Four Simple Tips For a Phone Interview

A phone interview tip that many people don’t do is smile. It is a very funny thing, that when smiling, people’s attitudes can be felt through the phone. During a phone interview, do not think that just because you are not sitting in front of anybody that it doesn’t mean that smiling and other encouraging body gestures aren’t important. One of the best tips that I have ever received was to smile and stay positive during a phone interview. In reality, a lot of people like to talk with their hands. If this is you, you may want to consider a telephone hands free set so that it frees up your hands.

Another good phone interview tip that is very valuable is to make sure you have a good quality phone. It may appear crazy to even bring it up, however the better the phone you use for the interview, the better your voice will sound to the person on the other end of the line. Many years ago, people rented their telephones from the local phone company. In today’s world, people own their home phones and /or mobile phones, and while a lot of people do use good quality phones, there are still many that are cheap and don’t provide the clarity needed for a phone interview. Add this additional tip to the mix: if possible, use a landline phone with a cord and not a mobile or cordless phone. Weak or dead batteries, static sounds, no cell phone tower signals and weather obstruction can make you sound awful to the other party at the other end of the phone line and you may not even realize it. When doing your telephone interview you want to be clear and make a great impression. Take this tip to the bank and use a good quality landline phone.

The next phone interview tip that may seem like pure common sense, but sometime isn’t done: Do your homework before the interview! Start off using the Internet, as this resource should provide you with almost all the information you need. Begin your Internet search with Google. Google will allow you to submit the name of the potential employer to its search engine and it will provide you with any and all information about the company on the net! Other sites to check out include Hoover’s and Yahoo Finance. If you don’t have access to a computer and/or the Internet, you can go to your local library and tell the librarian that you are looking for company related information. The librarian will be happy to provide you informational sources (including the free library Internet computer), that will help you seem knowledgeable during your phone interview.

Just being yourself, along with being comfortable is the last phone interview tip to keep in mind. Practicing for the phone interview is one of the best ways of maintaining comfort and confident. Ask a family member or friend to conduct a mock interview with you. Call one of your friends and provide them phone interview questions to ask you. This will allow you to practice answering interview questions over the phone. It makes perfect sense to practice for a phone interview, as you know that rehearsing anything is the best way to build your skills, and in this case your phone interview skills. Please take this tip to heart as it is the most important phone interview tip you will ever receive.