Telephone Interview Tips

Telephone Interview Tips

Be articulate. Practice asking yourself questions, then answer them with confidence in front of the mirror. This will give you an idea of your facial expressions and pronunciation. Keep your answers brief and to the point. You must know where to stop and start while answering questions. Never talk non-stop. Control the speed of your speech. Listen carefully to the interviewer's questions. Understand the question and start your answer by recollecting your experiences and knowledge. If you are not able to understand the question clearly, ask the Interviewer to repeat it. Request for more related information if you are not sure about the answer. If you don't know the answer or haven't used a particular method or tool, please say "I don't know" or "I haven't experienced that situation " or " I haven't used that tool, but if given the opportunity, I can learn fast". An Interviewer will always take it positively when you admit the truth. While starting a conversation, introduce yourself with your first name and last name (if any) and greet your Interviewer with a "How are you" or "Hi" or "How are you doing" If the Interviewer discusses issues regarding country, lifestyle, weather, accommodation, language, driving, culture, politics, food and family background (rare) - answer briefly. Please keep a copy of your resume in front of you. The interviewer may ask about individual project details, your roles, responsibilities, major accomplishments, product advantages, techniques followed, tools used, and your involvement in that project. Refer to your resume quickly and answer the question promptly. Don't be nervous or panic. Be cool, enjoy yourself. Remember you have the skills the client needs. Never show or express unwillingness to be interviewed. Even if you are not interested in that job or client, don't discourage the interviewer especially after having started a dialogue with him/her. If you decide on another client call the Interviewer, thank him and give a valid reason for not joining. After successfully completing the interview process, if interviewer asks "do you have any questions ?", ask! Clarify issues related to company background, place of work if hired, starting date and timings. Do not ask about the position offered, rates at this stage since those issues come under the negotiation process. Don't raise or talk about issues related to discrimination against race, religion, color, country and sex. These are extremely touchy topics and are best avoided. Don't use slang words. Don't stretch an argument. After completion of interview, say "Thanks" or "Thanks for your time" or "Thanks for your time and have a good morning/evening day" and put down the phone very slowly. If the interviewer makes a positive offer and you are satisfied with it, it would be nice if you said the following: "Thanks for giving me an opportunity to work with your company and I will do my best to prove my skills....." If you are asked to briefly introduce your entire work experiences, take 30 seconds to explain all major points, client names and contributions you have made. I recommend you practice this by writing down the exact contents and reading it aloud in front of the mirror. Always be positive. Try to answer all questions with practical examples based on your previous experience. This way, you can recollect your experiences and prove that you have faced challenging situations in your career. If you feel you lack adequate communication skills, attempt to regularly converse with friends on general topics. Listen to the radio, watch discussion oriented TV programs. Talk to yourself in front of mirror and watch for, speed, lip movements and body language. After the interview is over, recollect what you did, how you performed. Note down where you were lacking. These points will help you better your performance the next time around. References always works well no matter where you are applying. Managers and HR departments will always cross check with the references you have provided. So have at least 3 references who can give them a very clear picture about your experience and skill set. If you are not hired, don't loose heart. There may be several reasons for the client/consulting company to reject the applicant even after a successful interview: Budget constraints Terms with medical staffing company are not agreeable to client Salary not agreeable to client Medical staffing company is getting better offer for you from a different client. Medical staffing is not willing to send you because of short term assignment. Client is not ready to sponsor your Work Visa and has restrictions in company corporate policies. Here are some common reasons for rejection along with a suggestion for improvement: Lack of communication skills - actively work towards improving your communication skills. Lack of leadership qualities. Applicant skills and experience is not matched with client requirements - you can't do anything. You have nothing to lose. Find another Company where they can match your skills and knowledge set. Not enough number of references - ensure that you have enclosed at least three excellent references. Not ready to pay you what you want - before asking what you want, you need to do little market survey based on your experience. You need to go through Salary Survey and learn more about general company HR policies too. Very importantly, when you address the Interviewer, Use his/her first name or put Mr. before last name. This is important while writing e-mail, holding a general conversation or making a presentation. I hope these tips will be of use to you for your next telephonic interview. Never hesitate to ask for help from others. Gather as much information as you can about the company and position you have applied for.