Phone interviews are not exactly a new normal for us at Focus of Georgia, but they’re important as ever as we continue to social distance and encouraging our clients to do the same.
While in person interviews are already nerve-wrecking (yes, we get it!) we imagine phone interviews hold a similar feeling for our candidates. Today, we want to share some phone interview tips to help you ace it!
1. Test Your Connection
Strangely and oddly enough, even if it seems like we’re always connected through our phones, it can always go out on us! If you’re in your home to accept the phone interview, find a place that’s receiving good signal to avoid cutting in and out between your interview.
2. Take it off Speaker
We understand you maybe restless and can’t sit still. You may want to even walk around with your phone so instead you put it on speaker so you can hear! DON’T. DO. IT! A lot of the times, we get a lot of sound feedback when on speaker phone. Other times we also hear ourselves through your phone! To best avoid this, hold your phone regularly or plug in earphones.
3. Charge Your Phone
This may be a no brainer, right? But how many times have we caught ourselves in need to make a call or receive a call and our phone is on it’s last 10%. If you have a scheduled interview that day keep your phone charged up to avoid any hang ups.
4. Be More Than Just On-Time
Just like as if you’d show up to an interview, you want to be there early if it’s a conference line call. Dial in 5-10 minutes early to give yourself time to adjust and be less nervous. If it’s a regular call, prepare yourself 5-10 minutes early before the scheduled call. Nervousness may show through a call and those first few minutes are very important for first impressions!
5. Mute Yourself
When on the line with the interviewer(s), mute your end while they’re talking. A dog bark, a baby’s cry, or a random rustle on your end can happen at any moment and while this is all natural, you want to give the interviewer that undivided attention as you can. Muting yourself can give you the opportunity to think of your response but don’t forget to un-mute! (It happens more times than you think!)
What kind of tips do you have for phone interviews?
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