Evelyn P. HronecCPA, MSA

Certified Personnel ConsultantManaging Director

PHONE INTERVIEW SKILLS

Phone Interview Skills

Increasingly being used as the 1st step in the interview process

Very hard to prepare for

Your goal during the phone interview is to get a face-to-face interview!

Ask Questions

Close

Build Rapport

Steps to Acing The Phone Interview

Highlight Qualifications

Setting up the Interview

Prepare

Set Yourself Apart

You get the call to schedule a phone interview

…What do you do?

As happy as you are to get that call, you need to

think clearly so you can set yourself up for

success.

Setting up for the Phone Interview

Clarify that you will be phone screening for the same position you applied for.

Know with whom you will be interviewing.

An interview with HR will be different than an interview

with the Hiring Manager.

Ask if they have a job description for the

position that they can send you before the

phone interview.

The key is to get as much information as you can about the interview up front so can prepare.

Why…

So you can determine what skills you possess that make you a fit for

the job

Do your homework on the company. Research them. Look at their career pages

to see how actively they’re hiring, etc.

Prepare for the Interview

Try to find your interviewer and/or hiring manager on Linked In. Maybe you two share some commonalities.

Review the job description and list examples of how you’ve performed each required skill set Have specific examples of results and

accomplishments handy

Make sure you are somewhere where you are undisturbed

Dress for the interview

Before the Interview

Have in front of you: Your resume The job description Your list of accomplishments A list of references Have handy: A glass of water Pen and paper A calendar to schedule the face to face

The biggest disadvantage with phone interviews is that the only communication is verbal.

You will need to show your enthusiasm and sell yourself through the tone and inflection in your voice

Make a Good Verbal Impression

Be enthusiastic Try to have fun

Make a Good Verbal Impression

How do you do that? Sit up or stand up so your voice projects Put a smile on your face Speak confidently Don’t interrupt Listening skills are especially important here

Say “Yes” or “ I see” periodically so they know you are following their conversation.

Avoid using “um” or “uhs”

Make a Good Impression

As in the face to face interview, the first five minutes of the phone interview are the most important. They will dictate the subsequent line of questioning.

So….try to build rapport!

Build Rapport

Think of this as your verbal handshake

If you found the interviewer on LinkedIn and have some commonalities, make a comment about it.

If you found something interesting or a good article on the company through your research, make a comment.

Try using Tonal Parity… A technique where you match the interviewer’s rate of

speech, volume and tone.

Build Rapport

Most phone interviews will consist of a run down of your resume.

As with any interview, make sure you can explain gaps, reasons for leaving, why you liked or didn’t like a job, what you learned, etc.

Highlight Qualifications

Your skills list will help you here to highlight things you did in previous positions that directly relate to requirements of the position you’re interviewing for.

Remember, this is a phone interview, so don’t ramble on. Make your answers succinct and interesting enough so the interviewer wants to ask you additional questions (or bring you in for a face to face to hear more!) Listen for signs that they want you to stop talking.

Highlight Qualifications

Set Yourself Apart

This is your chance to begin the close process. Let the interviewer know that, based on your discussion, you feel qualified to step into

the role and highlight your reasons for thinking so.

Ask Questions

Hopefully, you’ve been doing this throughout the phone interview and

there are no real urgent questions that need to be asked here.

This is a good time to ask:

Clarifying questions Chain of command type questions

Company culture questions

The Close

The worst thing you can do is hang up the

phone and have no idea what your status is.

The Close

Steps to Close

Indicate that, based on what you’ve learned about the position, you would be anxious to

meet face to face to discuss the position in further detail

Ask when they will be scheduling in person interviews

Reiterate your interest and excitement about the position

Steps to Close

Look at your calendar and indicate when you would be able to meet during that time period

and can you set something up now?

If they stall on setting up an interview, ask when you can expect

to hear from them again

Reiterate your interest and excitement about the position

A Human Resource Interview: Most likely a rundown of your resume to

confirm facts and explain reasons for leaving

Will be evaluating communication skills Will be evaluating cultural fit (sometimes

based on reasons for leaving) DO NOT treat them as if they are

unimportant. They will not pass you on.

Interviewing Styles

The Hiring Manager Interview Will be more skills based Will be most interested in hearing about

your past positions that most closely resemble the open position

Will be evaluating communication skills Will be evaluating likeability and ability to

get along with other in their department

Interviewing Styles

Being distracted(dogs barking, kids screaming, other calls coming in…)

Avoid The Most CommonMistakes

•Not getting the facts beforehand

•Not knowing what the position is•Not knowing who is calling

•Not doing your homework

•Having to admit you didn’t do your research on the company

•Not able to highlight qualifications for the position

Avoid The Most Common Mistakes

•Not being prepared when a surprise (qualifying) call comes in

Watch out for this one. Sometimes you’ll get a call out of the blue. If you’re busy and can’t

focus on the qualifying phone call, ask if you can call back.

…Most Common Mistakes

Poor communication skills Using slang Interrupting Not coming across

enthusiastically Not expressing

interest in the position and selling yourself

…Most Common Mistakes

Regardless of your interest in or suitability for the position, send

a Thank-You email.

Multiple Interviewers: Don’t get nervous, have fun with it.

Whoever asks the question, face them to initially answer and then turn to the others to complete the answer.

Move your attention from one to the other.

Understand what each person’s position is in the company and address them when speaking in their area of expertise.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS:

Questions?

Canton

(330) 490-2175

Akron

(330) 237-0100

Independence

(216) 674-4200

www.CFStaffing.com

Evelyn Hronec opened the CFS of Northeastern Ohio, Ltd. office in 1996 after working as a CPA for Bruner-Cox LLP. She has more than 16 years of internal auditing experience in the financial services industry, holding various managerial positions including Director of Internal Audit. Evelyn holds a BSBA degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University, and a Masters of Accountancy from The University of Houston. She also holds the Certified Personnel Consultant designation.

She is a member of The Ohio Society of Public Accountants, The Institute of Internal Auditors, the Institute of Management Accountants and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Evelyn is a Treasurer for the Ohio Association of Executive Search Professionals, and co-chair of the Cleveland Chapter. She is an At-Large Board Member of Akron Chapter of The Society for Human Resources Management and also serves on the Advisory Board for Stark State’s College of Business. Evelyn is a Founding Member of the Stark County Women’s Impact Initiative and also speaks to various audiences on hiring, employee relations and career issues.

Creative Financial Staffing