So you’ve found this potentially great tech job posting; sent the company your résumé, and now they want to conduct a phone interview with you. No worries — many of the same techniques that work well for in-person interviews also apply to the phone interview. The most important thing is to make sure you are prepared and ready to go when that interview time arrives!
Here are a few tips to ensure you provide what employers are looking for during a phone interview for an IT job.
Being Prepared is Still the Most Important Interview Factor
It is really no different than other types of interviews — it remains vital to be absolutely prepared for a phone interview. Brush up on any technology requirements for the new position. Go over your work experience and be prepared to talk about how you’ll leverage that experience for your new company. Expect to get a technical question or two and answer them clearly and thoughtfully.
Do some research on the company so you are able to ask insightful questions about their current projects and their organizational prospects for the future. This will go a long way in showing your interest in the position.
Be Confident while on the Phone
Although you don’t have to worry about your appearance during a phone interview, you should still get ready the same as an in-person interview, as it will subconsciously help you to sound more confident while answering their questions. Be sure to speak clearly into the phone, and don’t use a speakerphone as the sound quality will be inferior.
While it is tempting to use a technical cheat sheet — don’t. Shuffling through documentation while trying to answer a technical question will be obvious to those interviewing you. Do any tech prep ahead of time!
If you want some additional advice on interview preparation — be it in-person, on the phone, or over Skype — talk to the experts at APN Consulting. They are one of the leading IT staffing companies in the Metropolitan New York area, with the recruiters on hand able to help you and your career!