A telephone interview is often the first contact you’ll have with a prospective employer after you’ve applied for a role.
Usually, the call will be with a Recruiter or a member of the HR Team to assess your suitability for the Carer position. It’s important to prepare for a telephone interview in the same way you’d prepare for a face to face interview as it’s the company’s first impression of you.
Follow our steps to make sure your telephone interview goes as well as possible:
Confirm the Details of the Call
Make sure you know the date and exact time to expect the call, clarify with the company if you need to. You should also know who is going to be calling.
If you need the caller to use a different phone number than the one that is on your CV, this is the time to let them know.
Research the Care Home
As you would for a face to face interview, make sure you know as much information as possible about the home care agency you’ll be speaking to.
Look at their website to fully understand what they do, the size of the business and the kind of culture they promote. You can makes notes about the home care agency rather than memorising the details as you would need to for a face to face interview.
Review the Job Description
Read the job description again to ensure you fully understand the position, duties and the skills and experience the company will be looking for. Carer jobs can be similar in their duties, but knowing the personal qualities they’re looking for will help you.
If you’re having telephone interviews with multiple different companies, it’s key to know which job role you’re being called about.
Review your CV
The interviewer may ask questions around points you’ve written on your CV, so it’s a good idea to have a read through your CV beforehand and have a copy in front of you during the call.
Prepare some Questions
As you would for a face to face interview, it’s great to have a list of questions that you’d like to ask the employer. Have a look at our article “7 best questions to ask at the end of a home care agency interview”
Find a Quiet Space
Before the call, it’s really important to ensure you’ve got a quiet space to take the call with no distractions. If you have children or pets, it’s a good idea to make sure they’re being looked after by someone else so there isn’t any noise.
Be Ready Early
You know the time the employer is calling, so try to be ready at least 10 minutes beforehand. Have your CV and notes ready in front of you. This will ensure that you’re relaxed and ready.
Dress for Success
Even though it’s a telephone interview and the recruiter can’t see you, it’s still a good idea to dress professionally – it will put you in the best mindset for your interview.
Listen and Take Your Time
When you’re on the call, make sure to listen to the questions properly and be succinct in your answers. It’s fine to take a breath before answering to make sure that your answers are correct.
End of the Call
As the interview is winding up, now is the time to thank the caller and ask about the next steps in the interview process. You’ll want to find out when you should expect to hear from them again.
Telephone interviews can be as stressful as face-to-face interviews, but if you follow our tips then you’ll be as prepared and confident as possible.
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