Edition: April 29th, 2021
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
(Image Credit: Freepik)
Excerpts from article by Priyanka Walia, published vasitum.com
In today’s world, searching for jobs and giving interviews is not restricted to geographical boundaries. Nowadays, organisations invite candidates for telephonic interviews to shortlist applicants.
You should not underestimate the value of a telephonic round of interview as it can make or break your chances of being considered for further rounds of the hiring process.
If it’s not a video call, you don’t have to be physically prepared with a dress code, but you still need to be mentally alert and ready to answer all questions with eloquence.
You have to present yourself, your skills and experience in favour of the company and convince the interviewer that you’ve got the potential required for the position, with your communication skills, confidence, and prompt answers.
Here are some tips to help you ace your telephonic interviews:
1. Choose an appropriate, quiet place
Companies tell you in advance when they will be calling. Choose a room where you can speak without any disturbance. Shut the room to prevent any other noises like that of TV and radio. Ask your family members not to disturb you when the interview is in progress.
2. Research your company & interviewer
Research about the organisation and your interviewer(s) – if you’ve been informed who would be conducting the interaction. Understand who they are and their roles in the company. It could be someone from the recruitment department or even your prospective boss.
3. Listen carefully
An interview is a way to market yourself. So, listening is significant. When you allow yourself to listen carefully, it shows that you are interested in making a conversation and in the job opportunity. Concentrate on the questions asked and set aside some effort to verbalise your reaction or answer. Remember, first impressions are also made during telephonic interviews. Answer precisely instead of going off the track.
4. Speak with clarity and confidence
One of the biggest mistakes people make in a telephonic interview is not sounding energetic or excited enough. As the interviewer can’t see you, you need to work harder to show that you’re enthusiastic about the role and the interview. Nothing is worse than a dull conversation. So try to speak clearly and with a level of confidence about the opportunity. Try emphasising when you’re making your most crucial points.
5. Prepare thoroughly
One of the major advantages of a telephonic interview is the invisibility of the candidate. The applicant must prepare the most common, expected questions in advance and write down important points on a piece of paper. These points should be clearly written as you will be referring to them under pressure. Try mock interviews with your friends or family and record it so that you can hear where you stutter and can try reducing that from your speech.
6. Ask intelligent questions
After the interviewer is done with their part of the questions, they will typically ask if you have any questions in your mind to ask. This is a chance for you to showcase your intelligence. You could ask questions about the role you are being interviewed for, company branding or its strategy to beat the market slump. Take care to ask relevant questions.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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