Are you looking for a job? Are you wondering how to make the most of every opportunity to gain satisfactory employment? In today’s world, a job interview over the phone is already the norm. Read the typical course of such a conversation and practical tips to look good in the eyes of the recruiter. Learn about the most common questions that come up at job interviews and prepare professional answers!
In this article, you’ll learn:
Job interview – how to prepare? First contact with a recruiter
When a phone rings from an unknown number, everyone who is actively looking for a job hopes that it is a person from the HR department. In these circumstances, express your willingness to have a telephone interview on a different date, make an appointment for a specific date and time, and thank them for contacting us.
How to prepare for a job interview? Tips
The process of looking for a job will be much less stressful if you try to be properly prepared. When you are confident and take care of every detail, it will definitely be noticed. In the following part of the article, we will tell you what to do and what mistakes to avoid to show your best side. We will provide you with a comprehensive answer to the question: how to prepare for a job interview?
Take care of your phone settings
Check that your voicemail is turned off, as well as the “melody on hold” so that nothing prevents the recruiter from contacting you. Music that appears instead of a signal is badly perceived in professional situations. Make sure your phone is constantly charged, and carry a charger and a power bank with you when you’re out and about, this way you avoid the problem of a dead battery.
Get information about the company
Read the job advertisement carefully to find out everything about the requirements and responsibilities of the position. Visit the company’s website and remember the basic information, this will allow you to give correct, precise answers. Recruiters often check whether the candidate knows where they applied, whether it is a meeting at the company’s headquarters or a recruitment interview over the phone.
Choose the right place
It is impossible to fully answer the question: “How to prepare for a job interview?” without raising the issue of the right environment. The perfect space will be your home. Where you live, you have the opportunity to eliminate loud noises and other distracting stimuli. In addition, you can always have previously prepared materials at hand – see what they are!
Prepare notes
Are you wondering how to do well at a job interview? A conversation that takes place on the phone gives you the chance to support yourself with notes that will help you not forget anything.
- Write down key information about the company you applied to, such as its name, business profile, and most important projects.
- You can have ready answers to the most common questions in front of you, but during the conversation do not read from a piece of paper, treat it only as support.
- Print out your CV and cover letter to reach for when the recruiter asks for the details in these documents. It is not enough to have them in files saved on your phone, because when you have a job interview on the phone, it will be inconvenient to read from your device.
- Make a note of one or two questions you want to ask the recruiter ahead of time so you don’t miss anything.
Take care of your tone of voice
It is true that a job interview over the phone may seem simpler than one conducted in person, but due to the fact that the recruiter does not see you, but only hears you, it is worth paying special attention to the appropriate, i.e. firm and friendly tone of voice. A simple way to sound good is to smile. The statement of a person who is smiling sounds much better. Avoid interludes like “uh”, replace them with a short pause, and try to collect your thoughts to start a fluent speech.
How to look good at a job interview? Leave a good impression for the end
Finally, thank the recruiter and ask when you can expect a response regarding your application. You can emphasize that you really like the company’s business profile and hope for a positive result of the recruitment.
How to look good at a job interview? Video Call
Another type of conversation that takes place at a distance is a job interview via Skype, Teams, Zoom, etc. A video call requires us to prepare a formal outfit and an orderly background. Dress as you would for a traditional job interview. Avoid wearing a shirt and sweatpants, thinking that the bottom of the outfit is not visible on camera anyway. There may be an uncomfortable situation when, for example, you have to get up to bring a document, and then your sports clothes will be noticed. Check in advance what the background on which you will show yourself looks like. A smooth wall or an aesthetically pleasing area of your home, such as a bookcase, will be best.
See also: How to dress for a job interview?
Job interview – how to prepare? Body language
Try to control your body language, excessive gesticulation, restless eyes, playing with your hair or touching your face can make your nervousness visible. Stress is normal during such a meeting, but candidates who are confident usually make a much better impression than shy people.
How to Prepare for a Video Interview? Technical matters
Waiting for a call with a recruiter? Check that your internet is running at the right speed, that you have a working microphone, camera, speaker or headphones. Pay attention to whether your username is professional, i.e. containing your name or first name and the first letter of your surname, etc.
A job interview over the phone – the most common mistakes
Find out what to avoid to make your interview successful!
- A noisy environment that will make you unable to hear the recruiter or them. The worst thing you can do is shout into the phone and try to guess what has just been said. A phone interview is an important moment that your career may depend on, so all messages should be communicated clearly and understandably.
- Rushing the interlocutor is a big mistake. In a professional environment, you need to maintain high standards in terms of personal culture, so listen patiently to everything and try not to interrupt. Usually, a recruitment interview over the phone, as well as in person, ends with the candidate being cast as a voter, this is the perfect time to ask your questions.
- Portraying previous employers in a negative light is a faux-pas that you need to avoid. Even if you have a lot to complain about the companies you worked for, never complain about them during job interviews.
Telephone interview – questions and answers
Practice makes perfect, you certainly need to have many interviews to get used to their course and develop an impeccable self-presentation. Learn about the most frequently asked questions to prepare as well as possible!
What do you know about our company?
Before you start a phone interview, find out what the company is called, what it does, how many years it has been on the market and what values it values. Read about her biggest projects and current activities. If you want your interview via Skype, phone or other communicator to be stress-free, remember the most important information and be sure to practice presenting it, because sometimes in stressful situations candidates have problems with the correct formulation of statements.
Why would you like to work with us?
This question is similar to the previous one, the recruiter wants to know your plans and ambitions, and at the same time check if you have prepared for the interview. Tell us what values the company drives that are important to you and what you can offer to the team and the employer. By referring to your professional experience and skills, you will support your position and emphasize professionalism.
Why should we hire you?
Each telephone interview is aimed at both presenting the job position and getting to know the candidate. Your strengths are very important, i.e. knowledge of the industry, skills and achievements that you can boast of. When answering this question, focus on the aspects that are most important to the employer – they certainly indicated them in the job advertisement. Avoid mentioning: “committed, creative, goal-oriented”, instead support each of your positive qualities with examples from previous positions, describing how you contributed to achieving better results or improving the organization in the company.
What are your weaknesses?
This is a trick question, and you can use the answer to your advantage. Certainly do not list your flaws, although it might seem that this is what it is all about. Avoid talking about your tendency to be lazy, late, or having trouble resolving conflicts. You would probably ruin your chances of getting a job. Also give up the statement that you have no weaknesses. It’s best to use a clever method and point out a minor flaw that you’ve overcome or still need to work on, but you already know how to do it.
What earnings are you interested in?
This question can be very troublesome, especially if you don’t think about how to prepare for a job interview beforehand. It is worth providing real market rates offered in the area to people in your industry. If you give too low an amount, you may find it difficult to negotiate a raise later, and when you expect a salary that is too high, the employer may assume that they are not able to offer it to you, and then choose another candidate. The safest answer is to provide a salary range. Substantiate the proposed rates with arguments about how your experience and skills can contribute to the company’s growth.
How to prepare for a job interview – a positive attitude
In difficult and demanding situations, calmness and self-confidence will prove to be your allies. When you prepare for the recruitment process in advance, you will feel better and the recruiter will certainly notice that you know what you are talking about.
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Nika Walęcka
Copywriter, author of articles with practical advice that will help you look for satisfying employment. It provides a lot of information that is useful in preparing applications, conducting job interviews and building a professional image.
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