Phone interview tips and common interview questions

Colloquio di lavoro, al telefono, in vista? Ecco qualche dritta su come affrontarlo al meglio. Da oggi e per le prossime settimane, in collaborazione con Kaplan International English, vi daremo qualche consiglio per aiutarvi nella vostra carriera internazionale. By Candida DaFonseca and Susan Gray

Phone Interview Tips and Common Interview Questions
Interviews can be scary in any language. It’s important to make a good first impression, but with preparation, you can do well! Interviews are the best way of seeing whether you would fit in with a company or on a course, and it’s a good sign if they want to know you better.
Many potential employers are now using phone interviews as a starting point. There are many reasons for this, including time, distance and cost. However, it’s important to prepare yourself just as you would for a face-to-face interview.

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT A PHONE INTERVIEW

1 Free yourself from interruptions
Make sure no one will bother you and that the room you are in is silent. Keep kids, parents, pets and friends away while you are having your interview.

2 Have all information nearby
Make sure your CV/Resume is ready, that you have your notes prepared and that you have something to take notes on.

3 Smile and be professional
Even if the person cannot see you, they can hear your feelings in your voice. If you are too casual, or sound unhappy, your interviewer will notice this.

4 Don’t worry about pauses in conversation
Take time to think about your answers, and if your interviewer is quiet for a few seconds, don’t worry. He or she is probably taking notes.

5 Ask follow-up questions
Because you cannot see the person who is interviewing you, it can be difficult to tell whether they are looking for more information than you have provided. Ask questions like “Does that answer your question?” or “Can I provide any more information?”

5 COMMON QUESTIONS ON AN INTERVIEW

1 “What can you tell me about yourself?”
This question comes up frequently. It’s the famous “What can you tell me about yourself?” that usually starts the interview off!

2 “Why did you apply for the job?”
Though everyone has reasons for applying for certain jobs, it’s best to think about this question in a way reflects positively on the company and the position. Think about the tasks that you’d enjoy doing or ideas that you find interesting.

3 “Why do you think you should work for us?”
Instead of seeing what they can do you for you – why you thought this job/company would be good for you, why would you be good for the company? One of the most important qualities is a passion for the work you’re doing. Experience can be built up, but you need the desire to see it through.

4 Give us an example of when…
This is where you should really be careful about what is being asked. These examples will usually refer to times where:
You did well in a team or as an individual; You had to solve a problem; You had to handle a big change; You handled a high-pressure situation.

5 Do you have any questions?
Even if you can’t think of any to ask the interviewer straight away, it’s best to prepare something for the day – good examples are: “What will the hours be like?”; “How big would my team be?”; “What would a typical day be like?”
Also, don’t be afraid to ask any questions that you’ve just thought of during the interview!

Materiale fornito da Kaplan International English