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Phone Interview

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Symbols count in article: 5.5k Reading time ≈ 5 mins.

Interviewing - What the Numbers Say

  • 60% of interviewers decide on an candidate in the first 5-15 minutes
  • On average, 250 people apply for an open job
  • Behavioral interviewing is said to be 55 percent predictive of future on-the-job behavior, while traditional interviewing is only 10 percent predictive
  • 60-80% of companies use phone interviews to determine whether to bring a candidate on-site

The first 5-15 minutes

60% of interviewers decide on an candidate in the first 5-15 minutes.

The implication for that is it’s really important that you have a very clear elevator pitch, describing your experience, why you are a good fit of the role, and very importantly why you are interested in this specific opportunity. Typically, it’s 4 min for face-to-face interview and 2 min for phone interview.

What happens in the interview

  • After the first few minutes of an interview, confirmation bias sets in and the interviewer is looking to prove their initial instincts to be true.
  • “Pattern recognition“ sets in and a significant portion of your candidacy is then based on how you described your experience (e.g., “tell me about yourself”) and answered the first couple questions

Implication for you: the job candidate

  • Synthesis: You should explain your experience within 3-4 minutes, with a focus on highlighting the core capabilities that map to the job you are interviewing for.
  • Structure: “Chunking” up your story in core chapters of your career will make it easier for the interviewer to quickly digest your candidacy as a story, which helps to make you more memorable.
  • Purpose: Don’t wait for them to ask “Why do you want this job.” Tell them why you are excited for the opportunity at the end of describing your experience in the “tell me about yourself” question.

250 People apply for an open job

On average, 250 people apply for an open job.

250 Applications => 10-20 Phone Screens => 5-10 in Person => 2-3 Final Rounds

Implication for your resume

  • Describe both what you did (inputs) and the results (outputs)
    • Quantify outputs when you can, even estimated ranges or the targeted results are helpful
  • Tailor language and highlighted skills based on job description
    • There are many ways to describe similar skills, so fine-tuning your language helps to connect with your audience
  • Top-line synthesis should encapsulate your core capabilities
    • 2-4 key statements should define the key aspects of your candidacy
  • 1-2 pages to ensure easy comprehension

Behavioral interview

Behavioral interviewing is 5 times more predictive of on the job performance, compared to traditional interviewing.

5 common themes of behavioral questions (1-3 are common in phone interviews):

  1. Leadership (e.g., *”Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership“*)
  2. Conflict (e.g., *”Tell me about a time you resolved conflict“*)
  3. Accomplishment (e.g., *”What is your proudest accomplishment and why?“*)
  4. Problem solving (e.g., *”Tell me how you solved a very difficult problem“*)
  5. Teamwork (e.g., *”Describe a time you successfully collaborated with others“*)

Preparation Tips

  • Write down 3-4 memorable stories in your career, each of which should map to 1-3 thems.
    • For example, you may have a story that has leadership and conflict resolution
  • Break down each story into
    • Context (10-20%): Describe enough so they can follow, and understand why this is important (e.g., what was at stake)
    • Action (60-70%): Highlight the actions YOU took, while ensuring they map to skills and/or mindsets that related to the interview prompt (e.g., for conflict resolution show how you empathize)
    • Result (20%): Reflect on what makes the result meaningful and quantify where you can

Leadership

Common “leadership” questions

  • Tell me about a time
    • You demonstrated leadership
    • You led a team
  • Tell me about
    • Your leadership style
    • How others would describe your leadership style

The intent of the question

  • Understand how you lead
    • Not the same as “managing”
    • How you motivate and get the best out of others
    • How you foster team chemistry
  • Gain insight on how your leadership style will mesh with the new company

Example ACTIONS to highlight

  • Motivating others
  • Coaching individuals and teams
  • Influencing stakeholders
  • Collaborating cross-functionally
  • Scaling your impact
  • Instilling culture

Example RESULTS to highlight

  • Business objective
    • This is table stakes
  • Professional development of individuals
  • Growth in team capabilities
  • Behaviors, habits, processes that are adopted by others (e.g., impact that scales beyond this one story)

Conflict

Common “conflict” questions

  • Level
    • Peers
    • Supervisor / report
  • Direct v.s. Indirect
  • Personality or ideas
  • Client / customer

The intent of the question

  • Understand how you will resolve conflict
    • Will you avoid it or tackle it?
    • How do you approach difficult conversations?
    • How do you bring data to get to the best answer?
  • How will others feel when working with you?

Example ACTIONS to highlight

  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Solution orientation
  • Problem solving (e.g., identify source of conflict)
  • Team building
  • Negotiating

Example RESULTS to highlight

  • Business objective
    • This is table stakes
  • Culture impact
  • Team cohesion
  • Working cadence (did this improve the process of collaboration going forward?)

Accomplishment

“How” and “Why”

  • How
    • Show “relevance” to the organization and/or job
    • Highlight key skills and mindset
  • Why
    • Why are you proud of this accomplishment?
    • What do you value (e.g., Revenue, solving problems, enabling others)

Variants of the questions

  • Professional
  • Personal
  • Greatest
  • Significant
  • Proud

Example ACTIONS to highlight

  • Engaging with a broad set of stakeholders
  • Problem solving
  • Innovating
  • Building / creating
  • Persevering / being resilient
  • Working with client / customers

Example RESULTS to highlight

  • Business objective
    • This is table stakes
  • Professional growth of colleagues and direct reports
  • Customer experience
  • Product release

Acing the Phone Interview

What is the interviewer looking for?

  • Confirm level of interest
    • 80% passive job seekers
    • Hiring managers assessing pipeline quality
  • Match core skills
    • Checklist, not grading
  • Assess culture fit
    • Worked in similar environments?
    • Demeanor

How you can ace the phone interview

  • Synthesis
    • Interviewers are distracted (especially when they cannot see you)
  • Precision
    • Why the company - e.g., their business, culture
    • Why the role - e.g., relevance of experience
  • “Real environment”
    • Simulate in-person environment (e.g., location, dress, posture)
  • Thoughtful questions
    • Expand conversation
    • Enhance candidacy
  • Avoid reciting from paper

Reference