Phone Screening Interview Questions & Answers

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When the interviewer takes steps to conclude the interview by thanking you for your time or asking whether you have any additional questions, respond with, I am very interested in the position and I would like to know about the next steps in the hiring process. Could we set up a time to meet in person?
Even if your interviewer does not seem particularly enthusiastic during the interview, you should still ask HR reps in particular are trained to give as little indication of interest as possible, to test your perseverance and to avoid raising any candidate's hopes prematurely. If your interviewer declines your offer to set up an interview on the spot, ask when you should follow up.
Finally, enthusiastically thank your interviewer again for taking the time to call. Your graciousness, appreciation and interest will leave a positive impression.

Before you give your phone number to anyone:
☛ When you give your phone number, you expect to be called.
☛ Your own voice mail.
☛ Deciding to answer your phone.
☛ Answering and inconvenient timing.
☛ For scheduled-in-advance phone interviews.

In some cases, the employer will contact you (by phone, e-mail, etc.) to set a specific time to conduct a phone interview. When you agree to that scheduling, you are committing to a business appointment and you should be fully prepared.

If it is not strictly audio, then you need to be concerned with all the same personal appearance and conduct issues that are judged in an in-person interview.

If more than one person is speaking and listening to you on the employer's end, this can involve a conference or speaker phone, which can interfere with sound quality.

It is reasonable for you to know this before you commit, you may need time to get to a class or a job. You do not want to feel or seem rushed during the interview because you did not know how long it would last.

Most likely the employer will expect to call you, but do not assume, ask if that is not made clear.

If you do answer your phone and the employer has reached you at a time when you can not speak with him/her, it is perfectly appropriate to politely explain this and offer to call back at a time convenient to the employer. Example:
I am so sorry I am not able to talk with you now. Is there a time I can call you back at your convenience?

If you are not in a situation appropriate to receive a call from an employer (noisy location, or quiet location in which you should not be speaking on the phone), let the incoming call go to your voice mail. Return the call promptly in an appropriate location.

Obviously a caller can reach your voice mail, so be sure it is appropriate, meaning simple and with your name clearly stated so the employer knows s/he is reaching the intended person and thus may be more likely to leave a message.

The moment you in any way make your phone number available to an employer whether on your resume, an e-mail, an online application, etc. You should be prepared for the possibility of receiving a call from an employer.
Do not be surprised. Do be prepared.
Bottom line is that at any time you may be evaluated on your telephone conduct.

A phone interview or screening usually does not take the place of an in-person interview. It is simply a means of learning more about the candidate, and letting the candidate learn more about the employer and the position, before both parties commit to the time and expense of an in-person interview.

Obviously a phone call is easier and much less costly than an in-person interview, especially if travel is involved for you and/or the employer for an in-person interview.

When employers receive many applications for an open position, they need to narrow the applicant pool. Obviously, first they screen resumes and cover letters to narrow the field. Contact by e-mail can be an efficient way to further narrow the pool (they can see who responds and who follows directions). Phone calls can be a next step to further narrow the pool.

Here are a few reasons for which employers use phone screening interviews:
☛ Narrow the applicant pool
☛ Efficiency and cost
☛ A step prior to an in-person interview

With in-person interviews, most interviewers will grant you at least 15 minutes out of sheer politeness but over the phone, interviewers feel much freer to abruptly terminate interviews that do not seem promising. So do not save your best stories for last-make a favorable impression early on.

You know how some people, when they are, like, all nervous and stuff, say things in a way that, ummm, makes them sound, you know, kind of, well, less than professional? Be aware of your verbal mannerisms on the phone since your interviewer will have few other cues by which to judge your professionalism.
Another verbal tic that interviewers tend to associate with younger, less experienced candidates is "upswing," a tendency to have the cadence of the voice rise as though every sentence (or portion of a sentence) ends in a question mark. With upswing, this statement sounds much more dubious and less impressive than if you said it using a more factual, even cadence.

Unlike in-person interviews, phone interviews often cut right to the chase, without a lot of preliminary chitchat. Prepare for tough, awkward questions to be asked right away, such as:
☛ Why do you want to work for us?
☛ Why did you leave your previous job(s)?
☛ What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
☛ What is one problem you wish you had handled differently at your last job?
☛ What traits do you like most and least in a supervisor?
☛ What salary would you expect in this position?

Maybe you get the call while you are at work, with your boss breathing down your neck or the phone rings when you are out with friends or walking home from class. If the interviewer catches you at a bad time and asks, Is this a good time to talk? your response should be something along these lines: "Actually, is there a time I can reach you tomorrow or the day after? I am very interested in the position and I want to give you my undivided attention but I am afraid now is not the best time. Make plans so you can receive the call in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted.

Hear out your interviewer's questions in full, without interrupting and make sure you ask follow-up questions for clarification if need be. Your interviewer cannot see you nod and may interpret your silence at the end of the phone as a dropped line, so be sure to interject the occasional active listening cues, such as: "I see," "right," "okay," "that is interesting," and "absolutely."

Your interviewer may ask you specific questions about your work history and giving vague answers will not make a good impression. The phone screen is like an open-book exam.

A poor cell phone connection can leave both parties feeling frustrated and you do not want to inadvertently hang up on your interviewer. If you are speaking on your cell phone, ask if you can call your interviewer right back on your land line.

Even if you are caught completely off guard by the call, be welcoming and enthusiastic. Hello, I am so glad you called. Smile when you say it, the person at the other end of the phone can not see your expression but will be able to hear the warmth in your voice.

Imagine you are an employer looking to find a responsible employee to fulfill a management position. How do you think you would react to an outgoing message of your promising candidate singing, can not get to the phone? You probably would not even bother leaving a message. The moral of this story: Record a professional-sounding message on your voicemail with no singing, no gimmicks and no slang.

Follow these steps to phone screen success:
☛ Make sure you have a professional sounding outgoing voice mail message.
☛ Express appriciation for the call.
☛ Make sure it is the right time and place.
☛ Be sure you are speaking on a landline.
☛ HAVE your resume, notes and date book in front of you.
☛ Be an active listener.
☛ Expect elimination questions to come first.
☛ Avoid verbal tics.
☛ Earn your 15 minutes in the spot light.
☛ Inquire about next step.