Telephone screening interviews are becoming more commonplace as companies seek to cut hiring costs and streamline the selection process.
Phone interviewing is unique. You can't count on visual stimuli such as good looks or power suits, eye contact or body language, to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewer's response. In this context, faceless conversation takes on an added dimension of importance. Both strengths and weaknesses, as conveyed by voice, are magnified through the phone. Your voice personifies everything about you.
Before the Telephonic Interview :
If you're currently employed, arrange for a phone interview in the evening rather than during the workday. Confidentiality and discretion may be at risk if you interview during working hours; you never know who might barge into your office unannounced or overhear something by accident. In the privacy of your home, you can be more at ease and in control of your surroundings. You should always make sure you will not be interrupted.
Before the actual interview, it will help to know the topics to be covered, objectives to attain and the basic information regarding the position to be discussed.
It's also advisable to prepare for possible scenarios that might unfold. Hypothesize a bit; suppose the interviewer asks questions that make you feel uncomfortable. Answer these and any questions as briefly and directly as possible without being negative. Offer a positive "mini story" about yourself and your accomplishments.
The worst case scenario would be that the interviewer would not call at the agreed time. In this case do not call the interviewer, call your recruiter so that he/she can investigate the situation and get back to you with another interview date and time.
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