What About This Position Attracted You To Apply
The more a candidate tells you the better. Do the like the industry or perhaps technologies or equipment your company uses.
If they say well its close to my house and thats the main reason then you may want to keep talking to other candidates. You are going to be investing in this person and you want them to be excited about the opportunity.
How Can You Help The Company Succeed
Hiring managers see new hires as an investment. They want to know that theyll get as much as they give, so they may ask a question like this to gauge your potential value.
Usually, you want to showcase an accomplishment or two that relate to the role. This helps you demonstrate how your skills could lead to gains for the company.
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
In my last position, I was able to implement a new system that enhanced overall productivity. Ultimately, efficiency and results were improved, causing sales to be boosted by 20 percent. I believe my dedication to process enhancement and efficiency can help me produce similar results in my next position, allowing me to become an asset to any sales team.
What To Say At The Beginning Of A Phone Interview
One golden rule of a phone interview is to let the interviewer set the initial tone at the beginning. Don’t blather on about the weather or the latest sports results and make sure that you are professional and succinct in those initial exchanges. If conversation becomes awkward, that awkwardness is unlikely to disappear quickly.
You will sense that you have license to be a little more expansive once the interviewer warms up. So much as you would love to launch into your career highlights, be patient and let the chat develop naturally.
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Are There Any Questions Youd Like To Ask Us
A phone interview should be a two-way screening a chance for candidates to gather information and decide whether the role is right for them.
This is also another opportunity for candidates to show their interest in the role. They should be able to ask thoughtful and insightful questions that build on the research theyve already done into your company.
Looking for more ideas for good phone screening questions? Check out our 12 unique interview questions for Gen Z grads.
Can You Tell Me About A Time Where You Had To Overcome An Obstacle
At some point, every professional encounters an obstacle. Hiring managers want to know that youll admit youve faced challenges and that you have the ability to overcome them.
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
In my last position, I was working on a project that was in jeopardy of missing the deadline. A team member was behind on their tasks, creating a bottleneck that impacted the rest of us. Instead of sitting back, I reached out to my colleague and asked if I could help them catch up. We discussed the trouble they were facing and created a plan that allowed us to get back on track. It took a substantial amount of effort, but was ultimately worth it since the project ended up as a success.
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What Do You Consider To Be Your Weaknesses
This question may produce some level of worry or anxiety. Your interviewer wants to see you recognize areas needing growth and positively frame them. Be sure to discuss your weaknesses and how you plan to address or compensate for them with a related strength.
Example Response: I sometimes come across harshly with my feedback, but I am working on constructively sharing feedback and highlighting positives along with the areas that need improvement.
Tell Me A Bit About Yourself And Why You Applied For This Job
Talk about your current role, how you got there, and what you do. Relate your answer to the role you’re applying for, if possible. Give examples of your strengths and try to highlight your personality. It’s typically best to avoid personal information related to your family and religion, but you could briefly mention hobbies or civic involvement. Keep your answer to about two minutes or less.
Example answer:âI am a product manager with five years of experience overseeing product launches for a technology company. My key achievements include launching a mobile app that garnered two million downloads. I enjoyed the process of managing these types of projects and am now looking to challenge myself by leading a larger team on more complex projects.â
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The Bottom Line With Phone Screen Interviews
Phone screen interviews are typically the first hurdle in the interview process used by employers to quickly separate the qualified from the unqualified job candidates. Follow these 12 steps to succeed in your next phone screen interview, and youll be invited to continue the interviewing process. These steps will guide you successfully through the telephone interview. Remember, do not leave this interview to chance prepare now for success!
Why Should We Hire You
A straightforward question is most likely to be asked during an in-person interview rather than a phone interview, but it is still a popular question. This is your sellout point. Summarize roughly 3 or 4 main points about yourself. It can be your hard skills, soft skills, achievements, education, and so on. You do not want to elaborate thoroughly on each detail. A nice gloss over with each point is enough. Consider that phone interviews are brief and that you do not have a lot of time to elaborate.
Example: I believe that Im the best fit for this role due to my acknowledgments and services through my education. I was a leading officer for three years in my universitys student government association. I had maintained a 3.8 GPA and made it on the Deans List throughout my time at XYZ University. During my time, I also pursued teaching certificates and worked as a teachers assistant under a popular chef from France. I am aware that I do not have work experience, but I believe my qualities and dedication to teaching is something you can benefit from, just as XYZ University was able to rely on me.
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What Kind Of Job Environment Do You Feel Most Productive In
Recruiters perspective: This question is really about trying to determine culture fit and whether or not youre going to thrive in the companys work environment. Not every environment or culture is going to work for everyone, and thats OK. Being honest about what environment works best for you is going to be best for everyone in the long run.
How to answer: Interviewees have a tendency to tell the interviewer what they want to hear, but being honest and direct about what you need for your own happiness and productivity is going to keep you at the job a lot longer. If youre new to the workforce, ask yourself where you go when you need to study. What types of groups do you like working with on projects? If you play sports, what role do you usually play on the team? Every answer will be different, but its important to think about the environments where youve been the most productive and that brings out the best in you.
Maria Selvaggio, VP of people at M1 Finance
What Motivates You To Excel On The Job
Hiring managers usually want to take a peek behind the curtain. By finding out what motivates you, they can discover whether youre likely to thrive in the position. It also lets them know how much effort they may need to put in to keep you engaged or whether you can usually handle that on your own.
EXAMPLE ANSWER:
My primary motivation is the joy of knowing Ive helped someone. When a customer reaches out with an issue, they are often frustrated and upset. By doing my job well, I can relieve that burden and brighten their day. I find that incredibly powerful, and it often carries me through even the most challenging times at work.
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Why Are You The Best Candidate For This Position
This question offers you the opportunity to describe why you are the ideal candidate for the job. Discuss your skill set, experience, and educational qualifications and how you can bring value as an employee.
Example answer: “I’m an experienced nurse with professional accomplishments that make me a good fit for this job. At my last job, I received funding to complete a research project on proactive nursing practices. I also worked as the nurse liaison at a general hospital in my province, where I communicated with the hospital’s leadership. Since I started my nursing career, I try to engage in volunteer work every week and develop my ability to provide medical care. I feel my skill set, experience, and achievements make me an excellent candidate for this role.”
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Question #: Where Do You See Your Team In 2 Years
This question goes to the heart of the team or company vision. It can tell you if the person in charge is a proactive strategic thinker, or if they let external factors rule their direction. A good leader might describe the challenges they expect to face in pursuit of their current goal, and ideally, theyll mention how youd fit into the plan or help realize the company vision.
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Interview Questions About Responsibilities
Before you pick a candidate, youll want to know if they can handle the responsibilities of the role they are applying to fill. Use pre-screening questions to find out what experiences your candidates have accumulated.
A job title doesnt mean much these days as businesses have different requirements for the same position. Instead of asking about a persons previous title, have them define the roles and responsibilities they were responsible for at their last job.
Useful pre-screening interview questions to ask regarding responsibilities can be something like:
- What types of things were you responsible for doing at your last job?
- Were there jobs you did that do not typically fall under someones responsibility in your job position?
- What roles did you have to fulfill at the previous post that you think will be useful for this position?
- What responsibilities do you hope to have with our company?
Key Questions To Ask A Recruiter During A Phone Screen Interview
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Why Is A Phone Screening Necessary If A Candidate Meets Requirements On Paper
You want to make sure that qualified candidates are also the best fit for the job and company. A phone screening can answer questions about the candidates schedule, expectations and willingness to travel. These details are not always clear in a resume or cover letter.
A phone screening is a critical part of the candidate vetting and hiring process because it helps you identify which applicants stand out as the best fit for the role and company. By using these phone interview questions, you can gather the information you need to decide which applicants should move on to face-to-face interviews.
What’s Your Greatest Weakness
Employers ask this question to gauge the candidate’s ability to take criticism, self-reflect and show humility. The ability to talk about your weakness shows a strong sense of self-awareness and a desire to continually improve. It’s important to give an honest answer to this question, but you can explain it in a way that shows your willingness to develop. Consider choosing a weakness that is not critical to the position and explain how you are working through this weakness with self-improvement.
Example: “I think my biggest weakness is my timidness, which can often cause me to not speak up during large meetings or in situations with new people. I’ve often had difficulty finding a good time to share my idea during a conversation.
“I’m working on improving in this area, and in a meeting where there isn’t an opportunity to interject, I’ve started writing down my thoughts so I can continue focusing on the conversation. I can reference my notes later and share my ideas with the team. I also work to build strong relationships with team members to gain mutual trust and respect, which has helped me greatly in feeling comfortable interjecting my thoughts.”
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What Is It About The Role That Attracted Your Attention
Candidates may have applied for multiple roles, says Dan Arden, recruitment consultant at Davidson. Are they really interested, or just throwing CVs out there? Do they understand what theyve applied for? If not, theyre not a very engaged candidate.
Daniel is generally looking for 80/20 capability vs. stretch. We need a level of ambition, but too little capability is too much risk for the client.
Describe Your Work Style
Different positions require different work styles. If a candidate mentions that they prefer to work independently but the role requires a lot of collaboration, they may not be the best candidate for the job. While sounding adaptable and positive could make you sound more flexible for different work conditions, make sure you treat the question honestly.
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What Is An Area Of Your Performance Or Professional Skills That You’d Like To Improve
An adaptable and ambitious candidate will detail their skill level and admit that there are still opportunities for them to improve. These individuals are typically willing to accept criticism and are open to learning. If a candidate’s answer leaves you unsure of whether their skills are strong enough for the position, you can ask follow-up questions.
Phone Interview Questions To Ask Candidates
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Phone interviews are a great way to screen candidates, so it’s vital that you properly prepare for effective questions to ask during this phase of hiring. In this article, we will explain why preparing phone interview questions is important, explore some of the different types of phone interview questions, provide a list of 15 sample questions and list some tips to help you determine the best candidates during a phone interview.
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What Are You Looking For In Your Next Job
This question sets the expectation…in terms of what this persons going to come in here and do for us and what they want to do for us, Smith says. Ideally, your goals and the roles should be aligned.
Your answer also says a lot to an interviewer about whether or not youd be a good long-term hire. For example, you may be looking for a job where you can grow and move up in the next couple years, while this role leaves little room for mobility. Hashing this out now helps both you and the hiring manager avoid a less-than-ideal situation down the road.
How Would You Describe Yourself
Finally, the interviewer may ask an open-ended question like how would you describe yourself? as theyre getting to know you.
Keep your answer professional here and only talk about your personality and attributes as an employee. And try to give an example if you can.
Sample answer:
Id describe myself as detail-oriented and team-oriented. For example, in my current job, Im responsible for managing multiple projects and I often coordinate with 10-15 people across different departments each day. Im also responsible for reporting project milestones to our clients, so I have to stay extremely organized and on top of things.
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Tell Me What You Know About The Role
Employers ask this question to ensure you did your research prior to your phone interview. They want to hear that you know what the general expectations of the role are. This question also helps them know what additional information they need to share with you about the role. Prior to your interview, carefully read through the job posting and do some research about the company.
Example:”I know this role requires me to work nights and weekends, which I’m completely comfortable doing. I have a very flexible schedule. I also know that this role is perfect for someone with several years of management experience. As someone who has managed different offices, I’m confident I have the leadership and communication skills you’re looking for in a candidate.”
Tell Me About A Time You Were Able To Communicate Effectively And Make Work Relationships Stronger
Recruiters perspective: They want to find out what the persons communication style is. Some people will hem and haw around what they want you to do or as questions. Other people are very direct. In a startup, the persons communication style can be very important.
How to answer: Im thinking about when I was working with a partner at an IT consulting company. I remember her taking me into the hallway and talking to me in the middle of putting together a huge request for proposals, and her telling me, Lynn, you scared the hell out of me. Because when I get going, I get very short. So I took a breath, and I listened to her and thanked her for being honest with me. Our relationship shifted from that moment on.
So, Id want somebody to show they have awareness about how they communicate, and that theyre open to learning a new way of communicating with each person that comes into their world.
Lynn Kindler, senior career strategist at Executive Career Partners
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