Phone interviews are often the first step in the hiring process. It’s important to give the interviewer the best picture of yourself.
You can make a great first impression with a few minutes of preparation. Feel free to take some notes as you read to get the process started.
The following guide helps you prepare with common interview questions you’ll encounter, advice on how to answer those questions, and what questions to ask of your own.
Rehearse Answers to these Common Interview Questions
The following questions are often asked on phone interviews. Having answers ready makes the interviewer’s job easy. If they have dozens of calls to make, a fast and memorable interview can help you move up the rankings.
Are there right answers to these questions?
Yes and no. Efficiency, clarity and relevance are key aspects to crafting your answers. The best answer is one that relates your work and life experiences to the question in a few sentences.
Here are common interview questions and advice on how to approach them:
Tell me about yourself…
This statement is an invitation to describe your professional goals, desires, and current employment. Interviewers ask this question to get a general feel for where you are in your professional journey.
Typically, you want to highlight your strengths and achievements without sounding arrogant. You can do this by sharing your interests and explaining how your experience led you to apply for the job you’re interviewing for.
What’s your greatest strength?
Discuss the skills that you bring to the role. Tailor what you say based on the job description provided when you applied. These skills should be the qualities you think the employer would value most.
What’s your greatest weakness?
This question is tied to vulnerability. The interviewer wants to see that you can discuss areas of improvement. Self-awareness and honesty is what they’re looking for.
Employers don’t want to see that you have no weaknesses; rather, employers want to hear that you acknowledge your weakness and show how you can capitalize on your awareness.
Why did you leave your last job?
It’s important to answer this question truthfully, but in a way that keeps you in a good light. Even if you left the former job in less than ideal circumstances, keep the focus on your professional aspirations.
A great response to this question can relate to burgeoning opportunities and a new change of scenery.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Interviewers want to know if your professional goals align with the company’s goals. They’re trying to see if you can grow and stay on with the company.
Be honest with your aspirations and showcase how this step can be a pivotal part of your long-term goals.
Why are you a good fit for this job?
This question is your chance to self-promote and highlight skills and traits that serve the role best. When an interviewer asks this, you can talk about what you’re proud of without being shy.
You’ll also want to relate your skills to the job requirements in any way possible to showcase how perfect you are for the position.
What motivates you?
The best answer for this question incorporates the company’s values. Discuss how your passions and interests align with these values and the role.
How to Prepare for Uncommon Questions
What if they ask you questions that aren’t on the list above?
Interviewers want to get a feel for how well you fit in a role. Whether their questions are related to your work history or they sound more general, responses should tie to the job.
Before the interview, look over the job description. Highlight or note the job requirements, role expectations, and information relevant to what they’re looking for. Keep this information in front of you when you are interviewed.
If an out-of-the-blue question is asked, look to your notes, then think about relevant experiences. Depending on the question, you can use both professional and life experiences to answer it.
For example, you may get asked a “scenario” question, something like:
“Tell me about a time where you interacted with a difficult customer. What did you do right? What could you do better?”
The right answer to this question will guide the interviewer through your thought process to the solution. The solution should be in line with the kind of person the interviewer is looking for.
Prepare Your Own Questions
At the end of the phone interview, you may have the opportunity to ask your own set of questions. Have these ready so you can quickly get through them.
You can create these questions from the job description or through researching the company.
Here are a few questions to consider:
What does a typical day look like for a person in this position?
Can you describe the company culture?
Are there opportunities for advancement in this role?
What kind of growth does the company expect to see within the next five years?
Do you have any concerns about my experience or skill set?
How to Follow-Up the Phone Interview
Once the interview is complete, there are a few things you can do to stand out.
First of all, thank the interviewer for their time once the questions are done. Next, ask when you can expect to hear from them. This gives you a response window.
If they say, “expect a response in 24 hours,” that tells you when you can reach out. If you do not hear from them in that time frame, send an email to see if they have information for you. This shows that you want the job and are actively paying attention.
Additional Tips to Ace the Interview
A phone interview is key to getting the job. You can further prepare yourself by controlling the environment.
Make sure you take the phone call in a quiet space with excellent service. Eliminate distractions so you can be fully focused. Have written notes so you only have to carry a sheet of paper with you, instead of your computer or another device that can be a distraction.
With your questions rehearsed, you’re ready to make the best of your phone interview.
