Phone Interview Tips for Candidates
When you work with a recruiting agency, a critical part of landing a job somewhere is the phone interview. Your dedicated recruiter will work hard to find you great job opportunities wherever you want to go and will represent you well to potential employers. But, the phone interview is your first chance to talk directly with an employer. Thus, it is incredibly important that you are able to make a good first impression over the phone and convey your skills and interests clearly.
Of course, it is only natural to feel some pressure and nerves during a phone interview. But don’t worry — we are here to help you feel relaxed, confident, and prepared when talking to a potential employer for the first time over the phone. Here are some tips so you can ace your next phone interview.
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Eliminate outside noises and distractions.
The quickest way to tank a phone interview is to have a communication breakdown. That means don’t plan on having the call in a noisy coffee shop or outside by a busy street. You should be able to hear the employer clearly, and you definitely want them to hear you.
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Study up on the company.
An interviewer can always tell how interested you are in the job offering. If you haven’t put any effort into researching the company, it will come back to bite you. When talking about your experience and skills, try to connect them concretely to how they will serve you well at the exact job you are interviewing for.
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Pull up your resume, cover letter, and the job description.
The interviewer will certainly have these in front of them when asking you questions, and you don’t want to have to ask them what is on your own resume. Plus, this can help you focus your thoughts and jog your memory to help you give better answers.
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Give focused, tight answers at a relaxed speed.
A phone interview is typically not a long one. It is meant mostly to screen out candidates who are a bad fit. So, you don’t need to tell your whole life story — get to the point and answer the questions directly. This doesn’t mean you should cram in information by talking fast, either. Slower is better, especially over the phone.
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Think about your answers to common questions ahead of time.
Common questions like “What are you looking for in a job?” or “Why do you want to work for us?” shouldn’t trip you up. You should expect them and have confident answers already prepared so you can put your best foot forward.
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Ask thoughtful questions.
It is a big red flag if you don’t have any questions at the end of your interview. There’s no way you already know everything there is to know about the position, so if you don’t ask anything, your interviewer will think you aren’t seriously interested. Ask about day-to-day questions to show that you are genuinely considering what it would be like to work there.
If you are looking for a job anywhere in the health care industry, our team of recruiters would love to help you. HealthCare Support has positions ranging from administrative to executive and works in every state throughout the nation. Our team will assist with your resume, interview prep and onboarding as well as anything you may need help with throughout your assignment. To start your next health care job search with view our Current Openings on our website. If you do not see what you’re looking for, Join Our Talent Network to stay informed when one becomes available.