Use information you know about the company or industry within your questions to show your knowledge base and seriousness.
For example, to make No. 7 more relevant: “As an accountant at a medium-sized local firm, your busiest season probably revolve around your clients’ fiscal-year ends, which can vary. What would you say would be the most demanding times of the year for your firm’s accountants?”
9. Is this field growing enough so that there's room for someone like me?
10. Are too many or too few people entering this profession?
11. What developments on the horizon could affect future opportunities?
12. This industry has changed dramatically in the past five years. What have you seen from inside your company? Where do you think the changes will happen in the next five years?
13. How frequently do layoffs occur? How does it affect employees' morale?
14. Why do people leave this field or company?
15. Who are the most important people in the industry today?
16. Which companies have the best track record for promoting women and minorities?
17. Are there opportunities for self-employment in your field? Where?
An example of how to make No. 11 more relevant: “I’ve noticed that the state and federal governments have devoted a great deal of funding to the biotech industry in Western New York. What effects have you, as a salesperson for Life Technologies, seen from this extra funding, and how do you anticipate the industry and your company expanding due to this revenue?”
18. What would be a reasonable salary range to expect if I entered this field? What is the long-term potential?
19. What is the advancement potential in the field? What is a typical path?
20. How did you get your job?
21. If you could start all over again, would you change your career path in any way? Why?
22. How long does it take for managers to rise to the top?
23. What is the background of most senior-level executives?
An example of how to make No. 19 more relevant: “From the alumni database, I see you graduated from the MBA program just four years ago and are already a vice president at the bank. That’s impressive. Please share with me the typical path from entry level to VP in the banking environment, and what people can do to move fast within that process.”
24. What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in this field?
25. What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?
26. How do most people enter this profession?
27. Which of my skills are strong compared to other job hunters in this field?
28. What do you think of the experience I've had so far? For what types of positions would it qualify me?
29. Can you recommend any courses I should take before proceeding further with my job search?
30. What companies or industries do you think I should target?
An example of how to make No. 25 more relevant: “I read through some of the job descriptions on the HR section of your website in preparation for our meeting today. Most jobs I’d be interested in listed communication, teamwork and decision-making skills as necessities. Can you tell me how those skills are used in this profession? Also, what other skills do managers look for that are not written in the typical job descriptions?”
31. Do you think my objective is clearly stated, realistic and achievable?
32. Considering my background, how well do you think I would fit in this company and/or profession?
33. How does your company compare with others we've discussed?
34. Would the work involve any lifestyle changes, such as frequent travel or late-night business entertaining?
35. Considering all the people you've met in your field, what personal attributes are essential for success?
36. Taking into account my skills, education and experience, what other career paths would you suggest I explore before making a final decision?
An internship-focused alternative to No. 36 might be: “Thinking about the most successful interns you have had, what was it about their character, work ethic, abilities and performance that made them exemplary?”
37. Where can I write to get up-to-date information on salaries, employers and industry issues?
38. What professional journals and organizations should I be aware of?
39. Is there anything else you think I need to know?
40. Who else would you recommend I speak with? When I call, may I use your name?
Remember to express your appreciation and to follow up with a thank you letter or email. If you are referred to another professional for assistance, make sure you let the original contact know the result of your outreach to that new referral.
Standing out in the job search process begins with a powerful resume and ends with an exceptional phone interview. During a phone interview, you should remember to stay positive and listen to understand. Your job is to provide answers that are simple enough for quick conversation but detailed enough to convey your interest and qualifications.
Although interviewers ask a variety of questions, it is important to focus on the most common ones before your next phone interview. Most phone interview questions aim to learn more about you and use your responses to determine if you’re a good fit for the role.
Here are a few starter tips to ace your next phone interview:
Getting ready for a phone interview means preparing your responses to the questions below and communicating succinctly. We have included sample answers for each question, but encourage you to tailor each response to your background.
1: ‘Tell Me About Yourself.’
You need to be able to quickly communicate who you are and what personality traits and personal attributes make you the best person for the job. What makes you different from the other interviewees?
Remember to share a quick 30-second response that includes:
Example Response: “I’ve worked in sales for over 10 years. I thrive in challenging situations and fast-paced environments, and I have doubled the size of our sales team in the past 3 years in my current position.”
In a LinkedIn Learning course, career advisor Brie Reynolds says, “By framing your answers in terms of a situation you were in, the action you took, and the result you got, you'll give employers a deeper understanding about what you actually do when you're working.”
Reynolds goes on to explain the approach, which is intended to give you an advantage over other candidates. “You're giving the employer extra details and visuals that they'd otherwise miss if you gave a standard answer. And those details will definitely make you stand out from other candidates and put you in the best position to land the job.”
2: ‘Walk Me Through Your Resume.’
Your interviewer wants to know your career progression. Walk through each position and your career progression and ensure that information listed is accurate and succinct. Stick to a few key points per job role and include any information related to large projects or initiatives you piloted.
Example Response: “My most recent role was at Techfusion Corporation where I spent the last 10 years in the sales department. I started as a sales representative and in my third year, I transitioned into a managerial role. I now lead a team of 20 salespeople and oversee the service of about 100 accounts.”
3: ‘How Did You Hear About This Role?’
A great way to answer this question is by mentioning who you know at the company. If you don’t have direct connections, tell the hiring manager whether you sought this role via the company’s website or found it on a job board.
Example Response: I saw a listing posted after using the LinkedIn search bar with the search phrase “Engineering Jobs” and the location “Los Angeles, CA.”
4: ‘Why Do You Want To Work For This Company?’
Why do you want to work for this company as compared to others in the same industry? What products do you use from the company? Answering this question takes research and knowledge about the company, and what drew you to them in the first place.
Example Response: “I love the mission of the organization and the type of clients that you serve. I spent five of the last 10 years at a nonprofit serving similar clients in the tech space. I believe my skills and established relationships in the industry could be a benefit for the organization moving forward.”
5: ‘Why Do You Want This Job?’
Share why you want this role. Your interview should be filled with a deep understanding of the organization and the targeted role. Why do your personality and experience match the description and needs of the organization itself? Now is the time to show your passion for the position and how you can contribute to the company.
Example Response: “I am passionate about bringing education to the masses. I believe that the mission of your organization, to provide open access learning to students in third-world countries, is a noble one and fits well with my values.”
6: ‘What Skills Can You Bring to the Company?’
Successfully answering this question requires highlighting skills listed in the job description, plus providing examples of your hard and soft skills. Try not to get too in-depth with this question. Choose skills that are in demand and relevant to the position.
Example Response: “I’m very skilled in C++ and Java programming. I love to multi-task and don’t mind juggling the creation of many JavaScript programs at once. I also am developing my own platform for hosting websites, which I hope to integrate into a larger software program.”
7: ‘What Are Your Greatest Strengths?’
Prepare a nontraditional answer for this classic question. Why are you ready to handle the tough obstacles of this role? Do you excel under pressure? Are you able to multitask and lead others during a crisis? Are you a deep thinker who notices complex patterns or ways of accomplishing a task with less effort and resources? Try to share quantifiable information.
Example Response: “I’m an extremely hard worker and can deliver on promises while handling multiple priorities. In past positions, I routinely handled 20 client accounts while keeping up with day-to-day responsibilities of bringing in revenue.”
8: ‘What Do You Consider to be Your Weaknesses?’
This question may produce some level of worry or anxiety. Your interviewer wants to see you recognize areas needing growth and positively frame them. Be sure to discuss your weaknesses and how you plan to address or compensate for them with a related strength.
Example Response: “I sometimes come across harshly with my feedback, but I am working on constructively sharing feedback and highlighting positives along with the areas that need improvement.”
9: ‘Tell Me About a Time You Overcame a Challenge at Work.’
This is a behavioral or situational question. Use the STAR interview method to help you pick the best situation to explain, the task or challenge you needed to overcome, and what the results were that you and your team noticed afterward.
The STAR method stands for:
Choose an event in one of your jobs where you encountered a major obstacle. Quantify or describe how you overcome this obstacle in terms that your interviewer can understand. Keep the response to this question under two minutes.
Example Response: “While working as a regional sales team manager, I was tasked with finding appropriate tools to streamline the sales process. After leading an impromptu brainstorming session, we found three tools to test out. After selecting one, we saw an increase of 16% in closed deals.”
10: ‘Share an Example of When You Demonstrated Leadership Abilities.’
Leadership requires the ability to inspire and motivate others to reach a common goal. You need to articulate and discuss how you lead and whether you can do so in your target role. Interviewers usually hire interviewees who are go-getters and show some form of self-motivation and leadership skills.
Example Response: “I mentored the newer sales leads when they were hired to help them get up-to-speed and share valuable information I had learned over the years. This helped them adapt to the company and grow in their positions.”
There are a few useful tips that can move you ahead of the competition during your next phone interview. Firstly, you should be prepared with well-versed responses to the questions. You should also have knowledge of the company and its values.
Tejal Wagadia, a LinkedIn Top Voice: Job Search & Careers, recounts how her interview preparation led to great results: “Years ago when I went to interview at a company, I did all the research I could on the organization and casually mentioned how they were a different company in the 90s. See, most people didn't know this tidbit and that impressed the interviewer.”
Prepare by:
Secondly, you should double check the time of any invitations that a recruiter or hiring manager sends and ensure that it is correctly listed on your calendar. You should confirm the time, time zone, and your contact number in an email.
Lastly, remember to stay professional during a phone interview. This means you should:
Top Takeaways
How should you prepare for a phone interview?
(Reporting by NPD, Editing by Timothy Mably)