5 steps to mastering phone interviews

Scott Wesper, hiring manager viewer with your smile over at Arch Resources Group, a the phone, so you’ve got human capital management to convey enthusiasm and company in Miami. professionalism using your

“If you know who your voice alone. interviewer is going to be After assessing a baseline ahead of time, look them up. competence, phone inter- This gives you the opportu- viewers are first and foremost nity to find out a little bit of judging your level of inter- information about the per- est in the role itself. Noth- son, and maybe even some ing is worse than a mono- common ground,” advises tone, dull conversation. So Wesper. try to speak clearly and with

Your research should a level of enthusiasm about include a cheat sheet of the opportunity. key company f acts a nd “Variation in speech is answers to common inter- important for poi n ts of view prompts, such as “tell emphasis, and you should me why you want this job,” apply the same principle and even how to answer sal- to your phone interview,” ary questions. says Jordan Wan, founder

of CloserIQ, a sales recruitUse a cheat sheet! Create a location that ment program in New York

While you don’t have the puts you at ease City. “Try adding inflection benefit of face-to-face rapMake sure to find a and emphasis when you’re port, the best thing about quiet spot with good ser- making your most crucial a phone interview is that vice (if you’re using your points.” you can use notes rather fully charged cell phone) at One thing that can greatly than relying on memory to least 30 minutes before your help your confidence is if you get your points across. Be scheduled time. If you have stand. “Even though it’s over sure to print out cheat sheets a landline, use it. the phone, your body posahead of time, both to help “Limiting background ture impacts your voice and sell yourself, and to show noise will help you stay audio tone,” says Georgene how much you know about focused during the interHuang, founder of Fairygodthe company. view and will not be bothboss, a workplace improve-

Have you crafted an ele- ersome to the person who ment company for women vator pitch yet? Now’s the is interviewing you,” adds based in New York City. time, and once you’ve got Wesper. yours, print it out and have If you’re video conferenc- it ready to use next to the ing, make sure to find a spot phone. with a great connection, or

Also, as soon as you’ve even better, use an Ether- landed the interview, start net connection to minimize researching the company, the the chance of disconnectrole, and the interviewer (if ing half-way through. Find possible). The more preparaa neutral location with good tion you do, the more com- lighting. Don’t sit in front of fortable you’ll feel on the a window. This creates a sil- phone. houette.

“Start by taking a look at their website, read their blog posts, and figure out their mission statement,” says

Jon Simmons

Think the interview is the first step to landing your next job? Think again. Most jobs start with a phone call; either with a recruiter, HR manager, or hiring manager — and sometimes, all three.

In the age of texting, Snap- chat, and hashtags, phone conversations are something of a lost art, but it’s a skill that can be quickly mastered if you know some of the basics — and plan ahead.

Here are five expert tips that will help you get through even the toughest phone interview situations. Speak confidently and clearly

You can’t wow an inter- Listen actively and take notes

Listening well is one of the most underrated interview skills, but a vitally important skill. Not only does active listening help pace the con- versation, it will equip you with information you can use later on in the call.

“During the interview, practice your active listen- ing,” says Mary Warriner, senior human resources specialist at BlueCross BlueSh- ield of Western New York. But don’t let it distract you from picking up on critical pieces of information. “Take notes while the recruiter gives you details about the job, the process, and company overview,” says Warriner. “This is great information to have to create new questions for additional interviews or at the end of the call.”

End the call with clear next steps

Take a moment at the end of the phone interview to ask what to expect. And to make sure you don’t forget, write yourself a note that says “Ask about next steps.”

“The best way to end the call when asked ‘do you have any questions for us?’ is to inquire about the next steps in the process,” says Dana Case, director of operations at MyCorporation.com, an online business filings company based in Calabasas, California. “This offers some insight into the timeline of their hiring process and how they will plan to follow up with you.”

The job search process may seem confusing and even lonely. Don’t let that deter you from finding the job of your dreams.