3 Phone Interview Mistakes You Should Never Make... Again

 

I am on an interview with (we’ll call her) Gina. She applied for a position with my company, and so far she looks like a great candidate. Her resume is great, her assessments thus far have been a perfect match, so when we get to the phone interview, I am wildly optimistic about her as a potential hire for my company. As the interview begins, she starts off with strong responses and seems to be exactly what we are looking for, but after about 10 more minutes of conversation, I am convinced she is no longer my unicorn candidate. What went wrong? How did she go from being the lead candidate in the role to a downgraded bottom-tier applicant?

She made a few mistakes along the way that could have been avoided, and since she is not the first person I’ve interviewed to make similar mistakes, I figured this would be information worth sharing. I have been writing in my blog High Gear Career about how important it is to know a company, have passion for what you want to do, and really make sure that you are not wasting your time on opportunities you are not interested in. However, how you handle yourself through the interview process is just as important as the interviews themselves. While the items listed below may seem obvious to some, I can assure you that yes, these things still happen, so I find it absolutely necessary to commit a brief few words to explaining some phone interview faux pas for you to avoid in the future.

1.       Time.

Gina started this interview off on the wrong foot by not selecting the right time to get the interview done. I find I am pretty flexible with candidates because I work in multiple time-zones, so I expect them to maintain the same commitment to finding a time that works well for their schedule. What you want to do is find a time when you are going to be alert, aware, and present to deliver the best possible responses. Don’t schedule a 6 am interview if you are typically not up until 7:30 am, and don’t schedule an interview for after lunch if you know you will be dragging, unless you have absolutely no other options. Also, make sure that you have an appropriate amount of time set aside for the interview. You don’t want to have to cut your interview short when it’s only half done, nor do you want to be late to starting the interview. In the ideal scenario, selecting the right time for the interview will enable you to have the most energy and time to focus on the questions without being rushed to finish.

2.       Location.

In my interview with Gina, she later confessed that she was at work. This is not a problem if you are in a situation where you company is going out of business, and your manager knows you will be interviewing for other positions. However, attempting to interview under the radar will require a little more creativity for locations (i.e. interviewing at home), but interviewing while you are “on the clock” is a completely unwise decision. During my interview with Gina she began whispering to someone else while we were on the call (which turned out to be a customer) and asked to put me on hold. This actually tells a little bit of a story about Gina as a candidate.

What does this simple act tell us about Gina? Well, I’m glad you asked. It says that she is comfortable using company resources for her own benefits. In an interview, everything you do and say is a reflection of not only your ability to do the role for which you are applying, but it is a test to determine if you are a good fit for a company. If you are spending time at your current company to interview for jobs now, then what are you going to do when you start working at my company? Probably the same thing. Of the hundreds of candidates I’ve interviewed, whenever a candidate needs to put me on hold it is typically the first of many other challenges that would prevent me from selecting them. It’s not because they are no longer qualified for the job, it’s because this simple act ends up being an indicator of the overall type of candidate they are.

Sometimes locations can be a little tricky because many people who are interviewing for jobs are already employed. I have interviewed many candidates over the years who have conducted interviews and taken phone calls in their cars to avoid the experience I had with Gina. The main difference in those situations is that the candidates openly shared, “I am at work and am in my car.” Having the wherewithal to inform your interviewer of your situation is actually a smart move because they can be understanding and accommodating to your situation. This can go wrong, however, if you schedule your interview for the drive home. Do not interview while driving.

Another situation you may be faced with is if you are not working and are at home. You need to ensure that you have a quiet place to have the conversation. If you have small children at home or particularly noisy animals, consider going to a friend’s home or alternate location. People will understand that you have kids, but having a conversation with a candidate when their small child suddenly wakes up screaming in the middle of the interview leaves the impression that you are the candidate with the screaming baby. Once again, understandable, but is that really the impression you want to make?

3.       Language

There comes a time in an interview when things start to go downhill, and a candidate who started off strong is now suddenly giving responses like, “um, sure,” or “ya, I guess,” or “or something like that.” When I am hiring someone, unless this is for an entry-level role, I want them to be confident in their abilities, and by using these weak, indecisive responses, they do not present assurance in what they are doing. Most frequently, candidates start strong, but after several poor responses, I can see them throw in the towel, thinking they’ve already eliminated themselves. I can even imagine them, sitting at their desks, slumped over, and thinking, “well, I blew this one.”

Amy Cuddy, body language researcher and social psychologist, explains in her TED Talk the impact of body language communication. Typically when people think of phone interviews, they don’t think of body language since the interviewer can’t see them. But, the interviewer can certainly hear them, so preparing yourself physically is going to pay off by helping you maintain a heightened state of energy for the duration of the interview. My method for this is to start strong and stay strong.

A few minutes before your interview starts stand up straight, smile big, and keep your confidence high. Standing will help you remain energized, but if you can’t stand then pull your shoulders back, sit up straight and smile just the same. This is going to sound a little odd, but keep a mirror in front of you, and become aware of your posture and language as the interview proceeds. Stay aware of your language, and respond affirmatively to questions with words like absolutely, definitely, etc. (instead of “I guess” or “sure”). If you notice during the course of the interview that you encounter a few difficult questions, make sure you still smile, look at yourself in the mirror and sit up straight (or stand tall) to avoid weak responses. Rest assured, you don’t have to get every question perfect, but you do need to remain professional and confident. This simple act, though seemingly unimportant will actually be a great tool in helping you mentally get back into the right frame of mind for finishing the interview strong.

              Next time you are offered a phone interview, really think about it before you accept the first available time the recruiter offers. When will you be energized? Where can you conduct the interview in a distraction-free location? And how will you keep the interview energy upbeat with positive communication. By getting these 3 items right, you will set yourself up for a successful phone interview.