How to Ace Your Phone Screen Interview
Congrats! You’ve already managed to use your stellar resume to get yourself through the door and in front of a human. Celebrate the small the wins and get ready, up next is the screening phase.
The phone screen is the ticket to entering the real interview process. During the phone screen, recruiters and hiring managers will eliminate anywhere from 40-60% of candidates. Follow these tips to make sure you ace your phone screen.
What is a Phone Screen?
The phone screen (or video screen) is a key piece and metric in the hiring process. The screening interview allows a recruiter or hiring manager to learn more about you and if you could be a fit for the job.
This also gives you the opportunity to sell yourself as the competent and confident candidate you are. After all, if you’re getting a phone screen you can rest assured that the team already thinks you’re qualified for the job. Now it’s just time to prove it.
Why Employers Use Phone Screens
With job applications receiving 100s (and sometimes 1000s) of applications, phone screens allow hiring teams to further narrow down the applicant pool of candidates and identify those they would like to bring in for assessments and final interviews. Phone Screens are a quick but impactful way to assess candidates and determine if they are suitable for the position.
Your goal with the phone interview is to impress the recruiter and give them enough information about you to relay to the hiring manager and get approved for the next round.
Research the Company
In advance of the phone screen, review the job description and research the company and what they do. This will allow you to ask more targeted questions about the company and role. A few things you should research: What does the company do? What is their product? Who are their customers? What is the size, location, and founding date of the company?
Have Your Resume Handy
You spent countless hours perfecting your resume (or working with a professional to write one) and it’s what got you in the door. Hooray! Now your resume is in the recruiter’s hand and they will be referencing it during your call.
You should feel comfortable and ready to discuss your background and skills confidently. Have your resume handy to remind yourself of projects you’ve highlighted and key metrics that you need to reference.
Nail Down Your Elevator Pitch
One of the first questions the interviewer will ask you is a variation of the question “Tell me about yourself”. As inviting as this question may seem, it’s not the best time to share your passion for rock climbing or your favorite TV shows. What the recruiter wants to know is the story behind your career and how it matches the role you’re interviewing for.
This is an excellent time for the elevator pitch of your relevant experience over the past several years and how this experience makes you a match for their role. Highlight your years of experience in the field, the companies you’ve worked for, the impact you’ve made and how you can bring the same impact to the company.
Tell Your Story
When discussing your experience, it’s important to paint a cohesive story of your background and why you made career decisions. This context helps to personalize who you are and allows the recruiter to understand any minor flags in your background. This is especially important for career changers, people who have job hopped, or those moving from a leadership role to an individual contributor. Use your story to connect to the recruiter and the company values.
Practice Answering Common Interview Questions
Most phone screens follow a similar structure, making it an easier interview to prepare for. The day before and day of your interview, practice answering common interview questions like salary questions and why you left your last position. Writing your answers down in a document can be helpful to make sure you’re capturing every detail. This will also make it easier to reference for future interviews.
Now reread and rehearse your answers. Rehearsing you answers can be done in the mirror, recorded with your laptop or phone, or role playing with a friend. While it may seem silly at first, practicing will ensure that you will answer interview questions succinctly when asked, impressing your interviewer.
Prepare Your Own Questions
Most interviewers allow 5-10 minutes to answer questions. This a chance for you to interview the company and learn more about them. It is also a hidden opportunity to impress the interviewer with your knowledge about the industry by asking intelligent questions. Prepare 3-5 questions about the role and company that will help you gain insight into the role responsibilities, why the role is open, the company culture and more.
Sample questions to ask:
What qualities are you looking for in the person you hire to join this company?
What are the top 3 challenges you’re looking for this person to solve?
What are the priorities of this team in the next 6 months, 12 months?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
Follow up Quickly
After the interview follow up within 24 hours to iterate your enthusiasm and interest in the role. Thank the interviewer for their time and also use this as a chance to send a note about how you are uniquely qualified for the position.
Making a good impression in your screening interview is essential to moving forward into the real hiring process and meeting the hiring team. Make your recruiter your advocate by highlighting your experience, building rapport, and following up. With these tips you’ll be on your way to the next round!
