How to Stand Out in a Phone Interview

The dreaded phone interview.

Why do we even have to go through these? What can a hiring team honestly figure out from a 10-minute phone conversation?

A lot. You would be surprised.

And think about it from their point of view: interviews take a long time and cost a significant amount of money in soft and hard dollar costs. If they can weed out the competition through a couple quick questions on the phone, wouldn’t they be fools not to?

So, that puts you on the other end of the phone.

In this article, I’m going to share some fool-proof ways on how to stand out in a phone interview.

I covered 8 easy and effective tips for preparing for the phone interview in a previous blog. If you missed, 8 STEPS YOU MUST TAKE TO PREPARE FOR YOUR PHONE INTERVIEW, read it HERE.

But now what on earth do you do once you actually answer the phone?!

Here are some real-life tips for a stand-out phone interview that will get you in the door for that coveted face-to-face meeting.

Answer the phone professionally.

Sounds simple enough, but so many people miss this step. When you answer the phone, that is the first impression you are making on the panel.

Pick up the phone, and professionally say, “Hello, this is .” (Say your name!!)

Think of it this way: the way you answer the phone for your interview should be the EXACT same way you would answer the phone if you were at work.

Any other way, and it truly sounds like you totally forgot about your interview. Simply, “Hello?” makes it sound like maybe you were expecting it to be someone else.

You also want to be in a quiet place where you do not have background noise or distractions. Don’t answer the phone with your dog barking at the front door, while you’re driving in a rainstorm, or while you’re out running errands. Yes, these are all real examples.

SMILE!

I talked about this some in the last article (HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR PHONE INTERVIEW) – it’s so important to smile when you answer the phone because it can make a huge difference in your energy and how you sound on the phone.

You might think this sounds super hokey, but what does this cost you? Nothing.

It’s Free 99. Seriously, just give it a go.

Remember names.

Keep a notebook in front of you, and when the panel or interviewer introduces themselves, write down their names so that you can thank them individually at the end of the interview.

If they don’t introduce themselves, and you have a natural break, you could ask, “And who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?”

If you are invited to in-person interviews, you will most likely meet all or some of the people you speak to on the phone anyways. Attention to detail goes a long way!

Don’t mumble or rush.

Try your best to take a breath, slow down, and speak clearly into the phone.

Your adrenaline will be pumping, so you will be likely to react accordingly, whether that’s rushing through your speech or speaking more quietly that normal.

Don’t use speakerphone if you absolutely have to. It can create a weird echo or generally make it harder for the panel to hear you. It can also expose your conversation to unexpected external noises in the background of your environment.

Also, don’t be playing with anything while you talk – particularly something that makes noise. The panel will be left wondering what on earth you were doing while talking to them on the phone. Awkward.

If you need a minute, let your interviewer know.

It’s okay if a question takes you by surprise and the best answer doesn’t come right to your mind, but you need to ask your interviewer for a moment to think.

Remember, you can’t be seen, so if you simply sit pondering in silence, the panel may think they’ve lost the connection or that you’re just a fan of awkward silence.

Simply say something like, “Great question! Give me a quick moment to think about it.” Then, go ahead when you’re ready.

Listen and don’t ramble.

You usually have about 10 minutes to really wow the interview panel. And you need to remember that a phone interview is still a conversation—not a one-sided presentation.

Listen intently to the questions asked, be human (conversational), and focus your answers on the most important, relevant information as it relates to the questions you are asked.

Do not try to exhale your entire resume in one breath!

The interview panel may not be able to pick out the key details in your exhaustive list of jobs, hobbies and accomplishments. More than likely, they are interviewing several qualified candidates in one long, tiring session, so you need to make your responses concise and to-the-point to keep their interest.

Once again, having your prepared notes in front of you will help you focus on a few key things you want to share.

Keep it professional.

This applies both to phone and in person interviews. You want to stand out with experience and knowledge that relate professionally to the job you are applying for.

If the panel asks you why you want the job (a very common phone question), stick to the professional reasons you applied.

DO NOT waste your time (and throw away your chance) by talking about how the reason you want to work for their organization is because your best friend lives in the same city, and you’ve been dying to find a way to move nearby!

(Yes, that’s a real-life example).