Nailing the Phone Interview

Job interviews are all about making a good first impression on hiring managers, and that process usually starts with a phone interview. Camilla from New Jersey is looking for some phone interview tips from the WorkInSports Podcast:

“Hey Brian – I know you have talked about this before, but I seem to be getting a lot of phone interviews lately, and I don’t think they are going all that well. Any chance you can give some best practices to nail my next one?”

How to Prepare for a Phone Interview

Preparation is key to any good job interview. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to phone interviews:

• Update your voicemail greeting: Make sure it sounds professional and upbeat in case you can’t answer.
• Monitor your reception: Assuming you don’t have a landline (and if you do, use that), know where you get the best cell reception and avoid dead spots.
• Verify the details: Double check what time the interview is (and in what time zone), who you are speaking to, and additional contact information in case the call drops.

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Next

Once you’ve squared away the technical aspects of the phone interview, it’s time to dive into researching the interviewers, the company, and its culture. You should also have an expected salary range (our salary research tool can help) in mind in case your interviewer asks for it.

Once you have done your research and determined your expected salary range, it’s time to work on your performance. Additional phone interview tips include:

• Practice using a voice that shows enthusiasm (smiling helps)
• Try not to speak too fast
• Take notes of the questions and listen well to the interviewers

Catch the full episode of the WorkInSports Podcast for more tips on how to prepare for a phone interview. Also, subscribe to hear more sports career advice wherever you listen to podcasts and check out additional content on our YouTube channel!