Phone interviews are becoming more and more standard as a first round interview. These are typically being conducted by HR or Recruiters. If you don’t ace the first round phone interview, you won’t make the cut to come in and showcase your skills in person.

“Sooo – where do I begin?”

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

1. First off – be prepared for a phone call at anytime. Have a PROFESSIONAL voicemail message set up in the event that you are unable to answer.
2. Always answer the phone in a professional manner.
   1. “Hello, this is XXXX” is always a safe bet.
3. They may call you to set up the phone interview, or they may call and try to do the interview on the spot. However, it is fine to let the interviewer know that now is not a good time and that you would like to reschedule.
4. Typically, you will get an email to set up the interview.
   1. **YOU MUST BE FLEXIBLE when it comes to setting up interviews. Companies can be insanely busy and may only be available at certain times. It is up to you to make it work. They usually will not work around your schedule – that is YOUR responsibility.**  This can also give you bonus points and prove that you truly want the job.
   2. Also, do not ask for an interview outside of normal work hours (ie. 8am – 5pm) – If they offer this, that is a different story
5. Once your interview is scheduled (or maybe even before), do your research on the company. Be sure to know the answer to the following and be able to explain:
   1. Do they provide a product or service?
   2. What market are they in?
   3. Who are their customers?
   4. What other locations do they have?
   5. How many employees do they have?
6. Prepare questions to ask at the end of the interview that the interviewer may not have covered.
   1. These can include questions about the role itself, the department you are interviewing with, the company, etc.
   2. https://www.bizhired.com/questions-to-ask-during-a-phone-interview
7. Make sure you are in an environment that is free from distractions during the interview. The last thing you need is your dog in the background barking at the mailman when you’re trying to make a first impression.
8. Remember, it’s just a phone interview and they can’t see you. **Have a CHEAT SHEET in front of you.**

DURING THE INTERVIEW

1. Let the interviewer do most of the talking and you do most of the listening. Answer when they ask you questions.
2. Look for ways to make connections with the interviewer. When they are describing the company or the position, describe how it is similar to something you have dealt with in your past experiences. These small connections will make you stand out.
3. REMEMBER TO SMILE THROUGH THE PHONE! The person on the other end can hear it – I promise.
4. Wrap up the call with your questions that you had prepared and reiterate your interest in the position and the company.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

1. Send a thank you note! Do not wait more than 24 hours to send. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get a response. If you do not hear back in a week or two, send a follow up email thanking them again and expressing your interest again in the position.

So, there is clearly a ton that goes into preparing for an interview and doing the interview itself. What do you think? What did we miss? Would love to see your comments below!