Whether youâre looking to get an internship or a job, itâs inevitable that you will be faced with a phone or video interview at some point. On one hand, these types of interviews are great because you can do them anywhere and they give you the freedom to interview without having to make the trip in person. On the other hand, they arenât exactly like a normal interview, which means they come with their own set of rules and formalities. To give you all the information you need to rock your next phone or video interview we talked to Maddie Schmitz, publicity assistant at Penguin Random House and former Her Conference speaker. So take notes, because with these tips youâll be ready to tackle any interview.
1. Know your interviewer
This is a universal tip, whether you have an in-person or digital interview. Not only should you research the company, but also the person conducting the interview. Weâre not talking CSI background checks, but a little digging on LinkedIn to see some of his or her past experience canât hurt. Understanding who youâre talking to can help guide the way you answer questions.
âCheck to see if there are any alumni from your university who currently work at the company, and ask if you can ask them about company culture and what their favorite things are about working at there,â suggests Schmitz. âI work in book publishing, for example, and during a phone interview an interviewer asked which of that particular publishing house’s books I had read recentlyâluckily I had written down a list of recently published books and kept the notes close by during my interview, so I could answer!â
Being over-prepared is always better than under-prepared, so taking notes and keeping them close by is a trick you should use during phone interviews. For video interviews, itâs still great to keep notes, just remember to focus on the interviewer. Itâs completely acceptable to take notes during an interview, so writing your prepared notes on the same paper youâll take notes on is a good trick to make it look less obvious.
2. Know your greeting
For an in-person interview this seems fairly obvious, but for a phone interview especially, this is a super important step. It sets up the tone of your entire interview, so answering confidently it key. One huge mistake collegiettes make is answering the phone with âhiâ or âhello.â This response is confusing because your interviewer doesnât know if youâre the right person, leaving him or her having to ask who is on the other end of the line. This interaction puts you off to an awkward start and can leave you feeling shaky for the rest of the interview.
To avoid this uncomfortable situation, Schmitz suggests, âWhen you first greet an interviewer, a good start is âHi [name], this is [your name]. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me today!â By saying the interviewer’s name out loud at the beginning of the call, he or she will likely feel instantly more connected to you (and it’ll help you remember his or her name for the rest of the interview)!â If youâre not sure how to address the interviewer, check out how they sign off on their emails to you (assuming you set up the interview via email). If they sign off with just their first name itâs fine to refer to them that way. If you donât have any emails to reference and youâre still not sure, itâs always appropriate to refer to him or her as âMs. or Mr.â Once youâve set up your interview to succeed, youâll be much more confident in answering questions and sound prepared and focused.
Related: Phone Interview Tips: How to Ace Your Phone Interview
3. Â Know what to do if you need to call the interviewer
This is a rare circumstance, but on occasion, the interviewer will ask you to call them. If this is the case, you might be faced with the impossible question of whether you should be early, on time or a little late in calling. But donât get too caught up in the logistics of it all; your best bet is to call on time. If thy donât pick up for some reasonâyou never know, it could happenâthen leave a brief message with your name, reason for calling and number.
â[Calling on time] shows that you are taking the interview seriously and are respectful of the interviewer’s time,â says Schmitz. Being prompt is always the best way to go because it shows that youâre serious about the position and reflects your punctuality in the workplace.
4. Be prepared for multiple interviewers
Sometimes youâre faced with a panel of interviewers. This is so multiple employees can get to know you and determine how well you would fit into the company. Oftentimes they are also people you would be working with if you secured the position. But whether youâre face-to-face or over the phone, panel interviews are daunting. It can easily feel like youâre being ganged up on, so itâs important to understand how to attack a panel interview.
Schmitz says the preparation for this interview is similar to a normal interview. â[T]ake a peek at each person’s LinkedIn page to figure out if they are the same level professionally, and try to get an understanding of how each person relates to the others within the company,â says Schmitz. âDo they all work closely on the same team? Does one work just with interns/new hires? During the interview, try to engage with each person on the call equally and call people by name to avoid any confusion.â
This last tip is important because things can get a little confusing over the phoneâyou remember three-way calling with your friends in fifth grade. For phone interviews, you should also jot each interviewerâs name and position to help keep things straight.
5. Know the types of questions they might ask
Obviously itâs impossible to know what questions your interviewer will ask you because there are countless choices, but for these types of interviews you can usually predict the type of questions you will be asked.
âPhone and video interviews are generally first round, screening interviews,â says Schmitz. âThe interviewer (often an HR person) is looking to see how you think and approach problems, how you express yourself, and what your overall personality is like, in addition to making sure that you have the requisite experience and skills that are listed in the job description.â Because these interviews are typically preliminary, itâs best to expect that you will be asked about items on your resume and background information.
Schmitz also says, âSome phone interviews are more casual, and interviewers will ask questions like, âWhere do you usually get your news?â or, âWhat kind of books do you like to read?â These questions help the interviewer understand more about your general interests and determine whether you’ll be a good fit for the culture of the company.â Knowledge about what the company does will help you in these situations, which is why your preparation will pay off in the interview and is extremely important. Â You can even check out popular sites like Glassdoor to see what the job interview process is like, and maybe some frequently asked interview questions. The more information you gather, the better.
6. Find a good spot and come prepared
Just because you arenât going to an office doesnât mean you can just chill in your living room or at a Starbucks for a phone or video interview. You want to limit all distractions, so find a quiet spot and get there half an hour before your interview to ensure everything works correctly and that you can go over your notes. For a video interview, you want to make sure the wall behind you is plainâit doesnât look super professional to have old Twilight posters behind you. This way, your interviewer will be focused on youânot all the distracting things around you. In addition, remember to dress for a video interview like you would dress for an in-person interview. The last thing you want to do is accidentally stand up while youâre wearing pajama bottoms. You can also dress professionally for a phone interview, but the most important thing is to feel comfortable. Wear something that makes you feel confident and ready to go.
Lastly, Schmitz says, âKeep a glass of water at hand! And smile while you’re talkingâthat energy translates across the phone.â Also, be sure to find a space with reliable WiFi. If your apartmentâs WiFi isnât great, reserving a private study room at the library is a good alternative. Give yourself some time to get comfortable and relaxed; with all the prep work youâve done, the only thing left is to nail your interview!
Interviews can be stressful, and whether theyâre on the phone or through video, if youâre prepared mentally and physically youâll be ready to go. So keep these tips in mind and be ready to start accepting job offers!