3 Tips for Acing Your Next Phone Interview

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You applied for a job you'd really like to land, and you found out you're going to have a phone interview. This is a great step forward in the process. But what if you've never done a phone interview? What type of questions can you expect? How do you show your excitement and confidence about this opportunity if the interviewer can't see your face? 

Here are three tips for having a great phone interview. 

Find a Quiet Setting

Now that you know what time your interview will be, you need to start planning where you'll do interview. Whether it's at home, in your car, or in a public place like a coffee shop, it's important you have as little noise and distraction as possible. 

You want to be able to hear and focus on the questions you're being asked, but you also want to make sure your interviewer can hear your responses. If they're having trouble hearing you because of background noise, you might miss out on showcasing why you are right for the job.

Bring Something to Write With

The location is taken care of, now it's time for the interview and you realize you don't have anything to write on or with. If the interview goes well, you'll probably be told the next steps, including a time and location for an in-person interview. You don't want to be scrambling around to write important information down and potentially miss something, so make sure to have paper and pen easily available.

It will also be helpful to have writing materials for the next tip.

Have Questions Ready

Too often, people will prepare for questions they're likely to be asked during an interview but will forget to have questions ready for their interviewer. If that happens, an opportunity to uncover more about the job and company, as well as show genuine interest in the job has been missed. Don't let that be your situation

Here are a few questions you can consider asking at the end of your phone interview:

• How has the position changed over the past few years?
• Who would I be reporting to?
• How would you describe the company's culture?
• What do you like most about working there?
• What type of employee tends to be successful with your company?

For more phone interview tips, check out this short video.

At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing more than 552,000 people across North America in 2019.

Express also offers a free educational video series called Job Genius, on selecting a career path and succeeding in that role. To access this resource, visit YouTube and search Job Genius or visit ExpressPros.com/JobGenius. And check out the Job Spotlight series on our job seekers blog, Job Journey, to learn about pay rates and qualifications about specific positions.