How to Ace Your Next Phone Interview

Today’s job market is as competitive as ever, and with hundreds of job seekers applying for a single position, it can be difficult for recruiters to find the cream of the crop. To help streamline the hiring process and eliminate unqualified candidates, many employers are conducting phone interviews.

Are you prepared for a phone interview?

“Normal” interviews offer you a chance to use your appearance, handshake and other factors to help you land the job. Phone interviews offer a unique challenge – impressing a recruiter with only your words and voice.

Is your voice helping you ace phone interviews? Here are a few tips to use your voice to land your next job:

  • Be aware of your tone. Ask a friend or family member to give you an honest opinion of your voice. Does your voice sound confident? Professional? Immature? Nervous? You can also record yourself answering standard interview questions, and give yourself an honest assessment.
  • Don’t forget inflection. Using inflection to emphasize specific words or phrases can help bring home a strong point your trying to make. Conversely, using inflection improperly can cause misunderstanding of your words. Have you ever been frustrated by someone who ended every sentence like a question? Annoying, isn’t it? Tread carefully!
  • Keep on practicing. Do some online research and prepare a sample list of potential interview questions. Then, practice your responses to those questions for friends and family, or for a recording. Review your answers and voice and hone your responses so that they sound natural, and not rehearsed.
  • Put a little pep in your step! You may have been up all night tossing and turning with nerves about your interview (we hope not!), but your voice shouldn’t reflect that. Don’t go overboard, but make sure you are engaged and invested in the conversation.

Put these tips to the test, and you’ll be well on your way toward a successful phone interview! And if you’re looking for new career opportunities, contact Luttrell Staffing Group today.