5 Phone Interview Tips to Help You Stand Out to Recruiters

When a recruiter reaches you on the phone, your ultimate goal is to score an invitation for an in-person interview with the employers the recruiter works with. The great news is there are ways you can prepare in advance to help you stand out. Here are five tips to ensure you rock your phone interview:

1. Plan the Call Time Wisely.
It is tempting to agree to the first call time the recruiter suggests, but you are better off being deliberate rather than hasty. You need to be completely uninterrupted during the call and in a quiet place.

2. Grab a Mirror and Practice Beforehand (Smile!)
Either call up someone for real, or have a pretend two-way conversation. Work on clear enunciation, word choice and exuding positivity. Smile while practicing and during the actual call. Keep the mirror handy for the call itself too as it’ll remind you to smile. Also practice answering routine questions; here are some examples.

3. Spread Out the Documents You Need.
Prep your space carefully before the call. You want to be able to quickly access information such as the job posting, as well as the application materials you submitted. Ensure that they are organized in a way that makes the most sense to you as you don’t want to be frantically searching while on the call.

4. Showcase Your Web Presence.
Many folks use professional websites and/or LinkedIn to showcase their expertise and qualifications. When you’re about to answer a question, and the answer relates to an item in your portfolio, ask if it would be convenient for the recruiter to pull it up. Have her choose the appropriate item, and then she’ll have something tangible to look at as you discuss your successes or achievements with a certain project.

5. Determine What the Next Step Is.
During the phone interview, you may need to be the one to ask about the next step. For example, when should you expect to hear back? What would the next step look like?