Phone Interview Advice: What to Do Before and During the Interview

Preparation
• Have these items ready and in front of you: your résumé, job description, questions to ask the employer, notes about the company, and your calendar/schedule.
• Ask a career counselor, HR professional, or even a reliable friend to practice a telephone interview with you. Get feedback on your answers, voice inflections and any recurring flaws in your speech, (“like”, “um”, “er”, and “uh”).
• Be ready to give examples of your accomplishments and previous work experiences.
• Sell yourself in every response.
• Write down the name(s) of your interviewer(s) so you can refer to them by name, and write them a Thank You note afterwards.

On the Phone
• Never conduct a phone interview while driving in your car!
• Conduct your telephone interview in a quiet place. Do not let children or pets in the room. Do not answer another phone or the door bell, or have any other distractions during this time. Turn off any electronic devices that might make noise.
• Stand up to project your voice better.
• Be enthusiastic and smile. It comes through in your voice.
• Speak directly into the telephone, slowly and clearly. Remember, your voice is all the interviewer has to distinguish you from other candidates.
• Use a land-line telephone instead of a cell phone. You have a better connection and less chance of being disconnected.
• Ask for clarification when needed, especially if you are unsure of the question and need time to process your answer.

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