Take It As Seriously As An In Person Interview
THIS IS AN INTERVIEW! Treat it like one! That means be ready! Make sure youre well rested. The last thing an interviewer wants to do is feel as though theyre interrupting something else youre doing, or worse, woken you up.
When your interview is first scheduled, make sure you set aside time BEFORE the interview to prep for it.
If its an early morning interview, make sure youre going before the phone rings.
Get up, get moving.
Get your vocal cords warmed up. Brew a cup of coffee or tea and be ready for your day. Brush your teeth!
Speaking of getting up and goingthat means changing out of your jammies too.
But theyre so comfortable!
No. No. No. No.
This is just as much a mental game as a physical game and dressing the part can really help you kick your mind into the right frame to get you the job. If youre slouching around and being lazy, it will come through in your intervieweven if youre trying your hardest to fake it. Trust us, interviewers will know
Dress the partget the part.
Emphasize Your Knowledge Of The Position
Contemplate using your questions to illustrate how much you know about the potential employer. For example, suppose you’re applying for a copywriting position at a marketing agency. In your question, you can reference how you noticed the company posts weekly blog posts, so you inquire about the editing process before publication. Now you’ve shown that you took the time to peruse the agency’s website and are interested in operations that relate to your desired role. Showcasing your research can make a positive first impression on the recruiter.
What Do You Know About This Role
This question gives you a chance to show you read the job description and also demonstrate your knowledge about the role. Employers need to know that you understand the basics of what is expected in this role and how much research you have done in preparation for the interview. You can even ask the interviewer a related question to show you are interested in knowing even more about the role.
Example:’**From the job description, it appears your company is looking for a marketing manager to help improve client retention and find new clients. I also understand that you require the position to use HubSpot marketing suite, with which I have over three years of experience. It looks like a lot of the day-to-day tasks will revolve around client research and cold calling, is that correct?’
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Essential Questions To Ask Your Interviewer
So, youve given thoughtful, well-considered answers to your interviewers questions well done. Thats the hard part complete but the interview isnt over yet. As things start to wind up and youre asked if you have any questions, dont say no! This is your time to shine. Asking the right kinds of questions in an interview not only shows that youre genuinely interested in the role, its also a great opportunity for you to get a sense of what it might be like working in it.
Dont try to simply wing it by asking the first question that pops into your mind. Prepare for this part of the interview as you would for the other questions t. That means not asking for information about something that is mentioned on the companys website, such as when it was established. That will show you havent done your homework.
We asked Catalina Consultants Senior HR Consultant Stephanie Moffitt about the best questions shes been asked in interviews and why.
Heres what she had to say.
What Does Success Look Like For This Role
Beyond the job description and day-to-day work routine, finding out how to succeed in the role can help you evaluate if you are well-suited you are for the position. It will give you a concrete sense of your potential employers expectations. With this question, youll also learn more about the companys process for evaluation, feedback, and accountability.
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Company Questions To Ask In An Interview
The company being a good fit is just as important as liking the daily responsibilities of your job. Will you feel supported? Do your values align? Do you agree with their policies and treatment of employees? These are all important things to discover when youre thinking through questions to ask in an interview.
7. Describe the culture of the company.
Are you a good fit for this particular organization? Make sure you are comfortable with the culture and the dynamic of the company.
8. Where do you think the company is headed in the next 5 years?
If you plan to be in this role for several years, make sure the company is growing so you can grow with the company.
9. Who do you consider your top competitor, and why?
You should already have an idea of the companys major competitors, but it can be useful to ask your interviewer for their thoughts. Naturally, they will be able to give you the insight you cant find anywhere else.
10. What are the biggest opportunities facing the company/department right now?
This question shows your drive to seize the opportunity and may help you learn more about where the company will be focusing over the next several months.
11. What are the biggest challenges facing the company/department right now?
On the flip side, you may want to ask about challenges. This question can help you uncover trends and issues in the industry and perhaps identify areas where your skills could save the day.
12. What do you like best about working for this company?
Can You Share More About How The Company Supports Its Employees With Professional Development Opportunities
While many candidates may want to know the potential for growth before taking a job, asking about promotions suggests to recruiters you think the current position is beneath you. A question structured like this circumvents the taboo of asking about promotions.
“You don’t want to imply that you’re looking for that next role before you were trained or provided any value in the role at hand,” .
Instead, ask more open-ended questions, or ask anecdotes of past employee success stories for a more roundabout way to find out how the position can help you grow.
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Interview Questions About You
These questions are asked both to assess your level of self-knowledge and to determine whether you would be able to fit in with the employers workplace culture. The interviewer wants to know whether you’re the right person for the job and for the company.
- What are you looking for in your next job? – Best Answers
- What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers
- What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers
- How do you handle stress and pressure? – Best Answers
- Tell me about yourself. – Best Answers
- Questions about your career goals. – Best Answers
- What type of work environment do you prefer? – Best Answers
- How do you evaluate success? – Best Answers
- Job interview questions about your abilities. – Best Answers
What Are The Next Steps
Many things can happen after a phone interview. In some cases, you may get an offer. In others, you may have follow-up phone, video or in-person interviews with members of the management team or the appropriate department. The answer to this question will give you a better sense of the overall hiring process and timeline. Youll also have an idea of when to send a follow-up email if you havent heard back yet. Speaking of sending emails, dont forget to send a thank you email!
During a phone interview, asking the right questions is just part of ensuring your success. Weve also got you covered with an extensive list of phone interview tips designed to help you go into the interview prepared and ready to rock it. This includes doing your homework, making sure your surroundings are professional, thinking before you respond, having your resume at the ready and taking thorough notes.
And remember: While asking questions during a phone interview can feel uncomfortable, its a valuable part of the process for employers and job candidates alike. Failure to ask a question is not only a missed opportunity to get answers that will help you be more informed about a job, it also indicates disinterest or apathy to interviewers. The takeaway? You will probably be asked if you have any questions at the end of your interview. Take control of your future and make a great impression by answering, Yes, I do.
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Send A Thank You Note
At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer and ask what the next step in the process will be. Ask for the interviewers email address and send out an email thank you note immediately, thanking the interviewer and reiterating your interest in the job. Its important to show your appreciation for the interview regardless of how the interview was conducted.
Questions To Ask During A Phone Interview
During the phone interview, you have a chance to ask more formal questions, and depending on who youre interviewing with, you can ask about the direct responsibilities of the role. If youre chatting with an HR team member, you can gear your questions more toward the company culture and a general overview of the company and the role. These are good questions to ask HR in an interview because they likely have less interaction with the role on a day-to-day basis, so wont know all of the details. If you are talking with the hiring manager, you can ask more specific questions about how you will work together and what the day-to-day of your role will be. Here are some good interview questions to ask employers:
Additionally, these questions to ask during a phone interview give you an idea of what the role will be like and what teams you will be working with.
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What Do You Expect Me To Accomplish In The First 90 Days
If you weren’t asked this question, ask it yourself. Why? Great candidates want to hit the ground running. They don’t want to spend weeks or months “getting to know the organization.” They don’t want to spend huge chunks of time in orientation, in training, or in the futile pursuit of getting their feet wet.
They want to make a difference — and they want to make that difference right now.
Who Do You Think Would Be The Ideal Candidate For This Position And How Do I Compare
Amy Hoover, the former executive vice president of Talent Zoo, recommends this question because it’s a quick way to figure out whether your skills align with what the company is currently looking for. If they don’t match up, then you know to walk away instead of wasting time pursuing the wrong position, she says.
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Whats The Biggest Challenge Youve Faced In Your Current Role Tell Me About It
Its not a bad sign if your candidate has faced problems in her prior position: it means shes human. But its critical to know her problem-solving methods. Lets say she mentions she once worked with a client who was difficult. Look for her to talk about how she was able to reach a mutually-benefitial compromise and learned to work with the client by adapting her own strategy. Its important that she can demonstrate empathy for other people, rather than putting the blame on the other party. Plus, youll want her to tell you about her own ability to solve problems creatively and efficiently, rather than dwelling on the frustrations of the experience.
What Can I Expect In Terms Of Development And Support
This question will show that you are keen on growing, learning and staying with the company. It will also allow you to find out more whether the role offers what you are looking for in the long-term.
If you explain your long-term career goals you demonstrate reliability. It highlights your value to the company as a long-term investment
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Questions About The New Job And The Company
One of the best ways to rise above your competition in a phone interview is to show that youve taken the time to research the employers company, history, culture, and mission statement. Explain how your experience could help the company if you were to be hired, and share what you’ve learned about the organization.
- Why do you want this job? – Best Answers
- What experience do you have? – Best Answers
- What can you do for this company? – Best Answers
- What do you know about this company? – Best Answers
- What challenges are you looking for in a position? – Best Answers
- What can you contribute to this company? – Best Answers
What Do You Like Most About Working For This Company
Hoover says this question lets you “create a sense of camaraderie” with the interviewer because “interviewers, like anyone, usually like to talk about themselves and especially things they know well.” Plus, this question gives you a chance to get an insider’s view of the best parts about working for this company, she says.
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Introducing Your Website In Your Phone Interview
Once youve been able to set up your site, this is how you bring it up in a phone interview
Traditionally, near the end of the interview the hiring manager will say something like, Is there anything else that you want me to know that we havent covered in this interview?
Now is your chance!
Id love you to check out my personal website JeffGillis.com. It will give you a great idea of the work I have accomplished, the experiences Ive had and most importantly, the type of person youll be getting if you decide to hire me for this position.
In doing this you will not only give the hiring manager a much more engaging and interesting experience, but youll also show what an intelligent, dedicated and forward-thinking individual you are.
Sounds like someone I would want to hire!
So there you have it! If you follow the tips above , you can almost guarantee to have the interviewer eating out of your hand even if they arent in the same room as you.
Once thats all done and youve hit send on that thank you note, reward yourself for an interview well done!
And yes, now that youve knocked that phone interview out of the ballpark and youre confident in your tailored answers and thoughtful questionsgo ahead and put those Scooby Doo flannels back on!
Preparing For A Phone Interview
Usually, during phone interviews, employers are seeking general, high-level information about you and your background to see if they should advance you to the next step in the hiring process. You should be prepared to talk about why youre looking for a job, why youre interested in this specific job and company, and your background.
Each employer has a different set of questions for phone interviews, but there are several commonly asked questions. Below are several phone interview example questions and answers you can use as inspiration when preparing for your interview.
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Why are you applying for this position?
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Why do you want this job?
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Tell me what you know about the role
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Why do you want to work here?
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Why are you looking for jobs?
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What are you passionate about?
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What are your salary expectations?
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Are you interviewing with other companies?
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If I Receive A Job Offer For This Role When Would You Expect Me To Start
Once you succeed in your job search, you may also need to prepare for adjusting to your new position. The answer to this question can inform you of your expected start date. For example, if your desired role is in another city, then you may need to know how much time you have to relocate. If you have a current position, then you can estimate when to file your two-week notice or fulfill the terms of your contract.
How Familiar Are You With Our Company
The recruiters perspective: They want to know that you took 10 seconds to learn about them. We get that youre applying to a lot of jobs, but we also want to feel theres something about this company that youre interested in or that you have at least taken a few minutes to Google our name. Youre hoping that looked at your resume before the call, so its a mutual respect thing.
The answer: At this point, theres no excuse for getting on a phone interview and not having an answer. If you know the interview is in a couple days, set up a Google News alert for the organization and look at the people who will be interviewing you.
You should be able to speak to the type of work , who they cater to based on how they market themselves and what they say about themselves. Make sure to find something that sparks your interest in the job, the companys mission or its values, and relate it back to the work you might be doing. It will sound more genuine, and people are looking for the genuine, authentic you.
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