Telephone Job Interview Prepartion Tips

By Author: Nathan Newberger
Total Articles: 6
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This http://www.WorkTree.com
career article gives you
some common sense advice and tips on handling the all important
telephone interview.

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TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUND
===================================
Telephone interviews are quite common in today's job market.
They are offered for a variety of reasons including cost savings,
screening of candidates and out-of-town applicants. To successfully
navigate the phone interview, it is important to have a solid game
plan in place for preparation.

The following 8 quick tips will help prepare yourself for a
successful call.

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8 QUICK TELEPHONE INTERVIEW PREPARATION TIPS
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1. DO SOME RESEARCH
Try to find out who will be interviewing you. Will there be multiple
people on the call? If possible get their names and titles. Become
familiar with these before the call and you will have one less thing
...
... o worry about during the call. Try and get some background on the
interviewer. Any insight you can gain about him/her will allow you
to better tailor your responses to make the best possible impression.

2. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS
Make a list of your accomplishments, goals and strengths. On another
list write out your weaknesses and what you are doing to overcome
them. On a third sheet write down why you are interested in the
company. Think carefully about all of these items as they often come
up in interviews.

3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Never forget that a telephone interview is still an interview. Take
time to practice interview questions with friends or family. Ask
them to provide honest feedback so you can improve your responses.
Mock interview questions can easily be found on the internet or the
bookstore. If you get stuck on a question, sample answers to these
questions are often provided as well.

4. DO A SOUND CHECK
During the mock interview, have your friend ask you questions both
over the phone and in person. Make sure that he/she listens not only
for content, but also tone, rate and clarity of your speech. If
possible, record yourself speaking. Are you speaking slowly and
clearly? Can you easily be heard? Is your voice portraying you as a
confident and enthusiastic candidate? If not continue to practice
until you are comfortable.

5. FIND YOUR LOCATION
Stake out a quite space to occupy during your interview. Ideally,
there should be a comfortable place to sit as well as a table to lay
out your papers. Try and find a low-traffic spot where members of
the household are un-likely to disturb you.

6. ORGANIZE YOUR PAPERS
Have a copy of your resume and cover letter close at hand. Take out
those lists you made while organizing your thoughts. In addition
keep any notes related to the company that you feel may be helpful
during the call. Spread these items out across your table so they are
easy to access. Only keep what is truly necessary. Too much paper
can be a distraction.

7. GATHER YOUR WRITING TOOLS
Place a notepad and several pens or pencils on the table. These will
be helpful in writing down notes, questions and most importantly,
your interviewer's names.

8. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
As the appointed hour draws near, make sure that the television and
the radio are turned off. Exit your email and turn off your computer
screen. If possible, disable your call-waiting. Let your family or
roommates know about the timing of the interview so they do not
accidentally disturb you. Place a do not disturb sign on your door as
a gentle reminder.

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CONCLUSION
===================================================
By following these 8 basic tips, you are making a great impression and
on your way to the onsite interview. Remember, the phone interview
is very important and you should plan and prepare for it carefully.

This article can be read directly online at:
http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/telephone-interview-preparation.html

Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger,
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com

"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

About the Author Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers.