A phone interview is a common part of the interview process, which offers you and the Internal Recruiter or Hiring Manager the chance to have an initial conversation and assess if you have the basic skills needed for the job.
In this article we wanted to share our tips on how to best prepare for a phone interview to help you secure that all important face to face interview…
Be prepared
As you would in any interview, prepare yourself. Find out about the company you are interviewing with, write down some pre-prepared answers to questions you think you will be asked and have some questions ready that you want to ask.
We also strongly suggest that you read the job spec carefully and write some notes against key skills and requirements that offer examples of times when you have utilised the skills in your current of previous roles. Offering examples is far more impactful that just saying that you do possess a certain skill.
Being prepared is the best way to ace any interview. It will help you to answer more concisely and help you to relax in the interview. Plus, it’s always obvious when a candidate isn’t prepared during an interview and it really doesn’t help your chance of securing a second interview or the role.
Have notes ready
Having the notes you created when you were preparing for the phone interview is a great way to help you stay focussed. It will also help you to cover everything you wanted to cover during the interview. There really is nothing worse than leaving an interview feeling like you didn’t cover everything you wanted to.
Having notes in front of you during the phone interview is not cheating… they are there to help guide you through and help to make the best impression possible.
Have your CV to hand
It’s always helpful to have your CV to hand during your phone interview. You already have your prepared noted at the ready, so having your CV in front of you is purely in case you need to cross reference or confirm something with the interviewer who will also have your CV in front of them.
Looking for more interview advice?
We have written other helpful articles to help you with getting the best out of your interview, including, How to research a company before your interview, 5 impressive questions to ask in your interview and Signs your interview went well.
Time to look for a new jobs?
We have a huge number of great opportunities with great employers across the construction, civils, rail, power and telecoms sectors. Search our current construction jobs, civils jobs, rail jobs, power jobs and telecoms jobs.
Get in touch
If you are keen to discuss your current situation and want to find out how we can help you make your next career step, then get in touch with our team of recruitment experts. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you and your career progress.
