
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BEFORE THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
2
Clear your diary for at least an
hour either side of the interview so
that you aren’t pushed for time.
Research the company and know
the job role thoroughly. Practice
common interview questions and
structuring your answers.
Prepare as you would for a face-to-face interview
Perfect your verbal communication skills
Run a practice interview and
record yourself.
This will help you to detect
behaviours such as speaking too
quickly, interrupting, mumbling or
using filler words such as “um”
“like” and so forth.
ON THE DAY OF THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
5
Make sure that your voice is fully
prepared for the interview
especially if it is first thing in the
morning.
Do some tongue twisters and
vocal exercises and drink plenty of
water.
Warm up your voice
Do some breathing exercises
beforehand to calm your nerves,
and give yourself a pep talk,
reminding yourself of all of your
achievements to date.
Visualise positive outcomes, such
as being offered the job. This will
motivate you to give your best
performance during the call.
Get into a positive mind-set
Do you have phone signal, a full
battery and the hiring manager
and recruiter’s name and number
saved on your phone?
Be clear on who is calling who. Be
ready for the call 15 minutes
before. If you are at home, switch
off the TV and radio.
Get organised
DURING THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
9
Pick up the phone within two to
three rings, and answer in a
professional manner, for instance:
“Hello, Alex speaking.”
Don’t forget to maintain this
professional tone throughout the
call.
Answer the phone in a professional manner
Keep your CV, bullet points of
your key skills and achievements,
plus any headline information
about the company in front of you
in case you get stuck.
Remember not to read these
notes word for word, and be
careful not to shuffle the paper too
loudly and give the game away.
Have all the information you’ll need to hand
Even though your interviewer can’t
see you, getting your body
language right during your
telephone interview can make all
the difference.
Sitting up straight when answering
questions will improve how well
you project your voice, and smiling
will inflect a positive intonation as
you speak.
Adjust your body language
It is harder to appreciate just how
fast we are speaking over the
phone.
If you notice this happening,
pause and take a deep breath.
Get up and walk around, this can
help you to regulate your speaking
patterns and feel more at ease.
Speak at an even pace
Don’t start doing anything else
which could be perceived as rude
during a face-to-face interview,
such as scrolling through social
media on your phone.
Avoid interrupting the interviewer
by pausing for a second once you
think they have finished speaking,
before you start responding.
Remember your manners
Thank the interviewer for their
time, and state that you enjoyed
learning more about this
opportunity. Reiterate your interest
in the role, and clarify the next
steps. Make sure you leave a
strong last impression with the
interviewer.
Conclude as you would a face-to-face interview
AFTER THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW
16
Phone your recruiter straight after
the interview to give your
feedback, and send a thank you
note to the interviewer via your
recruiter, affirming again, just how
interested you are in this
opportunity. Remember to keep
your phone close by in the coming
days.
Follow up as you would a face-to-face interview
Good luck!
Hopefully by now you are feeling
clearer on how best to prepare for
a telephone interview. The key is to
perfect your telephone manner,
specifically your verbal
communication skills, and put as
much effort into preparing as you
would a face-to-face interview.
Did you find this SlideShare
useful? Don’t forget to read our
blogs for more helpful advice:
• Change your thinking and calm
your interview nerves
• The worst questions to ask your
interviewer
ABOUT HAYS
Hays is a leading global
professional recruiting group, the
expert at recruiting qualified,
professional and skilled people
worldwide.
With over 10,000 staff operating
from 250 offices in 33 countries
across 20 specialism's, last year we
placed around 70,000 candidates
into permanent jobs, and around
240,000 people into temporary
assignments.
haysplc.com
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