Tips For Your Next Telephone Interview

In this industry, the majority of interviews are practical so that the employers can see your skills in the kitchen. However, they need to understand who you are but also what kind of experience you have and how you respond to challenges. This is where a telephone interview can come into the picture; it is a great way for an employer to speak to you about your experience.

Telephone interviews can be a little trickier to have success with compared to a face to face interview simply because you don’t have that human interaction – there is no ability to read facial expressions or body language on either end of the interview. So, to help you in your next phone interview we have created a few tips.

Practise

As with face to face interviews conducting a mock interview with a friend or family member can help you massively. Research some common phone questions and make sure you know how your qualifications fit the job description. It won’t do you any harm to research the company as well, this way you can impress your employer.

The Way You Speak

Differently from a face to face interview, interviewers will only hear your voice, so in this case record your answers. When you listen back to the mock interview, listen for the pauses and the “umms” and then try to minimise this.

Your tone of voice will be extremely important in this interview if you sound too monotone it could come across as bored to your interviewer. Try to keep your tone interesting and relevant to the questions or topics.

During the Interview

A positive for you about a phone interview is that you have the opportunity to make sure you have everything that you possibly need right in front of you. Ensure that you have your CV to hand as well as a notepad and pen to take notes. They may ask you about your CV or experience, with your CV in front of you it allows you to refer to it quickly.

If you have the option, use a landline phone rather than a mobile – this way you shouldn’t have any poor connection issues. You want to appear professional to the interviewers, so this is a good precaution to take.

Background sound is not only going to distract your interviewer but it will also distract you, and you may not answer the questions to the best of your ability. Make sure you’re the only person in the room, and there are no TV’s or stereos on in the background.

These are just a few tips for getting ready for and during your phone interview. Remember to make the most of this interview by asking questions and telling them all about your skills and experience.

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