Use Visuals and Cheat Sheets for Phone Interviews

A phone interview is an intimidating prospect for many job seekers; without in-person interaction, you must rely on the strength of your voice to communicate. The lack of visual contact also offers the opportunity to use visual aids and cheat sheets to help you get through the interview smoothly.

For job seekers who struggle with finding the best examples and anecdotes to illustrate their abilities during in-person interviews, a phone interview is a blessing in disguise. Because the people on the other end cannot see you, you are free to treat the call as an "open book" interview. Instead of frantically reviewing your notes before the interview, you can keep them right in front of you the whole time for easy reference. A few handy pre-made sheets can help you answer questions easily and effortlessly.

Resume

During a phone interview, your resume should be close at hand. Chances are, your interviewers are doing the same. They may even ask questions that refer directly to the resume. By keeping it on the work space, you can refer to it quickly. Also consider making a list of the key points in your work history to help you remember to emphasize them during the interview.

Answers to Common Questions

Many interviewers ask open-ended questions, like, "How would you be an asset to our organization?" or "Can you describe a situation where you used crisis management skills?" Before a phone interview, look through lists of common interview questions for your field and write down the answers. Although you cannot possibly anticipate every question, this step helps you organize your thoughts and answer more smoothly.

Anecdotes

Stories are powerful things, and a great anecdote can help you stand out in an interviewer's mind. Consider the things in your past work experience that make you an excellent candidate and find a success story to illustrate each one. If you want to highlight sales expertise, for example, you might explain how you transformed the sales process at your last company and increased profits by 50 percent. Write each story down, including transitions; doing so will help you avoid irritating fillers like "um" and "hmm." Read the anecdotes out loud to ensure that they flow naturally.

Company Research

Many job seekers find it difficult to demonstrate their knowledge of a company without sounding stilted; this is where cheat sheets come in. Create a list of the most important findings from your pre-interview company research and turn them into talking points. If you know that the company is launching a new product, you might say, "When I worked at Company X, I managed the marketing for Product Y, which is similar to your company's upcoming Product Z." These small statements make it easier to connect your experience to the company's needs during a phone interview.

With targeted, organized materials, you can feel more prepared during a phone interview. The extra boost of confidence from visual aids helps you speak more naturally and allows your personality to shine through.

(Photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)