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Phone interviews

Before meeting face-to-face with a potential employer, you might have to do an interview over the phone. Job agencies especially use phone interviews to screen applicants, often when you call to enquire about a position.

Any contact you have with a potential employer should be as professional as possible. Take these tips to make your best impression over the phone.

Be prepared

If you're expecting a phone interview call it's a good idea to turn off your call waiting. You don't want any interruptions while you're being interviewed. Better to use a landline phone than a mobile, because you'll get better reception and the line won't cut out.

Before the interview it's good to try to think of the kind of questions you might be asked. Have a look at some of the other pages in this section for some ideas about things you might get asked.

You should also check out our Job interviews toolkit to watch some videos and take an online quiz that includes some practise interview questions.

Speak clearly

Check that the interviewer can hear you clearly. Politely let them know if you're having trouble hearing them. Don't eat or chew gum or do anything else that might be distracting for interviewer or make it hard to hear what you're saying.

Sometimes if you're a bit nervous your mouth goes dry and your voice starts to get croaky. Have a glass of water nearby so you can excuse yourself for a moment and take a sip.

Don't interrupt

Try not to interrupt the interviewer. Wait till they've finished asking you the question before you begin your answer. Even if you need to clarify something, don't speak until they've finished what they're saying.

Give detailed answers

Give detailed answers, don't just answer with a 'yes' or 'no' or short sentence. When you're on the phone, your interviewer can't see you nod or smile or make hand gestures to support what you're saying so words are all you've got to impress them! If you need some time to think about an answer just let the interviewer know, don't leave them waiting in silence.

Follow up

Your phone interview might be just one part of the recruitment process so you should ask about what happens next and if you'll have a chance to meet in person. And make sure you follow up on anything you'd promised to do, such as send in a résumé.

There are more tips on using the phone to get a job at youthcentral's Cold calling - tips for success.

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