Phone Interview Success Part 2

I am continuing my blog regarding phone interview success.  I am preparing for one that I have next week.  I have had 5 phone interviews and none of them have led to a  face-to-face. I am thrilled that I made it past phase one, the cover letter and resume submission. Now it’s time for the phone interview. 

Use this opportunity to shine and earn that face-face time with the employer.

 

Avoid these simple (and common) phone interview faux pas:

 

• Do not hesitate or use excessive slang. Uh, um, and like are horrible.  It is better to pause for a moment to collect thoughts than it is to explain that you were the, uh, like, uh head, uh analyst . Practice answering potential questions with a friend or family member to help weed out these unnecessary (and unprofessional) words. I get nervous and I know I pause or hesitate (ugh!, I hate when that happens!)
• Do not reply in all yes’s and no’s. Answer with some personal experiences that are relevant to the job in question. Yes/no answers do not help sell your personal brand to the interviewer.  If there is a need to say "No", try adding, however, and then support how you can still provide them the service.
• Do not lose focus. Remember this is an interview, not an historical biography. Keep your answers short and to the point. Make sure you are in an area with limited distractions and both people can hear each other clearly. 
• Do not volunteer information. This is supposed to be a preliminary interview, so there’s no need to commit to a salary requirement at this point. The salary the company is prepared to offer may be higher than what was expected, or, likewise, your requirements may be a bit more than they can afford.
•  Do not just roll out of bed. Since the caller cannot see you, it is tempting to appear disheveled. Getting up early, eating a good breakfast, showering, and dressing (does not have to be business attire) will relieve stress and make you more prepared and alert. 
• Do not respond in a monotone voice . Show the interviewer that you are excited about the position with specific references to what is fascinating about the company. The energy and excitement will be clear in your voice. Have an upbeat, positive attitude.
• Do not wing it. Prepare ahead of time with some traditional questions and have your resume and the job description handy as well as any additional information about the company. Have a list of your attributes with situational examples that would be considered important for this job. Write down important questions that you have for the interviewer beforehand.
• Do not have a hurried interview. While one would ideally be in a quiet setting with no other pressing engagements when the potential employer phones, sometimes it’s just not possible. Politely ask if it would be alright for you to call him or her back later and suggest a time (the sooner, the better). 
• Do not forget to thank the interviewer. After working diligently to answer questions, showing passion for the company and job offered, and standing up and smiling at someone who cannot even see your face, do not blow the interview in the last five minutes. Be certain to leave a positive final impression. Thank the caller and state that you are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to discuss the position with him or her further face-face.

 Finally, relax and don’t let the idea of a phone interview overwhelm you. Hopefully the employer was once in the same position. It may even help to have a list available of things that want to discuss or questions you would like to ask.  Try to stay confident and be prepared.

If I can keep these tips in mind,  I just might achieve the success.