4 Tips for a Perfect Phone Interview

4 Tips for a Perfect Phone Interview4 Tips for a Perfect Phone InterviewHere are four tips to get you started on a perfect phone einstellungsgesprchDo Your ResearchOnce an employer has contacted you and set up the initial phone bewerbungsgesprch, the first step is to prepare. Just as if you were preparing for an in-person interview do your homework. Research the company and visit their website. Know all there is to know about what they do, and the products or services they sell. Be prepared with questions about the position you are applying for.Be Organized and Get SeriousMake sure you have a quiet, organized place to take the scheduled call. Dont accept a time slot for the interview when you know you will be in the car, distracted, or have kids/loud pets at home. For a hiring manager it is frustrating to conduct a phone interview with dogs barking in the background, plus it tells them that they didnt take the phone interview very seriously. Get a pen and paper in front of you and b e ready to take elendes. Have the job posting that you applied for in front of you so you know what type of skills they are looking for. Know how your abilities fit with the position and be prepared to discuss how you see yourself succeeding in that role.Outline your Talking PointsA phone interviews main purpose is to weed out candidates that seem like they would not be fit for the position. Some of this will be based on acceptance of the hours, location and salary. Additionally the interviewer will likely be asking some basic interview questions such as why you are in the job market and what you are looking for. Be prepared with these answers and rehearse them in advance. You should have a 30 second elevator speech prepared explaining why you applied for the position and why you believe you would be a good fit.Follow UpAlthough the person in charge of interviews may have been deluged with resumes, only about 1% of applicants send a thank you note after a phone or in-person intervie w. If you want the job, ask for the interviewers email or postal address and take the time to follow up with a thank you note for taking the time to interview you. This will make you stand out from the crowd, and it shows that you are considerate, detail oriented, and organized.Remember, the main purpose of a phone interview is to screen OUT applicants. Many openings for work-at-home positions only have a phone interview. If you are prepared, organized, and well-rehearsed, you will be well on your way to getting that job, whether it is work from home or a traditional position.Readers,whats your idea of the perfect phoneinterview? Tell us in the comments belowThis post was written by Jeri Johansen, PHR HR Blogger and Manager of Human Resources at Crimcheck.com and Chair of the 2014 Northern Ohio Human Resource Conference (www.nohrc.org). Crimcheck.com specializes in employment screening and background checks. You can find Crimcheck.com onFacebook and Twitter also.