Phone Interview Tips

Telecommuting Phone Interviews Tips: Presenting Professionalism over the Phone

Part 1

Most telecommuting interviews are done over the phone instead of face to face like onsite jobs. Even though the employers do their interviews over the phone, that doesn’t mean they can’t tell how professional you are. They can’t see you, but you can bet they will still be checking for your level of professionalism.

One thing they will be checking closely is the sound of your voice. There are ways that your voice can be more harmful than good when it comes to trying to land a telecommuting position through an interview. Here are some ways you can still give off professionalism through the sound of your voice.

Smile! - Try to smile as much as possible during your phone interview. This will help you relax a little and keep you from stammering through your answers too much.

Speak at a normal phone voice- Try not to speak too loudly to your interviewer, unless they ask you to speak up. Sometimes how you hear yourself speak and how others hear you on the other end of a phone can be different, so a normal voice level should keep you from sounding too loud on their end. Loud voices are sometimes equated with anger, which is the last thing you want to happen during your interview.

Don’t eat anything or Chew Gum- Eating or chewing makes you hard to understand. Plus it’s just plain rude. Employers will need to be able to hear what you have to say. If they can’t understand you then you will probably not be getting the job from them.

Avoid Rehearsed answers- While it’s a good idea to prepare some answers before an interview; it would be a bad idea if you stated those answers word for word to the employer. It won’t sound natural to them and they may question your honesty.

Don’t try to show off- One way to turn an interviewer off is by using big words during your interview when you don’t normally use those kinds of words. Most employers can see right through these people. Your honesty may well be questioned if they feel you’re trying to impress them with a bunch of big words.

It’s pretty well known that the competition for telecommuting jobs is huge. The best way to land these jobs is to stand out from all the others who are applying for the same position. Taking a conscious effort to sound professional over the phone will give you the edge you’re looking for.

Next Step: Phone Interviews Part 2

Telecommuting Resources