Having a Phone Interview? These Tips May Help You Out:

By: Nicolas Odeh

Now that we are nearing the end of the school year, a lot of are looking for (if you haven’t already found) jobs for the summer/the beginning of our professional careers. While it goes without saying that there are a ton of jobs out there in a multitude of industries, almost all of them have one thing in common; you have to interview for them. Whether it’s in person, Skype, a telephone interview, or survey, there are a great deal of ways that that employers utilize to make sure that they are hiring the right personnel.

Over the last year, I’ve had over a dozen interviews – some in person, some over Skype (or any webcast), and over the phone. Below are some pieces of advice I’d like to offer you guys that would help make phone interviewing not only easier, but to help tip the scale in your favor.
 

1)      Have your Resume and Cover Letter on hand: A lot of employers base their interview questions on things they’ve seen on your resume or cover letter, so be ready to answer questions about it. If you have several copies of your resume, make sure it’s the same one that you submitted to that company (especially your cover letter!)

 

2)      Print out the Job Description: As the old adage goes, “never put all your eggs in one basket.” Employers are very conscious of the fact that students are applying for jobs all over the place. Just because you don’t necessarily have all your eggs in one basket does not mean you don’t have to give them your undivided attention in the interview. Know what the position is, know where its located and know what the job requires of you.

 

3)     Use a Landline: Simple, right? The last thing you need is a dead battery or a dropped call during a phone interview. Those are nearly impossible to recover from! If you do not have access to a landline, Oregon Tech Career Services has a conference room with a landline (and webcam) to help you get the job you want!

 

4)      Research as much as you can!: This goes for all interview types, regardless of setting. Give yourself the best chance of getting the job. Find out who you’re interviewing with and see if they have a LinkedIn account – it could help you connect with them even better. It’s also a good idea to know about the business as a whole, not just the position you are interviewing for. Not sure how much the job should pay? Check out places like www.cbsalary.com or www.glassdoor.com to find out about what you should be expecting for the position you are applying for.

 

5)      Make sure you have water: During a phone interview, the only thing you have to project yourself is your voice! The last thing you need is for your mouth to go dry, because then you’ll start to stumble on your answers. While that may be the case, the employer may have no idea that is what’s actually happening, so to them it comes off as a potential lack of confidence.

6)      Dress For Success: The one thing that you should always consider in a phone interview is your voice intonation, and how confident you sound. Even though your potential employer cannot see you, it may help to dress for the interview (even if it’s just putting on a shirt and a tie!) so that it helps put you in the interview mindset.  

 

Phone interviews are usually one of the first steps in the interview process. Doing well in phone interviews usually leads to in-person interviews, so your success at phone interviews is paramount. For more information on finding the right job for you, and any other career related endeavors, check out Career Services at www.oit.edu/career and “like” us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/OregonTechCareerServices.