How to Conduct a Job Interview by Phone

Keep the job candidate's resume in front of you and ask about each job listed

Phone interviews are useful when considering candidates from broad geographical areas, or for screening candidates to be interviewed by someone higher in the company. While phone interviews share much in common with face-to-face interviews, they also present different challenges -- no body language -- and certain advantages -- they are easier to terminate when things aren't going well.

Instructions

1. Set aside a block of time when you, and the job candidate, won't be interrupted. You can do this by emailing the candidate with some dates and times and having her agree to one. It is, of course, the interviewee's responsibility to make sure she isn't interrupted, but it is unfair to expect someone to sit through an interview with no prior notice.

2. Review the job candidate's resume before calling, as you would prior to any interview, and keep it with you for reference. Circle or make notations by any areas you would like the candidate to explain -- like gaps in employment -- or expand upon.

3. Develop a list of pertinent questions and keep it in front of you. This will keep the interview moving smoothly. Arrange your questions so that you start with anything that would immediately eliminate the candidate. For example, if her resume lists broad experience in the field in which you are hiring, but you need something specific, ask about that early on. If the candidate isn't right for the job, you can save both her and yourself time by cutting the interview short.

4. Greet the candidate when she answers the phone by saying "Hello this is [your name] from [your company's name]. How are you?" Cordial greetings help the candidate adjust faster. Consider this moment the ice-breaker. Start with a little small talk to put the candidate at ease.

5. Go through the candidate's resume with her, starting with her most recent work. Rather than restating dates of employment listed, ask for them again. Eric Herrenkohl, writing on Monster, notes that employment dates are often fudged in an attempt to cover gaps.

6. Follow your list of prepared questions, if the answers to the resume questions make it worthwhile to continue. Check off questions when you feel you've received a satisfactory answer and keep notes. Ask for explanations or have the candidate repeat her answer if it wasn't clear.

7. Ask the candidate if she has any questions or anything she would like to add at the end of the interview. The questions a candidate asks can be very telling. If she asks basic questions she could have learned from your website, she obviously didn't prepare. If she asks more about vacation and sick time than about the job, that will tell you something. Insightful questions imply experience and understanding of the job.

8. End the interview when you feel it is appropriate by thanking the candidate for her time and explaining, if possible, when you will be making your decision. Don't let the interview run on after you and the candidate have covered all the necessary information.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you are not interrupted. Putting a phone interview on hold is much more awkward than stepping out of your office for a few minutes in a face-to-face interview.

• Keep it professional. A phone interview should be no more casual than an interview you would conduct at your workplace.

• Don't be afraid to go off-topic if there are areas the candidate can expand on, but don't let the candidate control the interview.

• Herrenkohl suggests developing a profile of your "A-list" candidate before conducting the interview. This can save you time in weeding out candidates without all the necessary qualifications.

• Make sure that you know the telephone recording laws in your state before recording the interview and always ask the person's permission.

References

• Monster: Recruiting and Hiring Advice
• Saginaw Valley State University.edu: Conducting Effective Phone Interviews