“How long should I spend preparing for my first round phone interview?”
“I am so nervous for my interview, what questions should I have prepared?”
“Should I ask for next steps at the end or is that too forward?”
These are just a few of the questions I get asked daily, so let’s break them down.
Confidence is so important in an interview. If an interviewer senses that you are unprepared or nervous, 9 times out of 10 you will probably not get the job. I want to break down a few of the most common questions I get asked and help readers feel a little more confident walking into their interviews. So let’s get to it!
“How long should I spend preparing for my first round phone interview?” This is such an important question because many interviewers do not prepare the same way for a phone screen as they would for an in person interview. News flash, the first interview is THE MOST IMPORTANT. If you do not impress on the first phone screen there goes your chance of really “wowing” them during a face-to-face. So how long should you prepare? According to the LinkedIn poll results that I recently posted, 1 hour, and I agree.
As you can see from the results above. 10-20 minutes got last place and for a good reason. You should be spending at least 1 hour preparing for your phone interview. This includes:
- Company research on the company website, LinkedIn, and on google
- Practicing your “elevator pitch.” How you are going to answer “Tell me about yourself.”
- Jotting down specific examples from your life that show proven success
- 5 – 8 thoughtful questions that you plan to ask the interviewer
- LinkedIn and Google research on the person, or people, interviewing you
“I am so nervous for my interview, what questions should I have prepared?” A simple way to gain confidence in an interview is knowing what you are going to say. You will not always know what questions you may be asked, but one thing you can control, is what questions you will ask. Here are a few great questions I recommend asking:
- I saw from your LinkedIn that you have been working at “ABC Company” for “X” years, what is your favorite thing about working there?
- Growth and development are very important to me, I would love to hear more from you about what the growth looks like in this role?
- What are some of the characteristics/traits that you look for when hiring for this position?
- What do you think it takes to be successful at your company?
“Should I ask for next steps at the end or is that too forward?” YES, always ask for next steps, and in doing so make sure you “close the interview.”
So, what does it mean to “close the interview?” This means that you are showing the interviewer that you are confident and have the business acumen to ask for the job in a professional manner.
How do I do this without coming off too forward? Do not say,”Soooo did I get the job?” Instead, approach your close with a question… for example, you can say:
“Thank you so much for your time today, I really enjoyed our conversation. I can truly see myself in this role and am excited to continue the process, with that being said, do you have any hesitations recommending me for the next round of the interview process?
Mastering your interview skills takes time, and lots of practice! Hopefully these tips can provide you with a little extra confidence boost the next time you walk in “or press turn on video” for an interview!