Working World

Receiving a call back from a potential employer after sending out your resume is exciting. Already there is something about your skills and experience that sets you apart from other candidates, and now it's time to verbally introduce your talents, interests and personality. Here are five phone interview best practices that will help you make a great connection with your interviewer to get you closer to hearing those magical words: "When is a good time for you to come in for an interview?"

1. Right Time, Right Environment

A calm, quiet environment is best when speaking with a potential employer. Unfortunately, not every callback is timed exactly when you would like it to be, especially if you are working at another job when the call comes in. If possible, try to schedule your phone interview for a time when you will be away from your desk, such as during a lunch break. If possible, find a quiet meeting room to duck into when a call comes in to minimize disturbances and prevent coworkers from overhearing your conversation.

If a call comes in unexpectedly and it is not the right time or environment for you to conduct the interview, don't panic. Most callbacks begin with the interviewer asking if it is a good time to talk for you. Instead of rushing through the interview under stress or trying to keep your voice or the noise around you down, inform the caller that you're in the middle of something and ask if there is another convenient time when you could call back.

Also, no matter whether you are at your work desk or at home, if you're in front of the computer, step away from the Internet to devote your full attention to the conversation. There's nothing worse than a potential employer hearing barely audible mouse clicks and realizing that you're clicking and surfing on the other end of the line while you're talking with them.

2. Mind Your Vocal Tones and Cues

One disadvantage of a phone interview as opposed to an in-person interview is that there is an absence of body language that normally conveys a lot of information. While this may help those who suffer with interview jitters, this lack of physical communication puts your voice at the forefront to impart the right kind of interest and emotion. More than ever, during a phone interview it isn't only what you say that is important but also how you say it. Even if you're at home in your pajamas first thing in the morning while fielding your callback, be sure to sound awake and as friendly, personable and professional as you would be if you were interviewing face to face. Mind your speed, speak slowly enough to be understood and clearly articulate your words and thoughts. If it helps to establish a professional interview tone, close your eyes and imagine that you are sitting across from the interviewer face to face when speaking.

Also, keep in mind that a phone interview is a conversation like any other, so it's important to be mindful of conversational cues. Be a good listener and wait for your turn to speak. There will be ample time for you to make your case about how well-suited you are for the position. When the interviewer stops talking, that is your cue to keep up your end of the conversation. Be ready with something to say that is suitable to the conversation.

3. Keep a Cheat Sheet in Hand: Your Resume

The first few minutes of any phone interview will begin with a quick overview of the position available before transitioning to a review of your work history. Your interviewer will be interested in the skills you developed while working for the companies that are listed on your resume. More often than not, an interviewer has a copy of your resume and will make notes on it as you speak, so it helps for you to have a copy to refer to so you can follow along.

You'll begin with speaking about what you are doing currently, or the details of the position you held during your most recent work experience, then you'll work back chronologically through each of the positions you've held. If this seems difficult for you, you may find it easiest to phrase your descriptions like this: "At [company name] I worked as a [position], and in this role, I was responsible for [describe your primary duties]. From there the interviewer will ask you more detailed questions about your specific skill sets and experience and will guide you through the rest of the interview process.

4. Do Your Homework

Consider doing a little background research on the company before your call. Not only will it give you a greater feel for the company, but being able to clearly communicate your understanding of the company and its interests to your interviewer offers a great advantage over other candidates. Visit the company's website and click around as if you were a customer, absorbing some of the details of the company's products and services. Many companies also have an "About" page that will tell you how the company views itself and what its founding principles are. This information will give you a good idea of a company's culture or environment.

One of the best indications of interest a potential employer can hear from a qualified candidate is that there are certain aspects about the company and position that are personally appealing to you. As the interviewer discusses the specifics of the position and company, feel free to bring up any aspects that impress you about the company or the job's responsibilities. For instance, if you are applying for a design position, mention one or two details about the company's current site design that you really like. Or if environment is most important to you and you liked the company's description of what it is like to work there, make it a point to note that it seems like a really great place to work in terms of teamwork, opportunity and community.

5. Be Ready to Ask Questions

No matter how complete an interviewer's description may have been about a position available, always ask at least one question when prompted. Potential employers look for proactive, interested candidates.

Shy away from questions about vacation days offered or health benefits included (save those for when you are offered the job and may be in a position to bargain with those compensation issues). Instead, ask more in-depth, introspective questions that recap what the interviewer told you earlier in the conversation, such as, "So you mentioned that you are looking for someone who can multi-task — which is great, because I multitask very well. How many projects would say are handled on a given day?" "How" questions as a rule are good choices to elicit a positive response from your interviewer — think along the lines of "how many?", "how much?" and "how often?".

A great way to wrap up questions to your interviewer is to ask a personal opinion question, such as "What would you say is the most enjoyable thing about working for your company?" or "How long have you been with the company? What is the best thing you like about it?" Not only will these types of questions come across as personable, but you will also get an honest answer about some of the best things the company has to offer — and often that's better information about a position's perks than what is found in the original job description.

Chrissy Coleman is a freelance journalist and copywriter covering dating, relationship, family and work issues. She holds a degree in journalism and lives in Los Angeles.