Telephone interviews are used by companies to screen candidates and narrow the pool o

You should take a telephone interview as seriously as you would a face-to-face interview.

Advantages of the Phone an employer that you are interested in a position and
Interview enthusiastic about earning a face-to-face interview.

One advantage of a telephone interview is that it allows Types of Telephone Interviews

you to have your research and preparation materials in
front of you during the interview. However, you should • Information Gathering Interviews: An employer
not read directly from these documents, as interviewers may ask to speak with you to determine your
can likely tell if you are reading. Many interviewers may interest in their company. This is common if you
even try to test you to see how quickly you can think on were referred to the employer through a personal
your feet. To ensure that you do not read straight from contact or someone you met at a career fair. You
your notes, write down important points and facts only, should treat this phone call seriously. Companies
not entire paragraphs or sentences. often use information gathering interviews to see
if candidates are a potential fit before scheduling a
What to Expect lengthier phone interview.

Telephone interviews can be as brief as 15 minutes or as • Screening Calls: Companies may use telephone
long as an hour. They may involve a standardized set of interviews to narrow down a pool of applicants
questions that are asked of all candidates. Be prepared for in-person interviews. This type of interview
for interviewers to ask a lot of questions about a specific can last anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes and
skill or experience that is important for the job. may be
conducted by either a hiring manager or someone
While telephone interviews mainly involve employ- from Human Resources. In either case, you should
ers asking you questions, you should be prepared to assume that the interviewer has in-depth knowl-
ask a few questions as well. By asking for information edge of the position and job qualifications. Be
regarding the position and its responsibilities, you prepared and demonstrate as much interest and
show

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enthusiasm when speaking with an HR representa- commodate your needs. You may prefer not to arrange
tive as a hiring manager. interviews too early in the morning or too late in the
afternoon. However, if the employer has no other time
• In-Depth Telephone Interview: Companies use
available, your willingness to compromise and be flex-
in- depth interviews to minimize travelling
ible can make a good impression.
expenses associated with interviewing out-of-
town candi- dates. In some cases you may be put Always confirm the time zone, length of the interview,
on speaker- phone to talk with an entire hiring and the name and position of the person (or people)
committee. conducting the interview.

• Unexpected: A company representative or recruit-

er may call you unexpectedly and ask if you have
Voice Mail
a few minutes to talk. For this reason, you should Make sure you have a clear and professional voice-
always be prepared. Try to determine if the repre- mail message in case you miss a telephone call from a
sentative is making a quick informational call or if company. Get rid of a ringback tune from your favorite
they want to discuss job-related skills in-depth. If it band, as employers will likely not wait through it but
turns out to be a longer interview, decide quickly if will hang up and not call back. Remember, your voice-
it is a good time for you to talk. If it is not (which is mail message is your chance to make a truly excellent
okay), ask if you can arrange to talk at another time first impression.
that is convenient for both of you. Keep in mind
that when you talk on the phone with a prospec- Preparing for a Telephone
tive employer, you should always use your best
Interview
interviewing skills, and convey enthusiasm and
professionalism even if it is 9 am. During your job search, you should be prepared to
take, and succeed on, a phone interview on a moment’s
Who Calls Who? notice. However, if you know about the interview in
advance, take time to prepare and do your research just
Usually, employers prefer to call candidates to arrange
like you would for a face-to-face interview:
interview times that meet both schedules. Sometimes,
employers may ask candidates to call them, which can • Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
test how serious the candidate is about the job as well
as how effectively they follow through. If you receive a • Review and think about answers to common
telephone call from employers at a bad time, it is okay phone interview questions (see list on pages 4-5 for
to ask if you can call them back in ten minutes or so to examples).
better position yourself in a quiet location. It is always
• Be prepared to talk about your background and
better to ask to reschedule than to appear unprepared.
skills, especially as they relate to job specifics.
Scheduling • Review the job posting and make a list of how
When you schedule a phone interview, you should ar- your qualifications match the hiring criteria.
range a time that is comfortable for both you and the
• Make a list of examples you could use to demon-
employer. If you have a class or other commitment, let
strate your skills and abilities. Practice talking about
the employer know and they will be happy to try to ac-
those examples using STAR (Situation, Task, Action
 taken, Result). Refer to the Interviewing Skills tip
for business, you put yourself in a professional frame of
sheet for more details on how to use the STAR
mind.
ap- proach.
Make sure you have the following items on hand before
• Research the company and the job. You should be
you start your interview:
able to clearly articulate why you are interested in
the job and why you would like to work for that • Your resume
company.
• Any notes you have prepared in advance
• Prepare a few questions to ask at the end of the
telephone interview similar to those you would ask • A photo of the person who will be interviewing
at the end of an in-person interview. you so you have a face to put with a name. This
will help relax you.
Reserve a Landline Phone
• A mirror to check your facial expressions and
You should always use a landline when taking part in a body language which can be conveyed through
telephone interview. Cell phones can too easily result your voice. Smile and try to relax!
in not being able to hear one another well or dropped
• A calendar in case you are asked to schedule
calls.
a follow-up interview
If you do not have access to a landline, you can reserve
• A clock to monitor how much time you have left
a room at the CDC to use a phone. However, note that
in the interview—always respect the time
if you conduct a telephone interview at the CDC, the
parameters set by the interviewer
company must call the CDC’s main line and will be
transferred to the room you are in. Therefore, after
• A mirror to keep an eye on your facial
confirming and arranging a time with both the com-
expressions which can be conveyed through
pany and the CDC, provide the company with the
your voice. Smile!
CDC’s main telephone number (508-831-5260). Be
sure to arrive early at the CDC. Again, you must • A glass of water in case your mouth gets dry
confirm your reservation with the CDC before you let
the company know about these arrangements to • A pen and paper handy for note-taking
ensure that space is available.
Also, remember to turn off call-waiting on your

Before the Interview phone so that your interview does not get
interrupted.
Make sure you have a quiet space with no distractions
reserved for your interview. This includes pets, children, During the Interview
and roommates. Do not have the television or radio on
Your phone interview should be as professional as your
in the background. If you have difficulty finding a space,
in-person interview. Make sure to smile, sit up straight,
feel free to reserve a room at the CDC.
be alert, and focus on the interviewer. Your attitude and
While it may seem silly, you should also dress in profes- interest level will come across through your voice, so
sional attire for your phone interview. When you dress make sure to convey a positive and enthusiastic tone—
studies indicate that smiling can help achieve this.
Listen to each question the interviewer asks and
answer it as fully as possible. You should not be • Reiterate your interest in the job and desire to
engaged in substantial reading and note-taking on the move on to the next step.
side, as you might miss important questions and
comments.

While on the phone, remember:

• Do not smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink.

• Pay attention to your body language. Smile,

think positively, and focus on the interviewer.

• Speak slowly and clearly, and use proper

grammar.

• Use the interviewer’s title (Mr. or Ms. and the

last name). Only use a first name if they ask you
to.

• Never interrupt the interviewer. Wait until they

have fully asked a question before you ask any clari-
fying questions.

• Take your time answering questions. You can take a

moment or two to collect your thoughts before you
give your answer.

• Avoid the overuse of “ah,”“err,”“uhh,” and “like.”

• Avoid saying a simple “yes” or “no” by backing up

your answers with specific examples from past
work, project, or educational experiences.

• Express your enthusiasm by talking about what

excites you about the job, the company, the
field, and your major.

• Do not mention compensation. This

conversation typically comes at the end of the
interview cycle, not during a telephone
interview.

• Request contact information for follow-up ques-

tions and thank you letters.
• Remember that the goal of the telephone
interview is to gain an invitation to a face-to-face
interview. At the end of the telephone interview,
thank the interviewer and inquire if it would be
possible to meet in person.

After the Interview

• Write notes summarizing the interview. Note
what questions you were asked and how you
answered.

• Evaluate how well you did on the interview

and highlight areas that you could improve
for next time.

• Send a thank you note to express your thanks

and reiterate your interest in the job and
company. Include a reminder of something
specific you dis- cussed that demonstrates how
well you matched one or two of their key
requirements. Refer to our Thank You Note
Writing tip sheet for more guid- ance.

• Send any requested materials to the employer

as soon as possible.

Common Telephone
Interview Questions
• Can you tell me a little about yourself?

• What interests you about this job?

• Why do you want this job? Why do you

want to work at this company?

• What do you know about this company/position?

• What is the most important thing you’re looking for

in a company/job?

• Are you willing to travel?

• What applicable experiences or skills do you have?

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ew

• What is your greatest weakness? • Have you ever gone above and beyond the call
of duty? When and how?
• What are some of your greatest strengths?
• How have you handled a difficult situation with a
• What is the most significant accomplishment
customer or co-worker?
you have made thus far?
• How do you evaluate success?
• How do you handle stress and pressure?
• Questions about your career goals—where do
• How would you rate your communication skills?
you see yourself in five years? ten years?
• How do you prefer to communicate—in person,
• Questions about your abilities and qualifications.
by phone, email, instant messaging?
• Is there anything I haven’t told you about the job
• What is your favorite book? Movie?
or company that you would like to know?
• What motivates you?
• Do you have any questions?
• What type of work environment do you prefer?
Remember, the CDC is here to help—stop by to meet
• Give an example of a situation where you with a CDC staff member about any questions you
used logic to solve a problem. have. You can discuss telephone interviews in an
appoint- ment or at walk Ins.

Career Development Center

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