How to Handle the Dreaded Phone Interview

Feb. 2023
By NTI

Fear not about the phone job interview. While you might be nervous about it, there are several tips you can use to ace it. 

“This is a quick way for companies to weed out candidates quickly,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Director of Operations. “They get some idea about you and whether they should bring you in for a second interview.” 

Like you would with a face-to-face interview, you want to be prepared to answer and ask questions. When you get a call to request an interview, make sure you respond quickly in a professional manner. Email should be proofed and easy to understand. 

The next steps are to make sure you have researched the company and the job. You should also look up the person who will be interviewing you on Linkedin or the company’s website. Make sure you have the name and title in front of you when you are on the phone for the interview. 

“Of course, most people are nervous about being interviewed, and the last thing you want to do is to call the interviewer by the wrong name,” said Hubbard. “Having the name in front of you takes away that fear.” 

When you are setting up make sure you are in a quiet setting, have any information you need in front of you and answer the call professionally. The Career Contessa advises using a headset for the call, which helps you to hear and can prevent background noise. It also keeps your hands free to take notes about questions you want to ask at the end of the interview.

“You don’t want to be distracted or be on a call where music is playing in the background, or the interviewer be able to hear your dogs outside,” said Hubbard. “You need to be able to be focused and listen very closely.” 

The first question you are going to be asked is, “Tell me about you?” This is basically your sales pitch and remember you are selling yourself as the best person for the position.

“It is a good idea to practice this with a friend and get their feedback,” said Hubbard. “A good tip is to tie your experience into what the requirements are for the job. You can use your pitch to sell yourself successfully. 

“When you are answering the questions, make sure you are speaking clearly and are easy to understand. When people are nervous, they tend to speak fast to get everything in. Make sure you are smiling because it will show in your voice.” 

If the interviewer needs to interrupt you, pause and let it happen. This is probably a question about something you said and is also another chance to talk about why you are the best candidate for the job. 

When the interviewer is done asking questions about you, make sure you have your own ready to go. This will tell the interviewer that you did your homework. 

After the interview is over, you want to make sure you send a follow-up email thanking them for their time and stressing again how much you are interested in joining the company. 

“I don’t know how many times hiring managers have told me the candidates sending the follow-up email or mailing a card made a difference in getting the second interview,” said Hubbard. “That might be the thing to give you the edge you need.” 

NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their caregivers find at-home employment with free training and job placement services. You can register at www.nticentral.org.