January 21

Phone Interview Tips – #23: Watch Your Language

Finding a Job, Getting Hired, Interviewing Skills and Tips, Job Interview Advice, Job Interview Preparation, Job Interview Skills, Job Search, Job Search Success, Job Search Tips, Jobseekers, Phone Interview Questions, Phone Interview Tips, Phone Interviews

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Phone Interview Tips Series

Table of Contents

Phone Interview Tips 1-10
  1. Phone Interview Tip #1 -- Check Your Voicemail Greeting

  2. Phone Interview Tip #2 -- The Best Time to Set Up Your Call

  3. Phone Interview Tip #3 -- Where’s the Best Place for a Phone Interview?

  4. Phone Interview Tip #4 -- How To Keep Your Focus

  5. Phone Interview Tip #5 -- How to Build Your Confidence

  6. Phone Interview Tip #6 -- How to Project Enthusiasm

  7. Phone Interview Tip #7 -- Use Cheat Sheets

  8. Phone Interview Tip #8 -- Research the Interviewer

  9. Phone Interview Tip #9 -- Research the Company

  10. Phone Interview Tip #10 -- Prepare Answers to Common Phone Interview Questions

Phone Interview Tips 11-20
  1. Phone Interview Tip #11 -- Practice Your Phone Interview

  2. Phone Interview Tip #12 -- How to Hit Your Phone Interview Goals

  3. Phone Interview Tip #13 -- The Best Phone for Your Interview

  4. Phone Interview Tip #14 -- Your Phone Interview Voice

  5. Phone Interview Tip #15 -- How to Give the Interviewer What They’re Looking For

  6. Phone Interview Tip #16 -- How to Project the Right Image Over the Phone

  7. Phone Interview Tip #17 -- Help Them Qualify You for the Face-to-Face Interview

  8. Phone Interview Tip #18 -- Speak the Right Body Language (Yes, Even On the Phone)

  9. Phone Interview Tip #19 -- Secret Tricks to Phone Interview Success

  10. Phone Interview Tip #20 -- Ask Questions

Phone Interview Tips 21-30
  1. Phone Interview Tip #21 -- How to Listen Well

  2. Phone Interview Tip #22 -- Don’t Talk Too Much

  3. Phone Interview Tip #23 -- Watch Your Language

  4. Phone Interview Tip #24 -- Phone Interview Etiquette

  5. Phone Interview Tip #25 -- Getting the Face-to-Face Interview

  6. Phone Interview Tip #26 -- How and When to Follow Up

  7. Phone Interview Tip #27 -- Biggest Phone Interview Mistakes

  8. Phone Interview Tip #28 -- Small Phone Interview Mistakes That Cause Big Problems

  9. Phone Interview Tip #29 -- Things You Should Never Say

  10. Phone Interview Tip #30 -- Make a Phone Interview Checklist

Phone Interview Tips 31-37
  1. Phone Interview Tip #31 -- Relax, Be Calm, and Make a Good Impression

  2. Phone Interview Tip #32 -- Good Telephone Communication Tips

  3. Phone Interview Tip #33 -- Typical Phone Interview Questions

  4. Phone Interview Tip #34 -- Thank You Notes

  5. Phone Interview Tip #35 -- The One Question You Should Ask

  6. Phone Interview Tip #36 -- How to Keep Them From Screening You Out

  7. Phone Interview Tip #37 -- How to Prepare for a Phone Interview

Click to expand question sets, then click individual questions to read the article.

Pop quiz:  When you answer questions in a phone interview, which answer would hurt you the most?

(A)   “Um…I’m not sure…”

(B)   “I hated to leave that job.  My boss was my BFF.”

(C)   “That customer was a pain in the @$$, but I won him over.”

(D)   All of the above.

The correct answer is (D).

In job interviews, the language you use can make or break your chances—and that’s even more true in a telephone interview, where your voice is all they have to focus on. Your conversation must be professional. That means:

  • No using “um”, “uh,” or other speech fillers.  If you need to stop and think before you answer, then stop and think.  A pause is fine.  Nervously filling that pause with “umm….” Is not.  It’s distracting and detracts from the professional image you’re trying to project.  Most people use speech fillers like “um,” “uh,” “you know” and “like” even more than they realize—especially in high-pressure situations like interviews.  Record yourself answering interview questions so you can determine if you need to work on eliminating those very annoying speech fillers.
  • No weak language.  Weak words and phrases will kill your offer because they cast doubt on your ability to do the job well.  I coach candidates all the time to avoid saying
  •  things like, “I think,” “I hope,” “with luck,” or “if it goes well.”  Some people qualify their statements with phrases like these because they don’t want to seem cocky.  But what they’re really doing is making themselves seem weak and not up to the job.  Practice saying, “I can,” “I will,” and “I do.”  That shows confidence.  Confidence is appealing.
  • No slang.  Avoid using any kind of slang words or expressions.  It doesn’t make you look young or hip; it just makes you look unprofessional.   You should be putting your best foot forward in the interview, and that includes your language.
  • No questionable language.  Never, ever use swear words in an interview, even mild ones.  I once had a candidate (because she was nervous) say “crap” 3 times in her interview—and she lost the job.  Use your best manners.
  • No sarcasm.  Avoid sarcasm or even jokes in phone interviews.  Even if it seems awkward and you feel that you must break the ice, don’t do it with a joke.  They can’t see you
    r facial expression or body language, so you can’t be sure that what you mean is what they hear.   Play it safe.

It can be more difficult than you think to watch your language in an interview.  A lot of these things just roll right off our tongues without us even thinking about it.  And when we’re in a high-pressure situation like an interview, it happens even more.

Your best bet to avoid these issues is to practice answering interview questions, or role-play your interview with a friend or an interview coach.  The practice will help you be more aware of what you do so you can fix it, and it will help you be more comfortable so you don’t slip up.

If you’d like to practice your interview answers with professional feedback, or you need help with specific answers, I’d love to work with you as your interview coach.

Find out more about my special offer for personal 1:1 coaching or my group coaching membership that meets online Thursday evenings at 7:00pm CST!

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