As with any interview to which you are invited, you need to ensure that you are fully prepared way before the time. Whether it includes researching commonly asked interview questions or even hints when it comes to completing an interview successfully. Below you can find a few tips when it comes to undergoing a telephonic interview:

• Locate yourself in a noise-free area: ensure that before you do a telephonic interview that there are no distractions that could pull your attention from the interviewer such as a cellphone, the radio, or even someone talking in the background. You want to make sure that the area where you will be doing your telephonic interview is free from any types of noise as this could pull you off the topic or even what the interviewer is saying. It is a good idea to keep your cellphone silent while you are busy with your interview so that you will not be disturbed by any notifications or emails being pushed through to your cellphone.
• Speak with a clear tone of voice: the last thing you want to remember during the interview is the interviewer constantly asking you to repeat what you have said because you might have been speaking way too softly for them to hear you. As a precaution, why not use a voice recorder and practice answering interview questions and then play the recording afterward to see where you can improve or where you need to articulate your voice better.
• Keep notes with you: essentially you would like to have some notes and potential questions which you would like to ask the interviewer. So why not jot down a few notes ahead of time about the company, questions you might have pertaining to the position which was advertised, or even a few research questions which could help you to gain a better idea about the company and the projects which they undertake. It is far better to have notes and be prepared than to be asked a question that you do not know how to answer because you had failed to do your preparations ahead of time.
• Practice smiling before and during the interview: remember with a telephonic interview the interviewer can only pick up what you sound like over the phone i.e., whether you are a confident speaker or whether you are a shy speaker whereas with a face-to-face interview the interviewer has more of an angle to work from in terms of picking up your body language, facial expression as well as your demeanor during the interview. Why not practice answering a telephonic interview with a friend or even a family member, in this way you can pick up where you made mistakes you can rectify them, and practice them before you do your interview. Remember to smile occasionally during the interview so that you come across as being optimistic or even enthusiastic whilst being on the phone and answering questions. Your voice is the most important thing you will use during a telephonic interview because it shows the interviewer how well you can converse or even communicate over the phone.
• Do not forget to send a follow-up: after the interview, always remember to thank the interviewer for their time. It might seem unnecessary to do so, but regardless of whether or not you get the position, it is still polite to send a thank you email afterward.

A common question that is often asked during an interview is: so, tell me a little bit about yourself. Most people are often caught way off guard with this question as it kind of puts you on the spot considering that it is such a direct question. Below are a few pointers that can help you ease into answering such a question:

• Firstly, do not hesitate to take your time when formulating an answer. You will not look very professional should you just blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind. Even more reason to ensure that you do in-depth research pertaining to the most commonly asked interview questions as well as how to go about answering these particular types of questions – before going to your interview.

Considering that this question plays such a determining role during the interview, one cannot simply “wing” the answer but rather start by taking the logical approach and explain to the interviewer how you handled a conflict resolution situation within the workplace by showing the interviewer how you responded to the situation followed by the solution which you had implemented.

Not only does this show you are able to think on your feet and come up with pliable solutions, but it also gives the interviewer the chance to determine who you are as a person, and how well you would fit into their company. It also gives you the opportunity to sell yourself not only as a person but as a valuable asset for their company by showing them how having you work within their company can help them reach their goals as well as their company objectives.

As with anything else in life you only have one chance, so why not use it to the best of your ability and show the company why you would be an asset should you be considered for the position.

• Secondly, keep in mind that the interviewer is not interested in your personal life, your hobbies, gossip, family politics, or even how you prefer to socialize over the weekends. They are much more interested in finding out what type of person you are, how you get along when working in a team or when you are paired up with someone else, how you perform under pressure as well as how you handle conflict situations. All of these will play a role in determining how well-suited you might or might not be for the position being offered.
• Present, Past, and Future Formula: when you are uncertain about how to answer any interview-related question, you can use the present, past, and future formula. This formula is used to summarise your accomplishments while keeping your answer in a positive light. You can use this formula by mentioning: how you initially started off with your chosen career, then you can mention to the interviewer where you currently are career-wise and you can conclude by briefly stating the career goals which you would still like to achieve. You can also use this formula to your advantage by informing the interviewer about how you can achieve your goals by aligning them with your future plans when it comes to your chosen career.
• Never lie when answering this type of question.

It is very easy to get caught up in a lie when it comes to the skills, values, attributes as well as knowledge you do possess, however, you do not want to ruin your chances way before the interview has even started. Be open and honest about your achievements, knowledge, and skills. If you get stuck when it comes to figuring out if you have the required skills needed for the position, you can always take a look at the job description listed underneath the responsibilities/duties and have an in-depth look at which type of requirements and skills are required for the position. From there you can gather up these specifications and tailor your CV as well as your answer by explaining to the interviewer the variety of skills you have and how you can use these vast skills in order to bring potential growth to their business.