Why phone interview questions are so important ? Getting a well-paid job is associated with the necessity of meeting many strict and special requirements.
You need to have the appropriate education and job experience.
Getting through a complex recruitment procedure is also a very important task.
Of course, each company has got its own hiring process, but many employers use phone interviews in early stages to approve and reject people before the most important parts of the recruitment begin.
Thanks to this solution, employers can be sure that they invite the appropriate people for further levels of hiring procedure (eye to eye interviews, etc.).
We need to remember that phone interviews are very often used by employers who wish to perform initial screening, so on the next levels of the hiring process, they will have candidates that meet their minimum requirements.
There are different hiring strategies, so some employers use only one phone interview, but some of them might require two, three or more phone interviews performed by different members of their staff, including the hiring manager.
After passing through these interviews, candidates are invited for the next stages of recruitment (an in-person interview, etc.).
This part of the recruitment process is especially difficult for candidates who rely on their body language.
In the case of phone interviews, it is important to remember about the tone and language. Interviewers require clear answers that are helpful.
These interviews allow for referring back to the notes, you can prepare for these interviews and think about good answers for the most popular questions.
If you decide to write down outlines and notes, You should remember to sound natural, so the interviewer will not be able to detect that You are reading directly from a page.
It is good to search for some popular phone interview questions and examples of practical answers, so You will not become surprised during the interview.
Perfect preparing for a phone interview
Generally, in most cases of phone interviews, employers are looking for general, high-level information about their potential employees and their background, so they will be able to decide if a person can advance to the next stage of the hiring process.
They very often ask questions about why are You interested in a job in their company. You will also need to talk about Your background, etc.
Employers use their own sets of phone interview questions, but there are many universal questions that are popular among many companies.
It is good to search for a good source of phone interview questions, so You will be able to prepare for the interview.
Below, You can find some examples of questions and good answers – You can use them as inspiration while preparing for the interview.
Of course, there are no universal answers that will be good. You need to think about them and tell the truth because interviewers will be able to check if You are lying.
Practical examples of phone interview questions and answers
These are the most common questions that can be asked during a phone interview. You can also find some inspiring, good answers to these questions:
1. Tell me about yourself/Your background.
In most cases, hiring managers and recruiters will start the interview by asking about your background and some basic information about you.
In this case, you can explain Your education, experience and You can also tell what You are currently doing.
Do not forget about Your advantages that make You well qualified for a specific job.
Of course, You can add a few personal details about Your life, but employers are especially interested in Your accomplishments and job qualifications.
Example answer: “I have got an extensive background in education, so I am able to guide students through their career in the college.
My passion and experience make me very confident in my abilities to fulfill the role of Academic Advisor.
I currently work as an Academic Advisor at XXX University where I support thousands of students. I am responsible for preparing course schedules for each student every semester, I also meet students and answer their questions, solve their problems and concerns. I discuss grade concerns, program evaluations, etc.
Thanks to my degree in secondary education (XXX University) I know how to provide good answers and advice to students. I focus on the success of my students, so I will be very excited to help You at YYY University.”
2. Describe yourself
It is a question similar to the first one (Tell me about yourself), but in this case, You do not need to focus on your background and previous job positions, but you can talk about qualities and skills that make You a perfect job candidate.
Employers are interested in getting some information about Your advantages relevant to the position You are applying.
Example answer: “I always focus on the result and I very often check the goal, so I know how close or far we are and I also know what to do to reach the goal.
This kind of pressure inspires and motivates me and my team. Over the past year, my team was able to shorten the average product time to market by one month.”
3. Why are You applying for this job position?
This is another very common question that gives the employer some information on whether or not You are serious. A good answer to this question needs to be associated with the details provided in the job description. You can focus on Your future duties, company details and other information that align with Your career goals.
Example answer: “I have been gaining skills associated with Your industry for many years, so I think I have the knowledge, skills, and qualifications that are required for this job position. I am passionate about performing tasks in the area of environmental protection. I am also interested in changing my life and one of the most important changes will be the job position. In my opinion, Your company is the perfect place for me.”
4. Why do You want to get this job?
The question is similar to the third one. Interviewers ask it to get some information about Your current job status. While explaining, remember to stay positive about Your current employer. The most important mistake is providing negative information about current or past employers.
Example answer: “Many of my previous job positions were aligned with requirements and other information provided in Your job description. I really enjoy creative writing or building stakeholders’ relationships.
I am happy about my current job position, but I feel that it is time to change the job that is more tailored to my talents and skills, so I will be able to become a better and better PR specialist”.
5. Describe Your knowledge about the role
Employers ask this question to get some information about Your knowledge of the job position and associated responsibilities. They will know how much they need to tell You about this job position.
Thanks to this question, they will also know whether or not You have taken Your time to read the job description and do the research.
Example answer: “From Your job description, I understand that You are searching for a bookkeeper for supporting financial activities of the department, especially related to Accounts Payable and Procurement. On the basis of Your description and requirements, I understand that You are interested in candidates with HIPAA compliance training for which I am certified. I see that many daily responsibilities and tasks include processing vendor creation, check requests, journals, wire transfers and invoices for payments. Can You tell me why this position is open and what are other needs of the team?”
6. Why are You interested in working here?
Phone interviewers might ask why do You want to work for a company because they want to get some information about Your research, motivation, and values.
It is good to visit the company page on the Internet to get some valuable information that is helpful in answering this question. It is also good to check recent press releases and news.
During the research, focus on key items that align with the company. For example, You can tell that You are interested in the product, inspired by the mission or excited by the industry growth.
Example answer: “I have got a large experience in managing hospitality staff and my goal is to work for a hotel that is not only interested in the growth and achievement of employees, but also for a hotel that maintains excellent experience for guests.
From the recent press release, I know that Your hotel decided to implement an innovative rewards program for regular and new guests. I am excited about Your mission of providing high-quality service and I want to become a part of this mission.”
7. What are Your salary expectations?
People responsible for the recruitment process may ask this question during the initial phone interview to see if their salary aligns with Your expectations.
This question also allows for understanding if Your qualifications are too high or too low for the position. It is good to provide a range of salaries, so Your employers will understand that You are flexible, but they will also know that You expect a certain amount of money.
Recruiters will focus on the lowest amount in the range. Of course, salary negotiations are allowed, but they are part of further stages in the hiring process. It is good to check average salaries for the job position, so You will be able to determine acceptable amounts.
Example answer: “In the case of this job position, my ideal salary falls in the range of $55000 to $65000. In my opinion, it is an ideal range aligned with my experience.”
8. Do You have any questions?
Asking at least a few questions is very important when the job interviewer gives You an opportunity. This will show that You are really engaged and interested in the job and that You have the ability of active listening.
Of course, in case of questions about the company’s history and values, it is better to search press releases, news and the official website of the employer.
You can base your question on information provided in these sources. Job interviewers will notice Your initiative and the fact that You took the time to learn more about the company.
You can ask many types of questions. Below You can find some practical examples:
What does a typical day of a person in this position look like?
How has this role adapted or grown to align with the organization requirements?
What is the growth expected by the company in the next five years?
Do You have any concerns with my skills, education, knowledge or experience?
Thank You very much for explaining my role. When might I hear back from You regarding next steps in the process?
Where can we look for help?
Good preparing for a phone interview questions is a very important process. You can look for help in many sources.
Many companies offer special books and premium sets of phone interview questions with explanations and example answers.
You need to remember that there are no universal answers, but the information contained in these sets can be inspiring and very helpful, so buying them is a very good idea.
We can find many online offers that include the aforementioned phone interview questions, example answers, explanations and other pieces of advice. They are prepared by experienced people who work as hiring managers and job interviewers who know what types of answers are good. Buying these questions and answers is a good investment in the future.
The aforementioned sets of questions and answers can be found in online stores, so they are available for people from the whole world.
Searching for them is not a difficult task, because You only need to provide the appropriate phrase in the search engine.
Another important advantage of these premium phone interview questions and answers is the fact that they are not very expensive, even for people with a limited budget. Click to know what is the interview .
