Posted Oct 28, 2022
Common Telephone Interview Mistakes
Telephone interviews are increasingly becoming the norm for a number of reasons; some might include those relating to location differences, costs, time, and more.
We’ll go over a few fairly common mistakes to avoid to help you with your next phone interview.
Speaking on loudspeaker
Although this may seem like an easy way to take down notes while speaking to the interviewer/hiring manager, it can also become difficult for the person on the other end to hear you. The risk of being misunderstood by the interviewer is not worth the risk.
Lack of preparation
Preparation is always key. Do your research into the company and find out about their morals and values.
Practise answering a few sample interview questions that may be available online. “Where do you see yourself in X years?” and “Tell me about yourself” are examples of such questions. Try not to read your answers off of your notes; you can start to sound unnatural and mechanical. By all means, have your bullet points and your CV in front of you as subtle reminders.
Not asking what the next step is
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know where you stood after a phone call? If the interview went well, what the next step will be? It is always beneficial to let the interviewer know how keen and interested you are in the role and ask what to do next.
Going off topic
When asked a question, answer directly to what they’ve asked, because they’ll be asking it for a reason. Try not to talk around the question or give information that is irrelevant to what is being put forward to you. Rambling can cause the interviewer to lose interest and zone out. Therefore, keep your replies to under a minute, short, crisp, and to the point.
Being Timid
The lack of confidence you project to the interviewer will likely reflect on yourself as an inadequate candidate. Portray yourself with the utmost confidence and in a way that can assure success for the company. Be assertive with the ideas you put forward and let them know you are the right person for the job.
