That Dreaded Telephone Interview

Contribution from Kirsty Ferguson, resume and interview expert


PhoneDo you have a job application in?

You may only get very short notice to prepare for the phone interview.  That seems to be the trend.  It’s called pre-screening, and you’ve got to get past the telephone interview before anything else.


Beware: this is not a causal “get to know you” chat, you have to be firing on all cylinders and not saving your best stuff for the next stage or you won’t get to the next stage.

I have heard from many candidates that were simply caught out. They were told by a recruiter or employer to expect a call to chat about the role a little more… and were actually subjected to a full hour long behaviour based interview!


So, note to self, no matter if it’s a telephone, SKYPE, one on one or face to face panel interview… I must be ready to perform 100%!  Lets face it, the recruiter/employer has seen your resume, on-line application and cover letter, they actually know based on your experience that you could perform the role.


What they don’t know are the things behind the resume:

–        How does the candidate behave in a team?
–        Does the candidate fit into our culture?
–        What is the candidate bringing that is unique and a cut above?
–        How does the candidate handle conflict and problems?
–        Does the candidate have the ability to take on a leadership role?
–        Does the candidate show initiative?
–        How does the candidate communicate with diverse groups of people?
–        Does the candidate embrace ongoing training?


If you get this right, you will progress to the next stage, if not our application ends here.

Prepare to succeed by preparing early!


 Contact us to find out more about what to expect at your phone interview.