How To Win The Phone Interview.

Phone Interview Cheat Sheet: 10 Tips To Phone Interview Success.

1. Know whether you can take the call when it comes.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to schedule the call for a time when you can focus completely. Of course, you need to feel the interviewer out; if he hesitates to schedule another time, you might want to plunge forward and do the best you can, considering you

might not be getting another opportunity to present yourself.

2. Have the documentation you need at your fingertips.

Having easy access to the company and job information will allow you to confidently respond to questions without fumbling regarding which job you

are talking about. So have a copy of both the job description and a copy of the resume or application you submitted in front of you before the interview

starts.

3. Know your answers to common questions.

Brief “yes” and “no” responses will not move a telephone interview forward, but will end it quickly. So, start by practicing your answers to the common interview questions now so that you are ready when

the unplanned telephone interview occurs.

4. Smile while on the phone.

Place a mirror by the phone, and make a point of looking into it and smiling while you are talking on

the phone. Start now, so you can become comfortable with it. You will find that you sound

more upbeat and engaged when you do this. Your smiles will be “heard” by the interviewer making for

a positive impression.

5. Share your portfolio in advance.

Imagine this: The interviewer asks you to describe a challenge you have faced. Ask if the interviewer has access to the Internet. If the answer is yes, suggest the interviewer visit your web portfolio or LinkedIn profile (URL’s hopefully on your resume), and have them click on your project highlights page. There,

the interviewer will see what you have made public, perhaps an outline of key projects and a terrific

graph that expresses your results.

6. Focus on your languageand voice.

Again, you can only go on the power of your voice in a telephone call. Speak clearly, stay upbeat, and use positive language. Smiling (4, above) will help. Try

to take cues from the interview (does he or she speak slowly and softly or fast and loud?) and

modulate your own tone and word choice to make a positive impression.

7. Avoid selfish questions during the interview.

Now is not the time to ask about benefits or salary. Initial interviews, until you have an offer, are about selling yourself to the employer until you are the

key applicant they want to hire. You do not have any power until that time and will just show that your

emphasis is not on being a good fit but just on what is in it for you.

8. Don’t hang up without asking for the next step plus

contact information.

The interviewer is bringing the call to an end but there has been no talk of a next step. Speak up! Express your enthusiasm for moving forward and

ask about the next step. If an in-person interview is not scheduled at the end of the call, find out when you can follow up with the employer. Be sure to ask for contact information (name, phone number, and

email address) of the person who will be your contact.

9. Disable extra phone features.

Call waiting, texts, blips and bleeps. These noises and vibrations can be a distraction and

embarrassment, sabotaging your chances of moving the interview process forward. If you don’t know

how to shut these off, now is the time to figure it out - not during the call.

10. Say thank you, in writing.

Sure, it was a telephone interview, but that is no reason for not taking the time to exercise simple but

powerful courtesies. Write a thank you letter, and mail it, unless your main communication has been through email with the interviewer. Don’t just say

thank you but make a point of reiterating strengths and value for the position.

Find more ways to win a job at:

www.interviewquestions247.com