Job Interview: Phone (Page 1 of 3)	
Job Interview: Phone	
Employers use job inteerviews by phone to screen 
(evaluate and select) job seekers. Phone job interviews 
offer benefits for employers: 1) Save time because 
phone interviews are shorter than in-person interviews. 
2) Easier because questions asked to every job seeker 
are the same.  3) Reduce number of job seekers that are 
invited to the in-person interview.  4) Help employer 
decide if the job seeker is a "fit" for the job opening.  
For job seeker, the goals of the phone job interview 
are:  1) Build rapport (positive relationship) with the 
interviewer; and 2) Pass the phone interview test and 
receive invitation to the in-person interview.  Some 	
employers schedule a time to call the job seeker.  Other employers ask a job seeker to call at a certain time 
to test if the job seeker can follow directions.  Job seekers who do not
 prepare may fail the phone interview.  
And, some employers hire job seekers during the phone job interview without an in-person interview.  
Before the Phone Interview:  Plan & Prepare
• 	Research the company to understand its history, products, and 
advertising to customers (or called guests or clients).	
• 	Warm up your voice by practice talking in a professional voice, 
and practice smiling.  A smile can be heard over the telephone.  	
• 	Place your resume near the phone to remind you of your skills, 
work history dates, job titles, job duties, and former supervisors’ 
names.  Keep papers spread out and orderly.  The employer does 
not want to hear the shuffling of papers.	
• 	Turn off all phone distractions such as call waiting and ping notices.	
• 	Have a pen, paper, and your personal calendar nearby so you can take notes and schedule a
 future      
in-person interview if asked to do so.	
• 	Close the door to the room and make sure there are no distractions.  Turn off any music and TV.          
No pets, friends, parents, or kids in the room with you during the phone interview.	
• 	Dress as if you are at an in-person interview to help your language and paralanguage transfer through 
the phone as professional.  	Paralanguage is defined as how words are delivered to another	 —   	
speaking tempo or speed, rhythm, voice pitch, voice quality, and voice volume.  	
During the Phone Interview:  Alert & Positive
• 	Keep a glass of water (no ice) nearby in case your throat becomes dry.  Sit up straight in a hard chair.  
You may stand to add more strength and alertness to your voice.  Do not chew gum, eat, or smoke. 	
• 	Listen to the interviewer’s questions.  Do not interrupt the interviewer.  Speak clearly, slowly, and      
directly into the phone.  Use correct words and complete sentences.  Your voice is "what you show" to 
the employer so sound interested in the job and confident (I want this job and can do this job).

Permission to use allowed with usworkworld.com subscription.	Job Interview: Phone (Page 2 of 3)	
1. Define "screen."
2. a) List 4 benefits of phone interviews for 
 employers.  b) List 2 goals of phone interviews 	
for job seekers.  c) Define "rapport."	
3. Why may some employers ask a job seeker to 	
call at a certain time?	
4. What may happen to job seekers who do not 	
prepare for the phone interview?	
5. 	Before phone interview: 	 a) How do you warm 	
up your voice?  b) Can a smile be heard over 
the phone?   c) Why do you need your resume 
nearby?  d) What does the employer not want to 
hear?  e) What do you turn off?  f) Why should 
you have a pen and paper nearby?  	
 g) Why should you have your personal calendar 	
nearby?    h) How do you prepare the room?  	
 i) How should you dress?  j) Why?  k) Define 
 "paralanguage."  l) What 5 things does 
 paralanguage include?
QUICK CHECK:
• 	Use the interviewer’s name.  Speak of your skills, education, and activities that qualify you for the job.  	
• 	Do not use the sounds: ah, hum, a hum, oh, and like.  Do not use "yes" or "no" answers only — without 
adding some comment about your skills, strengths, volunteer positions, or work history .  	
• 	At the end of the phone interview, ask the interviewer when you will be notified about the next step of 
the application process.  If the interviewer asks you to call the company in one week, ask for and write 
down the contact person and the phone number.  Do not forget to call on that date.	
After the Phone Interview:  Think & Thank
• 	Write down what you did correct.  Write down what needs improvement.  Write down things you can 
do to improve your next phone job interview. 	
• 	Within two days, send a thank you note to the interviewer.  Use a small,           
folding card that simply says "Thank You" on the outside and is blank on 
the inside.  Neatly handwrite a short message on the inside to say "thank 
you" and to remind the interviewer of your qualifications: 	"Thank you 	
for the interview for the sales associate job.  I am interested in working 
for the Fashion Bug.  I believe that my sales skills and work experience
 
qualifies me to be an outstanding sales team member for the Fashion Bug.             
Sincerely, Janet Jones	
• 	Or, send an email thank you to the interviewer.  See sample on next page.	
• 	Do not send a "thank you" text message to the employer.  Text messages 
are too informal for the work world — text messages are used with friends.	
6. 	During phone interview:	  a) Why do you keep 	
water nearby?  b) How should you sit?  	
 c) Describe how you speak.  d) What is your 	
voice to the employer?  e) What 2 things should 
you sound?  f) Of what 3 things should you 
speak?  g)  What do you add after "yes" or 
"no"?  h) What should you ask at the end of 
interview?	
7. 	After phone interview: 	 a) List 3 things to 	
write down.  b) What should you do within 2 
days?  c) Describe the card to use. 	
8. a) If you were an employer, would you be 
 impressed by a job seeker who sent a thank you 	
card or email after a phone interview?  b) Give 
a reason for your answer.	
9. Pretend that you, as job seeker, just completed 	
a phone interview with Mr. Lopez of the Home 
Store for a sales associate job.  Write down 
what you would say to Mr. Lopez inside your 
thank you card to thank him for the interview.

Permission to use allowed with usworkworld.com subscription.
SAMPLE #1 —  THANK YOU EMAIL
To - SSmith@FashionBug.com
Subject:  Janet Jones . Thank you for the interview
Dear Ms. Jones:
Thank you for the interview for the sales associate job.  I am interested in working for the Fashion Bug.  I 
believe that my sales skills and work experience qualifies me to be an outstanding sales team member for 
the Fashion Bug.             
Sincerely, 
Janet Jones
SAMPLE #2 — THANK YOU EMAIL
To - RLopez@TheHomeStore.com
Subject:  Jason Smith . Thank you for the interview 
Dear Mr. Lopez:
Thank you for the interview for the customer service job.  I am interested in the opportunity to work for the 
Home Store.  I believe that my job training certificate and work experience qualify me to be an outstanding 
Home Store team member.  
Sincerely, 
Jason Smith	
Job Interview: Phone (Page 3 of 3)