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Telephone Job Interviews

Being offered a phone interview is a really good sign.

A telephone job interview means the company is seriously considering you for the job. It also saves you the time and expense of travelling to a face-to-face screening interview.

Phone interviews are usually used as the first stage in the screening process.

Although people sometimes get nervous about them, they're actually a chance for you to make a great first impression.

Telephone interviews are normally quite basic, without too many trick questions. Typically, a company will want to get to know you a little - get a feel for the personality behind the CV. They'll probably ask you a few questions about your CV, work experience, skills, background and why you want the job. It's easy to prepare for this type of question, before they call you.

It's really important to take a telephone interview seriously. It's more than just a chat: the interviewer will be deciding whether to invite you to a face-to-face interview. You should treat it as seriously as any other type of job interview.
 Telephone Job Interview
To prepare for a phone interview, it's critical to: TOP TIP
  1. Set the call up for a time when you're able to relax and not be disturbed.
    This might mean asking to be called outside of office hours.

  2. Don't do it at work.
    You'll be too nervous to do yourself justice. And what would happen if your boss walked in?

  3. Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview.
    Sit upright in your chair and hold the phone as you would at work. All of this helps you present a professional image. If you're at home, in your jeans and lounging on the sofa, you could come across as being too laid back.

  4. Really listen.
    You can't see the interviewer, so you'll need to concentrate on their tone of voice and what they're saying. You might be surprised how much information a "pregnant pause" can give you.

  5. Think about your body language.
    Try to imagine the other person sat on their end of the phone and move your body as though you were looking at them in a normal conversation. If you would normally smile, then smile. This will help you avoid sounding "wooden" on the phone.
 Take it seriously and prepare well.
Then you'll breeze through the telephone job interview and make it to the next round of recruitment.
Next: Other Types Of Assessment
From Power Point presentations and group exercises to psychometric tests. Know what else to expect.
Next: Other types of assessment
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