No matter what job you’re interviewing for, it’s fairly like you’ll have a phone interview before a face-to-face interview. Many people I speak to are worried about phone interviews because of their limits on time, the inability to read facial expressions and how difficult they are to prepare for.
What I always tell those people to do is to cheat!
You need to use the fact that the interviewer can’t see you to your advantage. How does this work?
Prior to the phone interview, you will prepare a notepad or Word document full of your “cheats.” It will contain the following:
- company information
- interviewer information
- questions for you to ask
- your 30-second recap (elevator pitch)
- your cheat stories
This is what I call your “cheat sheet.”
Let’s explain each of these one by one:
1. Company Information
While you might think that this is self-explanatory, many people don’t conduct proper research into companies they’re applying for.
Do you know exactly what the company sells or all of their services? Do you know their target market and how they set up for future success? Do you know their philanthropy statement? Do you know their mission? Do you know who their CEO is and how he or she founded or inherited the company? Do you know all of their locations, revenue, profit and employee size?
While this list can clearly go on for a while, I believe you get the point. You should know all of this information ahead of time and have it written down on your cheat sheet. I remember conducting a phone interview where a candidate said to me, “Which company are you calling from again? I’ve been applying to a lot of jobs.” Not a smart move.
2. Interviewer Information
We live in a world where information is at our fingertips. You can use websites such as LinkedIn, Jigsaw, Hoover’s, ZoomInfo and (dare I say) Facebook to give you a variety of information on the interviewer.
Why is this important?
Sometimes phone interviews can go longer than expected, and you start talking about hobbies and other personal topics (within professional boundaries!). This is when that reconnaissance can come in handy. It gives you the ability to quickly establish rapport with the interviewer. And why will this be easy for you? Because you already have it written down on your cheat sheet!
3. Questions for You to Ask
Most people believe that from the phone interview, all of your questions will be answered—and you know what? You’re probably right. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask any questions.
You should have at least 10-15 questions prepared ahead of time, because chances are at least 75% of them will be answered from the conversation.
Since most of your questions will be answered, try to shy away from what I call “bologna” questions such as “What is the culture like?” or “How much does this position pay?” These questions don’t tell you anything about the position you’re applying for and only make you look bad in the interviewer’s eyes because you’re asking non-relevant questions.
4. Your 30-Second Recap (Elevator Pitch)
You would think this is for the beginning of the conversation, when you’re asked, “Tell me about yourself.” However, it’s not.
At the end of most phone interviews, the interviewer will ask if you have anything else you would like to add. This is your last opportunity to recap your skills and remind them why you’re a perfect fit for the job. You want to highlight your skills and talents as they relate to the position’s responsibilities. Tell the interviewer what makes you qualified, how you can do the job and why you feel you would make a good fit.
This is an easy one to write down on your cheat sheet so you don’t have to memorize it; just make sure it doesn’t sound like you’re reading it.
5. Your Cheat Stories
You need to think of the questions you will be asked and have those stories prepped ahead of time.
For example, you might be asked, “Tell me about a time when you didn’t agree with your boss.” Instead of fumbling around for an answer, you should think of that answer ahead of time and then jot down a few notes to help you recall it during the interview. Those notes can be as simple as “Nicole – Hiring – Strategy.”
You can prep for as many questions as you like and have all of your prepped stories written down. This way, when you look at your notes, you can quickly scan through your stories and select the best one.
So, are you ready to tackle your next phone interview? All it takes is cheating! If you use these simple tips and tricks, you will easily move on to the in-person interview. Remember, those who prepare succeed. Use to your advantage the fact that the interviewer can’t see you, and you’ll be surprised by how many more interviews you get.
Image: Flickr
