31 Phone Interview Tips to Master Today

A serious pro is that you can get your materials ready and participate in a phone interview from a comfortable setting.

The cons? Well, there's nothing easy about getting on a call where you can't see the interviewer's facial expressions or physical cues. You need to remind yourself to talk slowly, all while worrying about background noises—I could go on.

Unfortunately, phone interviewing is also where most job opportunities start. From there, recruiters usually invite two to four candidates for an onsite interview, according to Career Sidekick.

So, how do you make them easier? Here are the best phone interview tips I've collected from professional recruiters and, of course, the internet.

Table of Contents

Before the Phone Interview Tips

The difference between a good phone interview and a great phone interview might lie in the work you do beforehand—to prepare for common phone interview questions, research the company, and practice. 

Phone Interview Tip #1: Understand Who's Calling

As soon as you hear from the person conducting your phone interview, do a quick LinkedIn search to figure out their role at the company.Most often, it will be a member of the recruiting team, which means it won't be your potential boss or the hiring manager.

So, as you prepare your answers to common job interview questions, you'll likely avoid the more difficult interview questions that might arise in phase two. 

Some Common Telephone Interview Questions

This last question is arguably the most important question. Make sure to come prepared with knowledge of the company and a few thoughtful questions.

Phone Interview Tip #2: Write Back About Scheduling ASAP—And Spellcheck!

While it's the phone prescreen that matters most, you still need to make a great impression in your email response to the phone interview request.

Ensure your reply is pristine and straightforward. Timeliness is also important! Respond on the same day, preferably within an hour or two. Your quick response shows enthusiasm and helps you avoid communication red flags. 

Also, double-check that the time you select for your phone screen interview works with your schedule. (We've all double-booked before, especially when nervous.)

Scheduling a time that works for both you and the interviewer can be challenging. According to 67 percent of recruiters, scheduling a screening interview with potential candidates takes between 30 minutes and two hours. Impress them immediately by sending plenty of options for dates, times, and include your timezone.

This will help decrease the back-and-forth time it takes to confirm your phone interview, which is a win for you and the beginning of a great first impression for them!

Phone Interview Tip #3: Print Out the Job Description

Once you know you're a potential candidate, pull the original job description up and read it carefully. Look for keywords that keep popping up and the clear skills they're after. These are the elements you should try to touch on when you talk to your interviewer.

We recommend even jotting down specific questions on scratch paper as you read. It will help your memory.

For example, if they mention “candidate experience” in the job posting, work the keyword into your answer. Something like, “In my current role, I’m focused on creating an organized customer experience…”

Or if they mention a specific software program but you haven’t used it before, you could answer, “I noticed you’re looking for someone with Salesforce experience. I haven’t used Salesforce in a job, but to prepare for this interview, I watched tutorials and training videos on Salesforce, and I feel confident that I could pick it up quickly.”

Phone Interview Tip #4: Research the Company on LinkedIn and via the Company Site

Your interviewer will assume you know at least a little something about the organization since you did apply for a job with them, which is why you must be prepared to answer this question.

What about the company culture? Can you learn more about that by reading employee reviews on Glassdoor? 

Moreover, the latest interview statistics reveal that 47 percent of interviewers say they wouldn’t choose a candidate who has little knowledge of the company. Unless you’re ready to end your interview at the phone interview stage, study up!

Phone Interview Tip #5: Prepare Your Salary Requirements

This is another question recruiters always ask for a few reasons.

One more really important note about this question. In most states, it’s illegal for a potential employer to ask you what you’re making right now or what you made in your last job. Double-check your state’s laws. For most states, it means that employers can’t ask for your salary history—they can only ask about your salary expectations moving forward.

Okay, moving forward with how to prep for and answer questions about salary because there are a few ways depending on your preference.

You can present a number right away. We recommend sharing a salary range vs. an exact number if you do this. Prepare for it by researching comparable salaries for the same job title, industry, or even company.

You can use tools like The Salary Project or one of the other great salary research tools out there. You can also contact your network directly to ask them about their salary.

Once you’ve narrowed in on a range, you can keep it simple when asked. Just say, "I'm looking to make between $70,000 and $75,000." The recruiter might ask you to back up how you got that range, and that’s when you can refer back to your research.

You can also avoid giving a number immediately and wait until you know more about the role, company, and responsibilities. Here’s a sample answer for that route from a podcast interview we did with two executives. We also have a great podcast episode with a global compensation director on tips for talking salary during an interview. 

Phone Interview Tip #6: Plan on Being Somewhere Quiet

That does not mean your car. Ideally, it's not in an office next to a construction site either. You’ll want to prep the space to make sure it’s quiet and has reliable cell phone service, and if you’re going to use headphones, test them out ahead of time.

Just because you’re connecting via phone doesn’t mean professionalism can be thrown out the window. For some people, getting dressed up in an interview outfit helps them feel more confident during the call too. 

Do whatever you need to feel calm, confident, and distraction-free.

Phone Interview Tip #7: Prepare Some Questions to Ask

A common pet peeve of recruiters is when they start to conclude the interview and ask if you have any questions and...crickets.

Don’t make this mistake! Prepare questions to ask at the end of the interview. 

These don't have to be too complicated since it's a phone screening, but if you don’t ask anything, you’re sending the message that you don’t really care about the role and company. Feel free to write down your specific questions and have them in front of you. This is another huge perk of a phone interview—you can have your materials in front of you. 

Additionally, you might want to ask when they're looking for someone to start or what the hiring process will be like, including the next steps (if they don't provide you with this information). 

All of this will help you manage your expectations and interview timeline, which can be especially helpful since the average interview process takes about four weeks.

Phone Interview Tip #8: Don't Be Afraid to Communicate if You Need to Reschedule

Obviously, it's not ideal to ask for a change of interview time, so this is the last resort. But if you're job searching, and it turns out that your current employer wants you to attend a meeting during the pre-scheduled time, email the recruiter back.

They understand that you're juggling your search and your work, and they don't want to make things uncomfortable for you.

The secret to rescheduling without irritation is to make your ask as quickly as possible, provide other days and times you’re free, and don’t do it more than once.

Phone Interview Tip #9: Practice a Mock Phone Interview

You might hate the idea of playing pretend job interviews, but hear us out. 

The magic of mock interviews is that you can practice your interview answers (especially to those behavior-based interview questions), enhance your soft skills, and calm your anxiety leading up to the big day.

And if you’re feeling like you want to take your mock interview up a notch, record yourself on video. In the replay, you can take note of your body language and attitude. You might notice you say "um" a lot and need to stay mindful of that.

During the Phone Interview

The phone is ringing—and it's time to pick up and dive into that interview. Take a breath. You've got this! 

Phone Interview Tip #10: When You Answer, Answer Professionally

Since this is a phone interview, you’ll be doing something you do all the time—picking up the phone, but you want the tone of your voice to sound professional and prepared.

You should say, "Hello, this is [your full name]."

It makes it easy for the recruiter to know they are speaking to the correct person, but it's also clear that you're ready and waiting (and therefore prepared) for the interview.

Here are the ideal opening remarks that will clearly convey you knew this phone interview was coming:

The recruiter will usually take it from there with some opening remarks and information before getting the interview started.

Phone Interview Tip #11: Use Headphones

Plugging in headphones helps reduce background noise and will help the interviewer hear you better if the service is spotty.

Headphones can also be helpful if you need to jot down any notes or look back on your resume or the job description. They let you stay hands-free. Some people who use their hands to talk will also do so during a phone interview. It can help them sound more confident and keep up the flow of their conversation.

Before you use headphones, follow our earlier tip to test them out beforehand.

Phone Interview Tip #12: Pull Up Your Resume and LinkedIn, Plus the Job Description on Your Laptop

Why not? Unlike an in-person interview, you can have all those resources right before you to reference as you talk.

We recommend having a paper copy of your resume, LinkedIn profile, and job description on hand. Feel free to highlight anything in the job description that you think is important to draw attention to.

And we recommend paper because hearing you type or click around on your computer via the phone might send the wrong message to the recruiter. With paper copies, you can easily browse your important documents without the distraction of background noise.

Phone Interview Tip #13: Have Your Checklist Handy

Another piece of paper you’ll want handy is a checklist that helps you connect the dots between what the job description is looking for and your experience. Think of this as a cheat sheet.

Instead of remembering what experience you have that is relevant to one of the skills they are looking for, you can write it out.

For example, if the job requires experience managing online events, you might write that down in the left-hand column. Next to it, list the name and details of the last online event you hosted. You might include some data points like the number of attendees, etc.

You could also write out common behavior-based questions on the left, and in the right column, write out your story or bullet points for the answer.

Phone Interview Tip #14: Slow Down 

Most of us talk too fast when we're in a stressful speaking situation. That's especially true when you aren't able to track the other person's visual cues. So, remind yourself to slow down.

The Cut also recommends printing out a photo of your interviewer beforehand to ease the discomfort of the faceless experience. (We haven't tried this, but it sounds savvy.) 

Phone Interview Tip #15: Let Them Interrupt You 

Again, according to The Cut, there's an easy way to ensure you're giving them the right answers.

"If you’ve started to give a long answer and the interviewer tries to jump back in, then there’s no point in trying to keep talking because they’re probably not paying attention...Let them interrupt and see what they really want to get at, and maybe you can start that story again at a different point.”

A lot of this comes down to self-awareness and monitoring your time. This leads to our next tip!

Phone Interview Tip #16: It’s OK if You Need a Little Time to Answer—But Don’t Take Forever

It’s perfectly fine to take a little time before you answer the interview question or to ask for additional clarification—just make sure to communicate this with the interviewer. 

Here are few examples:

Once you feel confident to answer, go for it! Stay mindful of the time. Your phone interview will probably take 20-30 minutes, and you don’t want to spend the whole time on just two or three questions.

The goal is to answer the questions directly and allow the interview to move along so they can learn more about your skills and match for the role.

Some interview questions—especially behavioral interview questions will require more time to think about how you want to answer. it's a good idea to brush up on the STAR method to help you answer these.

Phone Interview Tip #17: Have a Notebook Nearby

The interviewer will likely mention something or someone you’ll want to circle back to at the end during your question portion. Have a notebook handy to take notes and write out questions to ask. You can even let your interviewer know that you will take some notes while they talk to help you later.

Some people are afraid to do this, but interviewers love someone who comes prepared and listens while they talk.

Jotting down notes is also helpful when you write your post-interview thank-you note and want to mention something specific or write notes to a few different people. You can jot down their name and role to remember for later.

Before the End of the Phone Interview

Once the phone interview is ready to end, make sure you've gotten what you need out of it. There's nothing worse than doing the post-interview recap and thinking of everything you should have said and all the questions you could have asked. 

Phone Interview Tip #18: Ask About the Interview Timeline

As we mentioned earlier, manage your expectations. Use your interview to ask about the timeline. 

This information will be super helpful for you to stay calm, motivated, and optimistic throughout the process. Based on the information they share, you can work it into any follow-up emails you send.

Phone Interview Tip #19: Ask if They Have More Questions for You

Throughout the phone interview, you naturally answered and asked insightful questions. At the end of the phone call, your interviewer might ask you if you have any other questions.

Respond in kind. Does the interviewer have any final questions for you? This lets the interviewer know that you are open to the challenge of more questions and that you are actively engaged in the interview process.

After the Phone Interview

That's all, folks! Right? Wrong! Once the phone interview is over, there's still work to do to ensure you move to the next round of interviews. 

Phone Interview Tip #20: Take Time to Reflect

Right after the interview ends, take 10 to 15 minutes to write out any question you were asked, reflect on how you think you did, and even write out anything you want to work on between now and a possible second interview.

Doing this right away is important because the information is fresh in your head, and as you complete more interviews, you’re building up a list of future questions to prep for and can recognize any changes you want to make.

You’re taking on the role of being your own career coach when you do this.

Phone Interview Tip #21: Write a Follow-up Thank You Email

The Interview Thank You Rule (that's an official term) is simple: every time you speak to someone new at a company during the job interview process, you should thank them for their time.

We’ve even had hiring managers tell us they will not move a candidate forward in the process unless they send a post-interview thank you email. So, write a thank-you email to the recruiter and anyone else who interviewed you and send it via email within a few hours of your phone interview.

If you don’t have the email address of the recruiter, ask for it at the end of your phone interview. And if you don’t have the emails of the other people you interviewed with, write them out anyway. Send all thank-you notes to the recruiter with a note to ask them to please forward this to [person's name].

The Dos And Don’ts of Phone Interviewing (10 More Quick Tips!)  

Finally, we compiled this list of phone interview dos and don'ts. Take these seriously, because they can seriously make or break your interview.