January 24

Phone Interview Tips – #29: Things You Should Never Say

Finding a Job, Getting Hired, Interviewing Skills and Tips, Job Interview Advice, Job Interview Preparation, Job Interview Questions and Answers, 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.

We all spend a lot of time talking about what you should say in phone interviews—how to answer interview questions, how to sell yourself for the job, how to ask questions of your own.  But have you ever considered what NOT to say in your phone interview?

Sometimes what you don’t say is just as important as what you do say.

Here are several things you should never say in a phone interview.

“What does your company do?”

The only time this would ever be acceptable is if you are surprised by a telephone interview sneak attack that you could not have known about beforehand—in other words, they call you up out of the blue and want to conduct your interview right there, right then.  Otherwise, you’ve got some time to prepare.  Use it to research the company and find out what they do.  Then you can focus your conversation on how you would be a great addition to their organization.

“Can you hang on while I take this call?”

This phone call is THE most important conversation you could possibly be having right now.  Never allow other callers to interrupt.  In fact, turn off call waiting, text alerts, or anything else that might beep and distract you during this call.

“I’m worried about….”

Even if you’re very concerned about some factor in this new job (the commute, the transition, the hours, whatever), never ever bring it up in the phone interview.  It’s just too soon.  Bringing up something negative too early just makes you look negative.  I’ve seen firsthand how fast job seekers get knocked out of consideration by bringing up problems before they should.

“What’s the salary range for this position?”

Never, ever bring up money at any point in the interview process—not until you have an offer in your hand.

phone interview tips

“How much vacation time would I get?”

Nothing more clearly says, “What’s in it for me?” than asking about benefits and perks too early in the conversation.  That’s always a bad move.  The job interview is a sales process—you are the product and the sales rep.  That interviewer is your customer.  Your job is to “sell” them on the idea of hiring you—which means your focus must be on what’s in it for them.  Once you’ve convinced them that you are the right person to hire, then you can talk about what you’re getting out of it—and you can decide if you’re interested or not at that point.

Ace your interviews! Watch my free webinar on Perfect Interview Answers!

Discover the best interview answers, critical mistakes to avoid, and an interview hack that will seal the deal. Interview for any job with confidence!

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