Phone Interview Answers

Job Interview Questions

Abraham Lincoln once said, “If I was given six hours to chop down trees, I would spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

That's applicable when you have been informed that you will be interviewed on the telephone for that job you really, really want---or even one that will work for you because you really need a job.

So you've followed Lincoln's format: you've researched the company, you have a copy of your job application and your resumé, and you've learned all the tips you can about how to speak most effectively over the phone. But you still have one big concern: what questions will they ask and what kind of phone interview answers are they looking for?

It's good you are thinking this way, because how you answer these questions on the telephone could be the deciding factor for whether or not you get a face-to-face interview, and eventually the job.

Although a whole book could be written giving you a list of almost all of the potential interview questions and answers, there are usually only a few basic questions that will be asked in a telephone interview. In fact, sometimes all they want to know if whether or not you are computer literate, or such like.

No matter which question you are asked there are some basic understandings you need to keep in mind:

1. The only answers they are concerned about are ones that relate to the job. Unless the answers can show qualities you have that will enhance your performance on the job, they don't care where you were born (e.g., I was born in Mexico, so I speak excellent Spanish), whether you were the star of the basketball team (e.g., I captained our college basketball team and thus gained great experience in leadership), or whether you have two children or ten (e.g., being the mother of six children forced me to become well organized, and learn how to tactfully handle "personnel" problems).
2. They are interested in discovering what you can do for the company; they already know what the company can do for you.
3. Always be positive. No employer wants a whining, negative employee.
4. None of the questions are from idle curiosity. Each signifies a specific company need or requirement. You will need to recognize why the interviewer is asking you each question.
5. Never bring up the topic of salary at this stage.
6. Be specific, don't stray from the question.
7. Speak clearly and with confidence.

Question: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

• Why this question: The interviewer is exploring if you would be a good fit with others in the department and company. They may also be trying to discover what motivates you and if the job and the company can supply it.
• Goal of your answer: To sell yourself by showing your suitability and professionalism.
• What not to include: Personal life---where you were born, grew up, etc.; your pets, your hobbies (unless they relate to the job)
• What to include: Your training, your experience, job skills, career growth; what you have learned from previous employment or volunteer work; development of your organizational skills, time management abilities, and leadership capabilities. How these all relate to the job and the company profile.
• Sample answer: 'I am a graduate of South Dakota State University, with an M.S. in Human Resource Development. In the last three years of my career, I worked on developing a guidebook for hiring and training new employees. As a follow-up to this, I trained others to interview potential employees. We found that following the new guidelines we were able to cut absenteeism by 5% and reduce employee resignations by 14%. The valuable experience I gained through this project is something I will bring to this company if given this job.'

• Why this question: To focus on your academic qualification, previous job experiences and responsibilities, hobbies (what kind of a person are you?), career objectives and plan.
• Preparing this answer: Either on your computer or with paper copies, put your resumé and the job description side by side. Read the job description aloud several times. Go through your resumé one item at a time and translate the information there into terms that are in the job description. Write all of this down as you go along, as well as read it aloud several times.
• What to include: Your academic qualification, previous job experiences and responsibilities, hobbies (what kind of a person are you?), career objectives and plan.
• Sample answer: 'I have both a B.A. and an M.S. One is in anthropology and the other in Counseling and Human Resource Development. Although very different from one another, both are passions of mine. I utilized the B.A. in anthropology as a linguist with an aborigine tribe in Mexico. When my husband's health required we return to the U.S., I got my M.S. and became a counselor. I worked primarily with children and families. I wrote a manuscript on parenting as a result, which led me to study proofreading. I believe these experiences prepared me to work with your organization as a group facilitator and writer of plans for family counseling sessions.'

• Why this question: Employers learn a lot about you from the reason you left a job.
• Goal of your answer: To focus on the future. To emphasize a constructive reason for leaving the job: you took time out to raise your family or get an education; wanting more responsibility, a new challenge, or greater opportunity.
• What not to include: That salary was the reason you left.
• What to include: A true reason, one that will match what is on your resumé and what your previous employer will state when your references are checked.
• Sample answers: 'There was no further opportunity for advancement in my previous job, and I am looking for more responsibility.' OR
  'After eight years in my last position, I am looking for an opportunity that will let me contribute in a new way and grow in a bigger environment.' OR
  'We felt that a more rural community was a better place to raise our family than the big city, and I left my job so we could make this move.' OR
  'I have grown in my skills and abilities over the last few years, and now am interested in the opportunity to use these in a new and challenging position.'

• Why this question: The interviewer is trying to see if you are simply sending your resumé to any company that has a position available, or if you've given some thought about where you want to work.
• Goal of your answer: To show that you are informed because you have done your research. You are aware of the company's mission statement, you've seen recent press releases.
• What not to include: That you like the benefits or the money.
• What to include: What you like about the company (e.g., the people, the company's role in the community, the qualifications of the leadership). Show how you see you could be a valuable team member.
• Sample answer: 'From the research I've done I found that this company is an industry leader. I understand from your Web site that you have some impressive projects planned for the near future. I also liked the background of the leadership, and your current financial statements are awesome. I've been looking for a company like this, where I can put my experience and skills to use to help make things happen.

• Why this question: The interviewer to trying to see if you are compatible with both the job and the company. She is assessing your drive and hoping to get a handle on your character.
• Goal of your answer: To indicate that your interest in this position is because of the way your skills can help the company.
• What not to include: That you are interested in the job because of the salary or because you are not happy in your current position.
• What to include: Again, talk about what you will bring to the company: your skills and experience.
• Sample answer: 'This position fits my career goals. With my education and experience I can help smooth out some of the knots you mentioned that are in the call-taking department. In a few years I envision that I can move up in the company to tackle needs in other areas, too.'

• Why this question: To see if you would be a valuable employee.
• Goal of your answer: To show that you have what it takes to meet the needs of the position and the company.
• What not to include: Any irrelevant skills you may have.
• What to include: Skills such as your ability to organize information into usable data, to investigate difficult issues, your ability to be part of a team, your ability to play long-term projects and to make them happen.
• Sample answers: 'The need you mentioned to revamp the interview process fits in with the experience I have had with XYZ company. I developed a guidebook for hiring and training new employees. Then I trained others to use the guidebook in interviewing potential employees. The end result was that we cut absenteeism by 5% and reduced resignations by 14%.' OR
  'Although I have not had specific experience in managing a group of call-takers, I have shown that I can quickly adapt and learn what is needed as when I first began working at ABC and was given the job to evaluate why our resignations number was so high. I found that the stress of the jobs were so severe that folks felt the salary and benefits were not worth it. I presented several options for improvement to the management, and they successfully implemented one of the suggestions and reduced resignations by 8%.'

• Why this question: They are exploring whether you will want to do the job, whether you will be a good motivational fit.
• What to include: Possibilities include recognition, challenge, increased responsibilities, achievement, mentoring others, variety, complex tasks, and learning opportunities.
• Sample answer: 'I was very motivated when my previous supervisor gave me increasing responsibility as I proved myself. I discovered that the challenge of difficult tasks and projects was also very motivating.'

• Why this question: To discover if you understand how others perceive you and how your behavior affects them.
• Goal of your answer: To objectively show your strengths and areas for improvement as they relate to your interpersonal skills and teamwork.
• What to include: Focus on areas such as communication, reliability, decisiveness, resilience, energy, and cooperativeness.
• Sample answer: 'They consider me to be very organized---in fact they often teased me that my middle name was organized. They appreciated it when I could share tips on how to organize something that helped them in their jobs.'

• Why this question: To assess your understanding of both yourself and the position.
• Goal of your answer: To relate your skills and experience to the requirements of the job and the company's needs.
• What not to include: That you are the best candidate---you don't know the other candidates' qualifications.
• What to include: Benefits you bring to the job, and that you have all of the qualifications and qualities they are look for.
• Sample answer: 'I have the skills and experience for this job. In addition, I am strong in my analytical and problem solving ability as I demonstrated when I significantly reduced the number of employee resignations at ABC. I will be a valuable addition to the team because of my commitment to excellent work standards. I am a fast learner and adaptable to change. When I worked at XYZ they changed our operating system twice in six months and I kept up with the flow with no problem."

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