Questions To Ask During Initial Phone Interview

Should You Do A Phone Screening Interview

Top Phone Interview Tips: 5 Common Questions & Best Strategies | Indeed Career Tips

A preliminary phone interview is a great tool that will help you streamline your hiring process. This is simply because they require a lot less time on everyone’s part. There’s no commuting and no scrambling to find a quiet space for the conversation.

In 15 minutes you can check to see that the applicant understands the job, meets the basic job description, and has reasonable salary expectations. You can also do a quick probe of any resume gaps and roles that didn’t last long.

If you’re trying to keep your job interviews to a reasonable length – say 15 minutes – you’ll need to pare it down to some essential job interview questions that give you the most useful answers.

Remember, you’ll probably spend a little over two minutes with introductions, and the same winding down. So realistically you’ve got about 10 minutes for questions. With that in mind, you’ve got no time for common interview questions about their greatest strength and weakness.

Most of the sample phone interview questions we see are so broad they rarely give you any valuable insight into the candidates fit for the role. You need the tough questions that get right down to business and provide useful answers to your telephone interview questions.

Below we detail all the best questions to ask during a phone interview and provide phone interview questions and answers.

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 Do You Know About Our Company Example Answer:

If you were applying to The Muse, you could say:

Ive been reading your advice articles for years, and I love your mission of helping people build careers theyre passionate about. I spent the past 10 years in roles I didnt love before finally finding my niche in sales, and think it would be an amazing experience to help others avoid the path I took and find a job where they can thrive earlier in their careers.

You May Like: Interview Questions For Devops Engineer

Prepare To Answer Interview Questions

When you are invited for a phone interview, it’s important to take the time to review the typical phone interview questions you’ll be asked and to prepare answers. It’s also key for you to have a list of questions to ask the interviewer.

There will always come a point in the interview where the interviewer invites your questionsand candidates who have no questions run the risk of looking like they arent as interested in the position as their competitors might be.

The questions you ask in an interview are as important as the questions you answer. Asking informed questions not only demonstrates your enthusiasm for the job, but also allows you to decide if the position is, in fact, worth the time, energy, and resources it would take to continue further with the application process.

Job searches take an enormous amount of work, and it isnt worth continuing the process if your phone interview reveals that the company culture or job responsibilities would not be a good fit for your talents and personality.

Quick Tips For Video Interviews

Top Phone Interview Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

This video interview advice is also worth implementing in phone calls, where clues about demeanor may be detected in your voice.

Don’t forget to be friendly and try to feel physically relaxed. You’re likely dealing with good, friendly people. Think of them as living, breathing human beings who respond to a positive outlook.
Body language is half of human communication. Smile if you’re in a good mood. Acknowledge things by nodding. Use hand gestures to emphasize points.
And most of all remember: you’re going to be fine!

Video calls also often feel unnatural and it can be hard to feel comfortable. In the blogs about video interviewon Zoom, FaceTime or Skypewe will go into this further.

You May Like: How Many Realtors Should You Interview

Can You Tell Me A Little About Yourself

We know the bog-standard question. But this little sentence is first on every interviewers list for a good reason.

Its a solid way to get the conversation started. It helps put a candidate at ease and gives an interviewer lots of useful background information that they wont necessarily know from resumes and cover letters.

Fair screening tip

Keep an open mind when fielding responses to this question. There is no right or wrong answer and if youre hiring for an entry-level role, you should set your expectations accordingly.

How Do You See This Position Evolving As The Company Grows

Ruchi Desai, Director of Operations at XCLAIM, likes that this question packs a one-two punch: It shows that you as the candidate are thinking about the big picture, are ambitious and care about more than just the immediate tasks in front of you, she says. Conversely, it gives you insight into how the manager views the position is the team merely filling an immediate need and piling on unwanted tasks, or is it critical to achieving the companys vision and mission?

Camille Ricketts of Notion also thinks a powerful way to stand out from the candidate pool is with this variation of the question: If I were to succeed in this role, what would be true for the company? It makes it clear that you as the candidate want to connect your work to meaningful impact and have an authentic desire to understand what the company needs. It sends the signal that you want to be accountable for making real things happen, she says.

Don’t Miss: How To Send An After Interview Email

Whats Your Greatest Weakness

When it comes to tricky questions, this one takes the cake. Hiring managers want to know that youll be honest and that you are self-aware. Plus, this phone interview question lets them screen out inauthentic candidates who try to masquerade a strength as a weakness.

You want to be genuine when answering, so dont be afraid to discuss a potential shortcoming. However, also talk about how you work to overcome it. By doing so, you can admit your flaws but also your dedication to self-improvement.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

When I first join a team, I have a tendency to be a bit formal. While I enjoy meeting new people, I need a little time to acclimate and form bonds with my colleagues. Usually, I work to overcome this by engaging others and learning more about them as soon as the opportunities arise. This ensures that I dont come across as standoffish, increasing the speed at which I fully integrate with the team.

How Is A Recruiter Interview Different From A Regular Interview

4 Questions Coaches Like to Ask During an Initial Phone Call

An interview with a recruiter, sometimes called a phone screen or introductory call, is generally the first conversation a job candidate will have with a potential employer. Unlike a standard interview, phone screens tend to be shortâtypically 20 or 30 minutesâand cover basic information like salary requirements, availability, and job qualifications. This is a chance for the recruiter to share more information about the job and organization and for the job candidate to learn more about the opportunity. While a recruiter might ask about your qualifications to confirm your eligibility for the job, itâs unusual for them to ask behavioral questions.

Recommended Reading: Questions To Ask Interns During Interview

How To Answer Phone Interview Questions

Before we dig into phone interview question examples, lets take a moment to look at the phenomenon that is the phone screen.

Today, phone interviews are increasingly common. They are a convenient screening tool for hiring managers, as they dont require any time face-to-face and usually. Plus, they may last just 15 minutes, though some might go up to 30.

In many cases, phone screens are the preferred approach for narrowing down candidates. They let the hiring manager to identify the cream of the crop before setting up lengthier meetings.

Weve discussed phone interview tips in-depth before. But, if youre looking for a quick overview of how to answer phone screen interview questions and set yourself apart, here you go.

First, above all else, always treat a phone screening like a regular interview. While it may seem more informal, it really isnt. Sure, you could talk to the hiring manager while walking around in bunny slippers, which is admittedly incredibly casual. But, if you expect that phone interview to be less serious than a real one, youre in for a rude awakening.

During phone interviews, hiring managers are usually trying to screen candidates out, not screen them in. Since thats the case, its critical to ensure you shine.

So, lets talk about technique. You need to have a strategy for answering phone interview questions.

MIKE’S TIP:

Interview Questions For Administration

Administrative positions cover a broad range of important operational duties. Work history requirements will vary depending on the available position, but the best candidates for administration-related roles are diligent, organized, and have strong verbal and written communication skills.

Combine operational, role-specific, and behavioral questions to get a better understanding of what attributes each candidate may bring to the position.

Could You Tell Me About Yourself And Describe Your Background In Brief

Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an end that makes the interviewer root for you to win the job.

Talk about a relevant incident that made you keen on the profession you are pursuing and follow up by discussing your education. In the story, weave together how your academic training and your passion for the subject or industry the company specializes in, combined with your work experience, make you a great fit for the job. If youve managed a complex project or worked on an exciting, offbeat design, mention it.

Example: I come from a small town, where opportunities were limited. Since good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date with the best. Thats where I learned to code and then I went on to get my certification as a computer programmer. After I got my first job as a front-end coder, I continued to invest time in mastering both front- and back-end languages, tools, and frameworks.

Do You Have Any Questions For Me

With this question, the interviewer genuinely wants to offer you the chance to get your questions and concerns addressed. Because after all, youre interviewing them as much as theyre interviewing you!

But the questions you ask also give them insight into your values and expertiseso make sure theyre thoughtful and tailored to the role, company, and person youre speaking with.

Phone Screen Interview Tips

Fact-check and verify. Ask the candidate to verify the experience, skills and education listed on their resume.
Try to listen more than you speak. While you should share details about the position and company, make sure you give the candidate plenty of time to talk.
Listen closely for any red flags. Potential warning signs include the candidate speaking negatively about a former employer, getting distracted, focusing too much on money, a lack of enthusiasm and having no basic knowledge of the job description or company
Stay focused on the interview. While you might occasionally become sidetracked while talking to the candidate, you always want to bring the conversation back to the job.
Be consistent with what you ask each candidate. While its natural to come up with a variety of follow-up questions during your phone conversation, its important to create a list of phone interview questions that you plan on asking all candidates to help you avoid bias and make fairer evaluations and comparisons.
Show the candidate that you paid attention to their resume. Mentioning what aspects of their experience stood out to you helps to provide a positive candidate experience and shows that they were thoughtfully chosen for this interview.

How Would You Describe The Team That Ill Be Working With

This question can shed some light on the specific team youâll be working with day-to-day. Some teams within companies can have their own cultures, so itâll be a good idea to ask about the team and the larger organization. Hopefully, youâll walk away with an understanding of how big the team is and how youâll fit in, in addition to some details like typical working hours and the direction the team is moving.

Don’t Miss: What Type Of Questions Do They Ask In An Interview

Questions To Ask Your Interviewer

In addition to reviewing the typical phone interview questions that you’ll most likely be asked, it’s also important to have a list of questions ready to ask the phone interviewer. Its very possible that the interviewer will ask, at the end of the conversation, Is there anything I havent told you about the job or company that you would like to know?

Why Are You The Right Fit

Phone Interview Questions and Answers Examples – How to Prepare for Phone Interviews

Although interviewers want to know why you applied to work for their company, they also want your take on why they should hire you.

Linn Atiyeh, CEO and founder of Bemana, recommends you bolster your answer with real life examples to show the interviewer you mean business. Its not enough to say youre forward-thinking or a natural leader what have you done in the past that exemplifies your abilities?

Focusing your answers around concrete examples and tying them into language the job posting uses can help create a clear picture for the interviewer as to why you are the right choice.

What Attracted You To Apply For This Position

You want to figure out how much research shes done, and whether her perspective of the role is accurate . This question is also an easy way to see how genuinely interested a candidate is in your company. Look for a candidate who expresses her interest in the tasks required for the specific role, rather than more secondary benefits that come from working at your company — like the awesome snack room, or team outings

Are You Willing And Able To Travel

If the role requires any travel, explain these expectations to candidates immediately. Some people are comfortable traveling as much as necessary, while others may prefer a job where they never have to leave town. Let candidates know the percentage of travel the role demands, as well as the kind of travel they can expect .

Also Check: How To Answer Top Interview Questions

Why Is It Important To Prepare Phone Interview Questions To Ask Candidates

Preparing specific questions ahead of time to ask candidates in a phone interview will ensure that you are asking the questions that will give you the most insight. Phone interviews are a great way to screen candidates and streamline the entire hiring process. Instead of setting up an in-person interview that takes more time and coordination for all parties involved, you can use a 15-minute phone interview to check that the applicant has reasonable expectations about salary, meets the basic job requirements and understands the demands of the position they have applied for.

What Are You Looking For In Your Next Job Example Answer

Staffing Agency Interview Questions, Answers, Tips Examples & More

Ive been honing my data analysis skills for a few years now and, first and foremost, Im looking for a position where I can continue to exercise those skills. Another thing thats important to me is that the position allows me to not only play with data, but also present my findings and suggestions directly to clients. Of course, the position is only part of the equation. Being at a company where I can grow and work toward something I care about matters, too. X Cos goal of being the intersection between data and education inspires me, and Im really excited about this opportunity.

Recommended Reading: How To Prepare For Case Study Interview

What Do You Like Most About Working Here

This question can be a breath of fresh air to HR reps who primarily answer questions about benefits .

Asking an HR employee what they like about the company tells them you care about the company’s culture and that you care about the opinion of someone whom you might not work with directly.

In other words, talking to people like people is always a good idea.