The popularity of phone and Zoom interviews has increased dramatically in recent years.
Phone interviews offer several advantages, including decreasing the resources required for hiring and reducing the time required for the entire interview process.
As a result, they have become the preferred first-round selection process for employers.
What is a Pre-Screening Interview?
Employers often conduct 2-3 rounds of interviews as part of their job application process, and the first round is usually a screening process.
The purpose of a pre-screening interview is to filter out unwanted or ineligible candidates, thereby saving time and labor when selecting the most suitable candidate.
In this article, we will offer tips for preparing for your upcoming phone interview. We also list the 10 most common questions asked during a phone screening interview and provide tips on answering these questions effectively.
Pre-Screening Phone Interview
6 Tips and 10 Common Questions to Expect
Preparing for a Phone Screening Interview
Here are some tips to help you prepare:
Tip #1: Prepare in Advance
Take the time to research the company before your phone interview. Review the company’s website, understand their products/services, and learn about their past and achievements, stakeholders, and clients. This will help you to present yourself as a well-informed candidate.
Tip #2: Keep Your Resume Available
Ensure that your resume is readily available and in clear view before your phone interview. Additionally, ensure that there are no voice disturbances around you during the call.
Tip #3: Keep Your Voice Clear
In a phone interview, the only form of communication you have is your voice. Ensure that your voice is clear, conversational, and not confusing. Keep your answers short, precise, and to the point.
Tip #4: Do Not Smoke or Chew
Avoid smoking or chewing gum while speaking over the phone during your interview. Such noise could put off the interviewer, leading to them ending the call prematurely.
Tip #5: Relax – Do Not Panic
It’s natural to be nervous during your first interview but try to remain calm. Interviewers look for composed and mature candidates, not stressed-out individuals. Take a deep breath and answer questions with ease.
Tip #6: Maintain Tonality
Maintain the tonality of your voice during the interview. Avoid answering questions in a monotone voice but ensure that you don’t overdo it and come across as overly enthusiastic.
10 Frequently Asked Phone Screening Questions and Answers
Here are some examples of pre-screening questions in a phone interview.
Though, pre-screening process can include questions about diverse topics but the ones most likely to be asked are:
- Resume Review and Questions – the interviewer will ask questions to verify certain points and information written in your resume therefore learn/review your resume beforehand.
- Qualifications review – The interviewer might ask you questions related to your educational qualifications and will want you to review certain gained skills that are important for the job in question.
- Tell us about your professional experience – You should talk about your profile in a succinct yet informative manner. Ideally, 10-15 sec is enough to answer.
- Why are you interested in this position? Be specific about why this particular job and company appeal to you. Focus on how your skills and experience align with the job requirements and how you can contribute to the company’s goals.
- What do you know about the job and our company? The interviewer would want to know if you researched well before and know everything about the job requirements and the company.
The interviewer may ask a simple question about what you know about the company. Do proper research beforehand to avoid any nervousness or fumbling that may make you appear unprepared. - What makes you qualified for this job? List out the points that will project you to be a perfect fit in the organization.
- Why did you leave your previous job? When answering this question, it is important to be truthful, precise, and avoid blaming ex-colleagues or bosses as it may create a negative impression of your professionalism.
- What is your current position in the company? You should give a general idea about their profile and work experience in the company you are currently working in without going into specifics.
- Availability to join the company: Be ready to answer the question about the date when you can join the company. While you do not need to give the exact time and date, you should provide them with a basic time frame to show you are sure about your decision to quit from your company.
- What are your salary expectations? Do some research beforehand to determine the average salary range for the position you’re applying for. Be honest and realistic, but also be prepared to negotiate.