Telephone Interviewing

January 1, 2009

Tips for Telephone Interviewing

• First, prepare yourself. Tape yourself in a mock interview with a friend on the phone and listen closely for "ums," "uhs," and other annoying dead air fillers. You don't need them — a pause in the conversation is perfectly acceptable, as long as it doesn't stretch out to a couple of minutes. Here, you'll also be able to identify and correct other foibles — interrupting the other person, a nervous laugh, sounding too clipped or angry. Practice as much as you can. Close your eyes — they're on the phone.

• Create a peaceful area in which to conduct the interview. DO NOT conduct a telephone interview on a cell phone. Turn off the television or radio, and eliminate all other distractions. Make sure you have both your current resume and other critical papers and dossiers right at your fingertips for quick and easy reference. If you get a little panicky, it's perfectly okay to put the interviewer on hold to take a deep breath or change location. Just don't leave the person hanging for more than 10 seconds.

• Develop a signature statement. This is your career proclamation, a one- or two-sentence summary of who you are and what you bring to the position.

• Allow the interviewer to guide the conversation, but be mindful of your own contributions. Avoid one-or two-word answers, use specific examples from your experience to substantiate a point ,and have some questions of your own for the interviewer that demonstrate your knowledge of the institution.

• Remember the nonverbal cues you're sending. Dress for your phone interview. Your voice will reflect the fact that you're psychologically prepped for the interview. Stand up throughout the talk. Your voice will be stronger and carry more authority. Try also to match your rate of speech to the interviewer's. If he or she is speaking slowly, for example, don't speak too quickly — you'll sound overwhelming. On the other hand, don't speak so slowly that you make the interviewer wait for every word.

• Put a mirror in front of you. Here's where you can cheat a bit to give yourself a psychological advantage. If you see in the mirror that you're gesticulating frantically or frowning, you'll know instantly you have to calm yourself down, or paste on a smile — and it will be audible in your voice.