Business Preparing for a Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews are becoming increasingly popular; they may be used for screening of potential applicants, and have been noted as particularly prevalent in agencies specializing in graduate placements (Silvester et al., 2000). The process has the potential to increase efficiency in the recruitment process, allowing screening to take place effectively in terms of time and resource use, which is usually followed by a more in-depth face-to-face interview (Arthur, 2012). For an interview candidate to be successful in a telephone interview there needs to be a careful consideration of what the interviewer will be looking for; this will include interest in the job and the ability to satisfy the relevant criteria needed by a successful candidate (Arthur, 2012).

Before a telephone interview a candidate should ensure they are prepared. This preparation will include thoroughly rereading the job advertisement as well as undertaking some background research. Reading the advertisement or job description which they replied to is an essential stage of preparation. During the initial stages of the interview, the interviewer is likely to give some background to the job, it...

If during the reading of the advertisement any particular questions come to mind, it is advisable to write these down, otherwise they may be forgotten during the interview process.
Undertaking some research on the firm will give candidates an increased knowledge of the firm, and allow them to demonstrate they have an interest. The knowledge may also help them to identify suitable questions they may ask when promoted. The research process itself also needs to be considered; if any contact is made directly with the firm it is essential that this is undertaken in a professional and courteous manner, but generally it is not recommended that a candidate contact the firm prior to the interview, especially when there are many other sources of information available (Arthur, 2012).

Preparation should also include practicing in the phone. Telephone interviewing is like any other skill; the more that it is practiced the better one is likely to perform. Using friends for family to simulate…