Ace phone interview questions with these tips
Job searching is a careful process involving many steps. When the hard work of creating an outstanding resume and applying for jobs pays off and you land a job interview, you now face a new opportunity to advance your new job prospects. Preparing for an interview often causes anxiety, and in the modern age, many interviews are conducted virtually or over the phone.
Preparing for a phone or virtual interview is similar to preparing for an in-person interview. However, when preparing for virtual or phone interview questions, you want to keep a few points in mind.
Discover some of the most common phone interview questions and tips for responding. You'll find great ways to share your skills and experience to indicate that you're an ideal candidate for the job.
Tell me about yourself
This open-ended prompt for a response is often the first to arise during a job interview. Hiring managers use this prompt to develop rapport and learn more about you as a person and candidate for the job. A confident answer to this question can set the tone for the entire interview, so you need to take the time to prepare a response in advance.
The best response for this answer gives the interviewer insight into your personality and professionalism and indicates that you're an ideal candidate for the job. For example, you might say, "I am an avid reader. My writing career stems from my love of reading. I've been reading a lot about the new trends in this industry. That's what led me to apply for this position."
After considering your response to this question, make a few bullet points to trigger your memory during the phone interview. Just a few keywords are enough to provide a reminder of your answer.
Why did you leave your last position?
Companies want to determine if a candidate is reliable and will stay with the organization if hired. Since this is a common question, prepare a response before your next job interview.
Don't let this question make you uncomfortable, especially if you didn't leave your previous role on the best of terms. You may have an acceptable reason for leaving your last job, such as moving, changing industries, or being laid off due to company cutbacks. You might also have left on less favorable terms, such as a conflict with a manager or being fired. It's essential to be honest when you explain why you left your previous job, but you can also positively frame your answer.
Consider practicing possible responses to this question, such as, "I felt that I couldn't advance any further in my previous role. I want to develop my writing further and branch off into different areas, and I had limited opportunities at my last job. This position would allow me to showcase my current skills and develop my writing skills in new areas."
Why should we choose you over other applicants?
The key to answering a question like this is to be confident without coming across as arrogant. You'll want to assure the manager you have the skills and abilities needed to perform the job, the attitude and motivation to perform well, and the personality to fit in well with the team and company culture. To do this, research the job requirements and the organization's values and philosophy before your phone interview.
A solid answer to this question might be, "My last job prepared me well for this role since I was doing most of the tasks required for this position. My background can add a lot to the team because I'll bring a new perspective from my experience working in a nonprofit organization (or other relevant industry)."
"'What's your greatest strength?'" is a common interview question, so take time to craft a response indicating you'll be able to perform the job well. A well-prepared reply to this standard interview question can demonstrate your confidence and communication skills and let you share other relevant job skills you possess."
What's your greatest strength?
"What's your greatest strength?" is a common interview question, so take time to craft a response indicating you'll be able to perform the job well. A well-prepared reply to this standard question can demonstrate your confidence and communication skills and let you share other relevant job skills you possess. When preparing your answer, think of skills pertinent to the position, but also try to mention some strengths that will set you apart from other applicants.
You might reply by mentioning a specific aspect of the job description and relating a personal strength to the task. For example, "I noticed the position description mentioned creating monthly reports for the team. In my last position, I created written monthly reports and gave quarterly presentations on our projects to the department executives."
What are your weaknesses?
An interviewer doesn't expect you to share a weakness that indicates you can't perform the job. So why does someone ask this question? Hiring managers often ask this question because it shows whether candidates are honest and open to improvement, and it also gives insight into how they'll act if they make a mistake on the job. An intuitive answer to this question also indicates the level of the candidate's self-awareness since every individual has some area that can benefit from improvement.
Take the time to prepare an answer that frames a genuine weakness positively. Also, choose a skill or trait that's not necessary for the position for which you're applying. Share how you're already trying to address the issue.
For example, if you're applying for a writing position, you might say, "My greatest weakness is spelling, so I double-check every document before I send it to the editor. I also use a grammar and spell-check program that catches anything I miss." Or consider mentioning a skill not related to the job, such as sharing a weakness like math or public speaking if you're applying for a writing job.
Tips for preparing for a phone interview
While a phone interview is similar to an in-person interview, it may be easier for some people because you can have notes in front of you during the interview. This interview setting allows you to prepare notes and thoughts before your interview and be able to refer to them during the interview. Don't read the responses word for word; instead, prepare a few bullet points of things to mention for each question.
The following tips can also help you prepare for a phone interview:
- Review responses to some typical phone interview questions presented above and consider how you'd respond to them.
- Consider preparing the answers to some situational and behavioral interview questions, which indicate to managers how you would act or behave in various work situations.
- Use the STAR interview method to help you respond to behavioral questions. With the STAR method, you describe the situation, task, action, and result to explain how you would act in specific work situations. The acronym provides a simple outline for answering a behavioral-style interview question.
When you're ready to start applying for jobs, create a profile at CareerBuilder and take the next step to find your ideal job.
More tips to help you prepare for a job interview:
Discover some of the best questions to ask during a job interview.
After you practice responding to the interview questions, use these suggestions to prepare for a phone or virtual interview.
If an employer terminated your employment from your last position, study some tips for explaining a termination during a job interview.
It's just as important to follow up after a phone interview as an in-person interview. Learn what you should include in a thank-you email sent within 24 hours of the interview.
