How do you prepare for telephone interviews? Which graduate jobs are likely to involve telephone interviews? And how should you behave during the telephone interview itself?

Why employers use telephone interviews

Some recruiters use telephone interviews as a selection tool. If you are applying for a sales position (particularly within executive telesales) or a job that involves a lot of negotiating / oral skills (such as a customer services manager), you are likely to encounter telephone interviews.

Recruiters may also use telephone interviews as the first stage in the selection process if you are applying for a position that is located outside the UK.

How to succeed in telephone interviews

You won’t go far wrong if you treat a telephone interview much as you would a face-to-face interview. In both cases, the employer is simply trying to gather information from you through a series of questions.

• Be professional – it’s easy to treat a telephone interview as an informal chat. But remember that you are trying to present a good impression at all times.
• Your voice is the only sales tool you have – speak slowly and clearly, don’t use slang and try to sound relaxed and confident.
• Don’t ’um’ and ’err’ too much!
• If you are using a mobile phone, find a quiet place to talk – it can be difficult enough to conduct a conversation on a mobile phone without having to filter out the background noise of a railway station, a car engine or a noisy road.

Telephone interview tips

• Jot down some answers to likely questions. You can refer to them during the interview, as long as you manage to make your answers sound natural.
• Have a copy of your CV or a completed job-application form to hand, for quick reference.
• Don’t speak too quickly, use slang, interrupt or talk over the recruiter.
• Try smiling while you are talking. Studies have shown that this has a positive effect on the person who is listening.