Why do you need more confidence in phone interviews? With confidence, you’ll have a better experience, you’ll make a better impression and you’ll be more likely to move forward to the face to face. What’s not to love about that? So, how can you have more confidence in phone interviews?
Do Your Phone Interview Prep Work
The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll be. This interview is your first impression with this company. Don’t wait to see what they want to ask you and assume you’ll talk about all the important things when you interview in person. If you don’t do this well, you won’t get the chance to move forward. Go ahead and do some research on the company, list out a few questions to ask, and jot down some key points you need to make about yourself.
Dress for the Interview
Don’t make the mistake of interviewing in your pajamas. Wear a real interview outfit. A professional outfit that makes you feel powerful and great will help you project more confidence through your voice.
Be Early and Breathe
You’ll feel calmer and in control if you can take a few minutes before your interview to just sit in your quiet room and take a few deep, relaxing breaths. Make sure your breathing is calm and even so you don’t sound like you were rushing in at the last minute. Calm comes across as confident.
Keep Your Notes in Front of You
You’ll have more confidence if you feel like you aren’t going to forget anything. To make sure you remember the most important stuff, lay out your papers on the table in front of you for easy reference. That’s all your notes, your resume, and even your list of references.
Expect a Good Outcome
Your expectations of how this encounter will go have a massive impact. You will have more confidence and a better impression on the interviewer if you expect it to go well. And there’s no reason why it shouldn’t go well. If they’re calling you, they liked you. Remember that.
More Phone Interview Tips
Want to know more about how to prepare for and ace every phone interview? I have an entire series that covers every aspect of this process. Read it here: Phone Interviews: The 37 Most Essential and Extraordinary Tips That Will Get You To the Face-to-Face