5 Phone Interview Tips To Land a Remote Job
Many remote companies do not have a physical address other than a corporate headquarters. This usually makes in-person interviews difficult. For that reason, remote companies tend to conduct phone interviews. Knowing a few helpful phone interview tips can help you to move onto the next phase in the job application process.
5 Key Phone Interview Tips To Ensure A Successful Outcome
#1. Look Carefully Over The Employer’s Job Description
Make sure, before the phone interview, to look over the job description one or two more times. You need to be sure you know the specifics of the job you are applying for.
If you ask the hiring manager to remind you of the job description, it makes you come across as not interested in the position. This makes for a terrible first impression.
When it comes to important phone interview tips, this is one of the most important to remember. Look a few more times at the job posting. Write down keywords such as soft and hard skills being asked of the job applicant. Keywords are important, and you’ll learn about that soon.
It’s important you understand that a job posting is the employer’s way of describing the person they are looking for. Therefore, the more you know about the job itself, the better your chances of showing them that they don’t need to look anywhere else.
#2. Prepare Ahead Of Time For Common Interview Questions
Preparing ahead of time for common interview questions will give you more confidence. The more prepared you are, the more confidence you will have.
Recruiters often ask the same questions of their candidates. Question like “What is your greatest weakness?”. What they tend to find is that prospective employees often give cliché answers like
- Caring too much
- Workaholic
- Overachiever
While these seem like fine answers, they definitely are not the answers the interviewer is looking for.
What hiring managers are looking for is something unique – someone who doesn’t give the same basic answers as everyone else.
Go ahead and toot your own horn about the flaws you have, but be mindful of how much you tell.
Don’t forget to touch on the keywords that were noted in the job posting. Use them as naturally as you can when coming up with your responses.
For instance, a posting says it wants a person that’s goal-oriented and can work as both an independent person and a team player. The keywords here are “goal-oriented” and “team player.”
If the person interviewing you asks what you can offer the sales team, you’ll have an answer that includes the keyword information such as. I’m both independent and goal-oriented, but sales is a collaborative effort. Thus, for a customer to be truly satisfied, everybody should be a team player.
Remember, the job posting is an employer’s way of finding the perfect employee, which is why you need to mimic the posting as much as you can to give them the feeling that you are that person for them.
#3. Research, Research and More Research
When a hiring manager receives a resume, they’re hoping that the people who send them in are really interested in the position they are applying for. They want to find a person who is right for the job and the company culture. You can show them this by being enthusiastic and doing some research about the company.
The best place you can learn about a company is through it’s website. Look at their homepage. You should see a link that says About Us, News or Corporate. These links provide you with details about the company and it’s current culture. You’ll also learn its mission statements and values.
Be sure to write down any information you feel is pertinent, adding it to your interview cheat sheet. When you’re doing your phone interview, you can rely on it to show the prospective employers just how interested and motivated you are.
Don’t forget to use social media as well – Facebook, X, LinkedIn, etc. – to find out about the company. If you’ve not done so already, follow them on social media to see what they’ve recently posted.
When talking to the hiring manager, you can let them know that you saw something about their company in a tweet or post. This lets the interviewer know that you are serious about your interest in the company, which could work in your favor.
#4. Come Up With Questions To Ask The Interviewer
You should always ask the interviewer questions of your own. Create a list ahead of time. Most interviewers ask prospective employees if they have any questions about the job, pay, etc. That can be a little intimidating, right?!
If you’re not prepared, chances are you’ll stammer and trying to think of questions to ask.
Believe it or not, it’s bad to not ask questions. It makes a person think you’re not interested in the position. When you really want a job, you’re going to ask questions – to learn as much as you can about it. The more you learn, the more questions you are liable to have.
Prepare yourself a list of questions to ask the hiring manager. Anything about the job and company is great but don’t ask about salary, benefits or vacations.
#5. Set Up An Interview Area
Since most phone interviews happen in your home, you need to make it so that it’s a business-like atmosphere rather than an environment you’re familiar with. The phone interview needs to be seen as something important. When it comes to phone interview tips, this is one you need to remember. It’s too easy to get relaxed when interviewing in your own home.
How To Be Successful In A Phone Interview
- Ensure you have a completely charged phone, as you don’t want it to die when you’re in the midst of the interview.
- Reduce distractions. Having distractions during the interview can make the employer feel that you are not able to work from home effectively.
- Find a place that offers great phone reception.
- Inform others that you’re on an important phone call. Be sure your kids, neighbors or roommates are aware, so they don’t interrupt you unless it’s an emergency.
- Have your notes handy including your interview answers and questions you’ll be asking. After all, if you did the homework, you need to have them with you during the phone interview.
- Don’t sit down. Standing up will create a clearer, confident voice – even if you pace, it’s better than sitting down and trying to talk.
In Conclusion…What To Remember About These 5 Phone Interview Tips
A phone interview is often held for people looking for a remote job. Employers are trying to find out who is and isn’t ideal for the company.
For people who make the cut, they then may need to focus on a formal video interview through a program such as Skype. The only way to get there is to get through the phone interview first.
Use the above phone interview tips to help you score the remote job you want.
What are some other phone interview tips that you have? Tell us in the comments below.
Professional Development, Resume & Interview Tips, Working From Home Tips
