It's time to get on the phone with a recruiter. Are you ready?

Picture this: You're making a sandwich, thinking about all the jobs you've applied to recently, and the phone rings. It's a recruiter from one of the companies you sent your resume to, and now you have butterflies in your stomach that aren't brought on because of hunger caused by skipping lunch. 

How do you get through this phone call successfully? Welcome to mastering your phone screening interview, where you'll find insider tips from interview experts. 

What is a phone screening interview?

These initial phone screening interviews are used by employers to assess potential candidates' potential viability for a role and narrow down the pool of applicants before conducting in-person interviews. Basically, it's a step that companies have added to cut down expenses associated with interviewing people in person. 

One thing to note is that these phone interviews are usually conducted by recruiters or HR people rather than a hiring manager. Therefore, you have to speak in a way that will allow someone outside the position you want to understand your qualifications. 

Here are a few tips you can use to make sure the recruiter passes your application to the hiring manager.

1. Cover the basics

The person you speak with will have the job description in front of them, so you have to be prepared to hit some of those keywords. They have to know that you can handle the basics of the job before they pass you on to the interviewer. 

Be sure to demonstrate to the recruiter that you fit the basic requirements for the position advertised by carefully studying the job description provided and listing down the critical deliverables for the role. During the phone interview with a recruiter, highlight your strengths in these specific areas to demonstrate your technical aptitude, as well.

Recruiters and interviewers love it when a candidate's skill set is a strong match for the job opening. However, having good technical expertise alone isn't enough to land the job. During the phone call, make it clear that your personality and adaptability will fit in well with the company.

2. Make sure they understand your enthusiasm

At this point in the job search process, you have to be able to demonstrate that you're excited to work for this particular recruiter's company. During this phone interview with a recruiter, they are looking for someone who is eager to fill the role, not someone who is simply looking for a paycheck.

Recruiters want to talk to candidates who are enthusiastic about the job and excited to learn new things. Instead of making the interview all about your skill set, talk about your genuine interest in the particular field and why you think you can contribute to the company. Make it clear that you are serious about landing this job – if something excites you, share the excitement! You'll be sure to stand out for your honesty.

3. Stay positive and optimistic

It can be easy to think something like, “Oh, this is just a phone interview with a recruiter; I don't have to impress them.” Believe it or not, recruiters have a stake in getting the right person into a role, just like the hiring manager does. 

Related reading: Motivation Before a Job Interview: The Power of Positivity

Get prepared

Before you even accept a phone interview with a recruiter, you have to be ready. 

Do your homework

It always helps to do thorough research about the company prior to the phone interview with a recruiter – technically speaking; you should do some research about the company before you submit your resume. Although recruiters may not expect you to know everything about the company at this stage, you should still have a firm understanding of the position you're interviewing for.

There is a significant difference between talking to someone who has done their homework and someone who is trying to wing it over the phone without any substance. Experienced recruiters can tell the difference the moment you start talking, so don't ever go into a phone interview with a recruiter unprepared!

  • Identify keywords, responsibilities, and qualifications from the job description

  • Make a list of how those keywords align with your hard and soft skills

  • Come up with some events from your career history that prove your aptitude with the requirements of the position

  • Ask questions

Questions to expect during your phone interview with a recruiter

Whether your phone interview is planned or happens out of the blue, it's helpful if you're ready to answer the questions they'll ask. Just because it's a phone screening interview doesn't mean you won't hear regular interview-type questions. So, avoid assuming that you'll be able to breeze through it. 

Be prepared to encounter some behavioral interview questions, including: 

  • Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.

  • How did you handle a time when you failed to complete a project on time?

You may also come up against some situational interview questions like: 

  • Have you consistently met your sales goals?

  • What's the best way to improve team output?

It's also quite probable that you'll hear questions related to your technical expertise. No matter what questions you get during your phone interview with a recruiter, it's always better to prepare points and examples ahead of time.

Take notes

It may feel silly to take notes during a phone interview with a recruiter, but it's highly recommended if for no other reason than you'll need their name and email to follow up properly. Also, one of the key pieces of information you'll learn will be the name of the hiring manager who'll do your next interview. 

As the phone interview with a recruiter progresses, you will probably come up with questions to ask that you haven't already written down. Having a notepad at your side will give you the chance to jot them down. 

Questions to ask the recruiter during a phone interview

Your phone interview should be an interactive, two-way communication — not an interrogation. Hence, it's not enough to just be prepared with answers to potential interview questions. A smart candidate would also prepare a list of phone interview questions to ask the recruiter.

  • What qualities are you looking for in the person you hire for this job?

  • What do you think is the most challenging part of this job?

  • Where do you see the company in the next five years?

  • What did the last person in this position go on to do?

  • What skills do you not already have in the team that you're looking for?

  • What are the opportunities for progress in the company?

  • Could you describe a typical day in this position?

  • Does the company provide training opportunities for its employees?

Proceed to the next step

Using these tips, you put yourself in a good position to get called in for a face-to-face interview – and one step closer to landing the job!

Are your phone interviews turning into missed opportunities? Don't fret! Our professional interview coaches and career experts can help.

This article was originally written by Iswari Nallisamy in 2021. It was updated by Marsha Hebert in 2024.

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