A phone interview can be cost-effective and save you time. After all, they allow you to screen candidates before you invite them in for a face-to-face meeting.
While this is different to meeting in person, you need to remember this is still a professional interview and requires the right approach.
Below, we outline why you should consider using phone interviews as part of your hiring process, as well as explaining how to prepare, and conduct, an effective phone interview.
Why Conduct a Phone Interview?
Phone interviews are becoming increasingly common, with many seeing the benefits of this technique in their hiring strategy.
There are a number of reasons to conduct a phone interview. Firstly, it saves you time and money, allowing you to screen the candidate before you invite them in.
What’s more, it gives you a chance to ask any initial questions you may have about their suitability for the role. You can then begin to build a picture of whether they’re genuinely interested in your company.
It’s also beneficial for candidates too, saving them time travelling in for an interview, only to find out at a later date that they are not a good fit for the role.
But, as with any interview, a phone interview requires plenty of preparation from hiring managers. Below we outline how to effectively prepare for the call.
How to Prepare for a Phone Interview
A phone interview may feel less formal, but it’s vital to remember that this is still a professional call and you should treat it as such. Just because they can’t see you, doesn’t mean the usual rules don’t apply.
First up, send a reminder of the time and date of the call to your candidate. They should have this in their diary, but it is always helpful to send a reminder in case their circumstances have changed since you set up the call.
You need to make sure you’ve got a quiet location for the interview and check that your phone is fully charged. You don’t want technology letting you down at the last minute.
Prepare a list of questions that you want to ask the candidate, and also print out their resume and the job description. This will ensure you have everything you need in front of you to help you conduct a smooth interview.
Get everything ready to go in good time, usually around 15 minutes before the interview is set to take place. Make sure you have a pen and paper to hand as you’ll want to take notes throughout.
How to Structure the Interview
A phone interview is shorter than a face-to-face meeting, because it’s generally part of the screening process. That said, the structure is not dissimilar to that of a regular interview.
Start the call by introducing yourself and giving a brief overview of the company and the role. After this, aim to get the conversation flowing by asking them how they found the role and what drew them to it.
Once the conversation feels more natural, you can begin to ask your questions. Make sure to take notes of any important points or information they share with you. You’ll likely want to look back on this afterwards.
When you’ve gathered all the information you need, it’s time to see if the candidate has questions they’d like to ask about the role or business. After all, they also need to decide if the job is right for them, and if it would be worth their time coming in for an interview.
Before you hang up the phone, let them know what the next steps are and when you’ll next get in touch with them.
How to Successfully Judge a Candidate Over the Phone
It can be hard to make a judgement on someone when you can’t see them, especially as you can’t rely on body language to give anything away. As such, there are a few tell-tale signs you should listen out for during a phone interview.
Are they in a busy or noisy environment? If so, this might suggest that they’re doing other things or are on the move whilst taking the call.
Do they seem distracted? If so, it could be a sign that they’re trying to multitask. This could be cause for concern as they should take the call seriously, giving you their full attention.
Did they answer the call at the agreed time and did you get through to them ok? It’s not a good sign if you had to call several times before you got hold of them. After all, you wouldn’t expect them to turn up late to a face-to-face interview, and this should be no different.
Finally, did the conversation flow or were they very short with their answers? Perhaps they were audibly nervous during the call and didn’t sound confident in their abilities.
Listening out for these small signs can help you decide whether your candidate should go through to the next stage of the interview process or not.
Questions to Ask
As mentioned above, conducting an interview over the phone means you can’t see their body language. So, you need to put some thought into the questions you’re asking. Below are a few examples of good questions you could ask during a phone interview.
- Where did you find the role?
- Why are you interested in the role and the business?
- What skills or experience do you have that will help you succeed in this role?
- What would you like to get from the role?
- What was your biggest achievement in your last job?
- Are you available for interview?
Top Tips for Conducting a Phone Interview
Phone interviews can be extremely helpful during the hiring process, especially if you receive a large number of applications. If you decide to take this approach, keep in mind our top tips below:
- Choose a quiet space to conduct the interview so you don’t get distracted – you need to give the candidate your full attention.
- Don’t try to multi-task! Again this could cause you to become unfocussed and miss key information about your potential recruit.
- Remain professional at all times. This is an interview like any other, and you need to treat it as such.
- Let them know the next steps before you hang up the phone. Job hunters don’t like to be left in the lurch, so you need to keep them updated on the progress of their application.
- Take notes as you’re asking your candidate questions. It’s possible you’ll conduct a few interviews and you’ll want to remember who is who and which candidates are best suited for the position.
Final Thoughts
There are a number of benefits to conducting a phone interview. If you’re leading an interview in this way, be sure to prepare ahead of time and take notes throughout. This technique can bring you one step closer to finding your perfect hire!