Phone Interview Tips, Part 2

This is the sequel to Phone Interview Tips, Part 1.

If your interviewer doesn’t share, it’s good to ask who all is present in the interview.  This will help you know who your audience is, and may affect some of your answers.  It’s good to know if you’re speaking with one person or 5. 

Remind yourself that there are absolutely no non-verbals in a phone interview.  You can’t expect a reassuring nod or eye contact. Be confident, even without these things!

When you’re finished answering a question, stop talking.  We tend to ramble on phone interviews because the silence feels weird.  You may not hear, “Good job!” or “that sounds great.”  Regardless, you must be confident in your answers.  Silence is inevitable on a phone interview.

Keep a pen and paper close by.  Jot down notes, questions that come up, or even questions being asked.  These things may help you focus on your answers.

Come with a couple of questions.  This certainly isn’t required.  It usually won’t make or break the interview, but it helps to show that you’re thinking in the right direction.  Don’t ask how you did, and don’t say, “I know I’m supposed to have questions, but I don’t.”  It is okay to ask what they process looks like from here, or when you might hear something.

Use a phone interview to your advantage.  Use your words wisely, listen carefully, and hopefully score the job you want... even over the phone!