5 Tips for Nailing a Phone Screen

5 Tips for Nailing a Phone Screen5 Tips for Nailing a Phone ScreenIm a millennial, and I hate talking on the phone. In other news, the sky is blue. Its notlage that Im afraid of talking on the phone- I do it. I just dont like it. And I dont like it because I find theres a disconnect. In an email, youve got pretty much all the time in the world to get your point across, use the right words, and strike the right tone. And in person, you can read a persons expressions and body language to get a sense of how the conversation is going, which is ideal in an interview scenario. A phone call has none of that- both you and your conversation partner are just disembodied voices.The phone screen or phone interview is often the first hurdle that you need to clear in getting a job but, because you cant really see how a person is responding to your conversation, it adds another layer of removal from the situation and thus another level of anxiety. Here, Ill get into some ways you can set yourself u p for success during a phone screen.1.HousekeepingNo, dont clean your house. (Although, in a Skype interview, youll probably want to do that- or at least the space directly behind you.) I just mean make koranvers you take care of all the nuts and bolts. Find a quiet space to take the call (i.e., kick your roommates or your kids out of the room), charge your phone, and make sure youve taken it off Do Not Disturb mode from the movies last night. I know this sounds like really simple advice that no one could possibly need reminding of- but have you ever forgotten to pack your deodorant for vacation? Exactly. So just double check- nothing could be more embarrassing than your phone going dead right as youre saying that your personal motto is Be prepared.2.Dont Chew Gum. Do Take Names.Listen up, hiring manager Im here to kick butt, take names, and chew bubblegum. And Im all out of bubblegum.Im sorry, I had to fit that in here somewhere. For real, though- you better be all out of bubblegum during a phone (or any) interview. No gum, no food, and ideally no drinks, but I wont make a hard-and-fast rule about it. The person youre talking to can absolutely hear you masticating on the other end of the line, regardless of how sneaky you think youre being.And, to fully justify my reference, be sure to get the name and contact info of your interviewer. One, it makes it that much easier to follow up after the interview. And two, when you go in for an in-person interview, itll be nice to have that persons name at your disposal rather than waiting anxiously for them to reintroduce themselves.3.Use a Crib SheetIts not cheating, its using your resources. This is one instance in which a phone screen is actually awesome- you can take as many notes as you want beforehand and, as long as youre not rustling pages, you can reference them all you like. I do this constantly- I jot down the companys important clients and business partners, the names of people in my potential department, an d a little blurb about me for the dreaded Tell me about yourself question. For one, writing it all down makes me feel more prepared beforehand. But it also makes for easy referencing if my mind goes totally leer in the interview. Just make sure that if you do write out answers to questions, youre not just reading off your notes. Think of them like index cards for a speech Theyre there to remind you of your main points, but you shouldnt be entirely dependent on them.4.Be Comfortable- Even If Comfortable Is a Little WeirdIts probably for the best that I dont make too many phone calls- Id wear a meandering path in the floor of my apartment. Its not even an anxiety thing, exactly. I just wander. If youre a phone pacer, thats fine- pace Use wild hand gestures Do what you gotta do to burn off nerves. I know its a little nerve-racking not being able to see your interviewers face, but they also cant see you- take advantage of that.That said, dont get too comfortable. Even though your interv iewer cant see you, you should definitely get up, get dressed in something semi-professional, do your hair, and all that before taking the call. Itll help you get into the mindset of making an impression.5.Take NotesPencils ready, yall. Remember what I was saying about taking down your interviewers contact info? You should also be writing down the main points of what they say. As the first step in the interviewing process, phone screens are often quite informative- this is your chance to get a good feel for the company, for the qualities needed in the position, for the personality of at least this potential member of your team, things like that. This is important info, and while you shouldnt be hyper-focused on writing everything down, make sure you jot down the fruchtwein important points. Itll help you when you go in for the in-person interview- youll be able to demonstrate that you were listening, and youll know the notes to hit on the second round.