Phone interviews are hardly a new recruiting tool, but in a post-COVID world, you may find yourself doing more of these virtual or voice-only interviews than before. While managers have very similar expectations of how you present yourself in person and on the phone, you may be wondering what it is that tech hiring managers want to hear in a phone interview that will help you seal the deal.
Here’s a look at the phone interview best practices that are a must for modern job search success.
1. Don’t Let the Medium Phase You
Getting comfortable chatting with folks over the phone (or video conferencing) is something that will immediately put you at ease for an interview using the same medium. If you feel confident on the phone, you will also appear confident as a candidate. A phone interview is a different breed of communication. You’re not able to communicate non-verbally, so make sure you’re good at communicating your value clearly and concisely. The bottom line is that you really need to know what you’re talking about to present yourself well. Of course, doing your homework means reviewing your resume and the job description ahead of time, so you know exactly how your skills and experience translate to provide value for the new position.
2. Practice with Friends or Family
Make sure you are ready to show up over the phone as well as you would in person. Check your connection and internet speed to make sure you won’t suffer from any technical glitches during your interview if it’s over the web. The best way to get confident is to practice. Ask your friends, your family, or your recruiter to do a trial run with you so that you know what to expect when the day comes for your real interview. They can provide valuable notes to help you fine-tune your interview technique. If no one is available to bounce ideas off of, practice in front of a mirror. Practice by recording yourself. Take notes. Learn from your mistakes. Recognize where you can do better and improve on your mistakes and hesitations.
3. Prepare Your Environment
Take your workspace into account when preparing for a phone interview. How is the noise level in the room you will be using? What will your interviewer hear in the background (or if you’re using video, see over your shoulder) that may or may not distract them from what you say? These things matter, and ensuring your environment serves you well in an interview shows the care and attention to detail that interviewers are looking for when it comes to getting the right candidate in line.
4. Get Your Questions Ready
When preparing for an interview, the important thing to remember is to treat it the same as you would an in-person meeting. Make sure you have questions prepared to ask so you can learn more about the opportunity when you have your future employer’s attention. Be ready to start a conversation that will help them better understand who you are and the value you bring to the company. Even though you’re not there in person, you can still be an active part of the conversation.
Grow Your Career
For more advice on growing your energy industry career, connect with the recruiting team at ESGI today.
