Telephone Interview Tips: How to Get Your Foot in the Door

Posted: Apr 30, 2010 |Comments: 0 | Views: 285 |

As job seekers broaden their horizons to include positions far from their home town, and human resources departments try to deal with the deluge of job applications brought on by the recession, telephone interviews have become much more popular. Here are some telephone interview tips that will help you get your foot in the door and keep it there. Although this is a guide to help you prepare for a phone interview, youll discover some handy job interview tips that will help you, whether youre on the phone or not.



Be Spontaneous



The trouble with a phone interview is that your potential employer can spring one on you at any time, so you must be prepared for the possibility. Here are some telephone interview tips that can prepare you for a spontaneous interview:



Keep Your Resume Handy: You may need to recall key points at a moments notice. Ideally, youd memorize them, but if thats not possible, be sure your resume is within easy reach.



Know Your Stuff: If this is a job youre really interested in, one of the first things you should do is commit to memory the key facts about the company and the requirements of the job youre after.



Keep a Pen in Your Pocket: Its always a good idea to have a pen and paper handy, just in case you hear something youll need to know in the future.




Keep Your Cool: Remember, your questioner knows theyre putting you on the spot. If youre not sure of an answer, or you need to get your thoughts together, dont be afraid to take a few deep breaths. Its better than umm-ing or uhh-ing your way through the interview. This is sound advice for a scheduled phone interview as well.



Be Prepared



If youve got some time to prepare, in addition to the above telephone interview tips, try to:



Keep Hydrated: Phone interviews can be lengthy. You dont want your voice giving out on you at a critical moment.



Control Your Environment: If youre at home, make sure theres no obnoxious background noise. If you like to walk and talk, make sure youre not going to encounter a chain saw on your route.



Dress for Success: Yes, even for a phone interview. How you dress can affect how you act. Dressing nicely will help you to project confidence over the phone.



Remember to Smile: Just as dressing can help your confidence, smiling can help your disposition. Keeping a smile on your face will come through in your voice, even if you dont notice it.



These are some job interview tips that are uniquely tailored to a telephone interview, but you can apply most of them to an ordinary job interview as well. As with any interview, phone interview questions can be all over the map, so be prepared to answer everything from why youre looking for a job to how you would respond to a challenge.



If you have time to prepare for a job interview, its a good idea to take a few minutes to think about how you envision the interview proceeding. Come up with a pitch that sells yourself and presents your unique qualifications for the job. If there are items on your resume that you dont want to dwell on, think about how you can transition to a positive aspect of your skill set. Remember, if someone referred you to this position, it never hurts to drop a name.



It takes days to prepare for a job interview, but a phone interview sometimes doesnt give you that luxury. Hopefully, these telephone interview tips will allow you to avoid potential pitfalls and put your best foot forward during your next phone interview.



Copyright, Cecile Peterkin. All Rights Reserved.

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/telephone-interview-tips-how-to-get-your-foot-in-the-door-2270734.html

    Article Tags:

    interview tips

    ,

    job interview tips

    Going for a job interview is probably one of the most nerve wrecking task in the world. You don’t really know what to expect from the job interviewer and you are worried you might get tongue tried and damage your chances of getting your dream job.

    By: Ricky Liml Careers> Interviewsl Feb 06, 2009 lViews: 787

    It's an completely brutal occupation market out there with most groups of work seekers resembling a big herd of cattle playing some type of twisted task search "lotto game" just hoping to get lucky.

    By: AliRazl Careersl Mar 13, 2011

    It's an completely brutal position marketplace out there with most groups of work seekers resembling a big herd of cattle taking part in some type of twisted job search "lotto game" just hoping to obtain lucky.

    By: ZacDohertl Careersl Mar 02, 2011

    Are you looking for Job Interview Tips? You're about to go on a job interview real soon and you'd like some job interview tips. It may be your very first job interview and you're in the dark as to what to do.

    By: John Andrewsl Careers> Interviewsl Mar 22, 2010 lViews: 131

    Job Interview Success – For recruitment purposes selection is the tool to gather all the necessary information and data about the person who has applied for the job. It is used to determine his suitability for the job position he has applied for and know whether he is to be hired for the job or not.

    By: Richard Chidil Careers> Interviewsl May 07, 2011

    Tipsforinterview.net is here to prepare you for the crucial interview you will face to get the job of your dream. The cool tips will help you to remain calm and answer the questions in the best possible way. Do not forget to come back and spread the word about the cool site to your friends.

    By: Tips For Interviewl Careers> Interviewsl Mar 08, 2010 lViews: 184

    Teaching English abroad in Vietnam is a unique experience for anyone who seeks to explore a beautiful country with a rich heritage. You may find people who say that it is not difficult to find jobs in Saigon, but the converse is true. It depends on where and how you conduct your search.

    By: John Thomsonl Careersl May 25, 2012

    Thailand is a beautiful country with an expanding opportunity to teachers seeking opportunities to travel and teach. The steady demand for native English speakers means that any confident applicant with basic teaching skills can secure employment without difficulties.

    By: John Thomsonl Careersl May 24, 2012

    Doctor jobs are growing in demand. Canadian research discovered that over four million Canadians lack a family physician Because four million Canadians don't have a family physician, the need for physicians is enormous Provinces throughout Canada are desperate to fill these vacancies.

    By: jaretcxlhal Careersl May 24, 2012

    Although Singapore is an island nation, it has grown to become a modern and efficient first world model country in Asia too. The infrastructure is remarkable and education sector largely successful.

    By: John Thomsonl Careersl May 24, 2012

    Malaysia is a beautiful country with a thriving tourism industry. Like other emerging countries in Asia, the education sector spurs the knowledge-based economy. The education reforms have been instrumental in producing a quality workforce that satisfies the professional demands of various industries.

    By: John Thomsonl Careersl May 24, 2012

    It can happen to anyone. For one reason or another - a late arrival, botching answers to key questions, failing to show knowledge about the company - you had a bad job interview. Although the proverb is true, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, you...

    By: Cecile Peterkinl Careersl Apr 30, 2010 lViews: 614

    As the worldwide economy becomes more strained and the demand for expertise in the workplace increases, people will be relocating from different cultures and countries, in order to provide for their families and establish careers. Individuals will be spending the majority of their waking hours side by side with men...

    By: Cecile Peterkinl Careersl Feb 27, 2010 lViews: 133

    Businesses these days are in a unique position in which there are four generations in the workplace. First, there are those who have been working for years and who, in better economic times, would be close to retiring. Then there are the Baby Boomers who are approaching retirement and, in...

    By: Cecile Peterkinl Financel Feb 19, 2009 lViews: 330

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast