How to Conduct a Job Interview Phone Screening

When interviewing a large number of candidates for a job opening, it can be overwhelming to bring them all in for face-to-face interviews. A quick interview over the phone can help reduce that burden on the interviewers. The face-to-face interview is a time consuming process that should be reserved for only the most qualified candidates likely to be right for the job. Conducting a quick phone screen can help narrow down the list of job applicants to a manageable number that move on to the next step of an in-person interview.

Use the following steps as a guide for how to conduct the phone screening interview.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Arrange a time
   
   Prior to the phone screening interview, arrange a set time for you and the candidate to talk. Do not just call out of the blue; give yourself and the candidate time to prepare. Keep it short, 15-30 minutes at the most, and conduct during business hours if possible.

2. 
    

   Be prepared before making the call
   
   Review the job description. Highlight the requirements or preferred qualifications so that you can focus on these in the phone interview.
   
   Review the candidate’s resume. Make sure they meet the job requirements. Look for items that need explanation or elaboration. Make a list of questions that you want to ask them.
   
   Have a standardized process for all candidates ready. You want to have the same opening, general questions and closing for everyone. This makes comparing candidates against each other easier. Having a written script of what you will be saying can help.

3. Introduction
   
   After you and the candidate introduce yourselves, briefly describe the phone screen process so that the candidate knows what to expect and you can keep on track. Mention that you only expect the phone interview to last 15-30 minutes. Then briefly go over the job description and let them know that you will be asking some basic questions about their resume.

4. 
    

   Confirm
   
   Before you get into the more descriptive questions, it is a good idea to confirm some details. First you want to clarify that the candidate is still interested in the position just in case their circumstances have changed since they sent their resume. You also want to confirm the basic details of their resume such as location, education and that they possess all of the job requirements. Finally you may want to confirm the salary requirements or what the position is offering, depending on what is appropriate for the type of job it is.

5. Descriptive questions
   
   The next step is to ask questions for the candidate to elaborate on areas of their resume such as objective, skills or previous employment history. Ask why they are interested in the position and see if it aligns with their stated objective or what the job is offering. Ask if there are any updates regarding their current job responsibilities, situation or skill set. Ask about gaps in employment or reasons for frequent job moves (if applicable). Ask for explanations of anything unclear on the resume or areas you feel need more detailed description.
   
   You don’t need to go into great depth with the questions because this is just a screening tool to find the most qualified candidates for an in-person interview, but you do want to make sure that you know the whole story behind a person’s resume before bringing them in for more job oriented and behavioral questions.

6. 
    

   Conclude
   
   The conclusion of the phone screening interview should be consistently delivered for all potential applicants. It should contain the same information presented in the same manner; this is where a script comes in handy. To conclude the phone interview, thank the candidate for their time and interest and give a time frame for when they will be contacted regarding their application status. Something to the effect of, “you can expect to hear from us within two weeks regarding your status”.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a script for consistency and your own ease
• Prepare by reviewing their resume and have specific questions for elaboration or explanation ready
• Take notes!
• Don’t ask for too much information or take too long, this is just a screening tool for the more in-depth interview
• Make sure to give a time frame of when they will be contacted next

Resources

• The Art of Phone Interviewing
• The Interviewer's Handbook
• Hiring the Best: Manager's Guide to Effective Interviewing and Recruiting