Junior year as an undergraduate means a lot of things, but one of the main tasks we as undergraduates must undertake is the search for internships. Once you’ve gone through all the work perfecting those resumes and cover letters, hopefully, you get the chance to interview with your prospective employer. A popular growing trend nowadays from employers before or instead of an in-person interview, however, is the phone interview.
Now, it may seem like a phone interview is much easier than an in-person interview. And in some ways, I suppose it is. But, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to take it seriously and that you don’t need to prepare. Being in search for a summer internship myself, I have had two phone interviews in the last week and here is what I learned.
First of all, you need to schedule the interview with various things in mind. You will probably want to set aside an hour from your busy schedule to make sure you have plenty of time to do the interview properly. Check your calendar and see what works best. If the time your prospective employer suggested doesn’t work for you, reschedule. It is also super important to respond to any scheduling details as quickly as you can. Be aware of your e-mails and answer promptly. Your attentiveness will surely be appreciated! Also be aware that if you are applying for an internship somewhere cross-country, be aware of the time difference. I, for example, applied to internships in Washington, D.C., which is a 3-hour time difference. You don’t want to be the person who schedules an interview for 12:00 PM and fails to realize that is 9:00 AM for you. Just be aware.
After picking out a date and time that works for you, it is time to do your research. Google is your best friend. Search the organization or the person you are applying to intern for and find out as much as you can about it. It's good to know. If you’re researching a person, don’t be weird/inappropriate about it. There’s a fine line between research and stalking. For an organization, look around their website. Find their mission statement to get familiar with it and how it relates to your possible position. This is a great opportunity to create a list of talking points you want to possibly incorporate into your interview. The interview will be over the phone, so take advantage of it! Remember to be specific about how you would be an asset to the organization.
It is also great to have a list of common interview questions in front of you and prepared answers to them. This was something I found super helpful; it makes you sound confident with your responses and minimizes your risk for stuttering over your words with “um”, “uh” or “mmm.” The Career Center is a great resource to look at if you want to see possible questions, but basically be prepared to answer questions like, What motivates you? What is your greatest strength/weakness? Why do you want to work for our organization? Why are you pursuing this field? Try to incorporate as much of the qualifications they asked for in the job posting as possible. If they asked for applicants with strong research skills, you should be prepared to address how you have demonstrated that skill previously.
I would really recommend that you prepare all this information and print it out. You can then have it in front of you and it makes the interview far less scary. You should also print out a copy of the resume you sent in and a cover letter. Lay all these sheets out in front of you so you’re not fumbling through sheets of paper during your phone interview. The excess noise will be distracting (and probably irritating) to your interviewer!
Once this is all prepared, practice. I know. It sounds kind of dumb. But it is a great way to find out how comfortable you are with talking over the phone in a professional manner. I personally had a friend mock interview me, and it helped a lot. You can also schedule mock interviews with the Career Center.
For the actual phone interview, find a quiet place. You do not want your roommate walking in mid-interview and interrupting. It’s discourteous to your interviewer and looks really bad for you. I actually booked a study room at the library for my phone interviews and it helped me stay focused and not be worried about any possible noises or distractions. Although it is a phone interview, you may consider dressing up in business formal attire, or something close. If you look professional, you will feel professional, and then you will speak professionally! Honestly, any little thing like this can only help you and it helped me get into the zone before my interview.
When it’s time for the actual interview, just relax! You’ve prepared and are ready. Remember to be polite. Don’t for example, call your employer by their first name unless explicitly invited to do so. Obviously, don’t curse, or eat, or do anything that will be distracting. Be friendly and confident, and your prospective employer will surely appreciate it.
After your interview is done, thank your prospective employer for taking time out of their schedules to speak with you. Appreciation goes a long way. Another thing you can do that will give you bonus points towards getting the job is sending a thank you e-mail to the organization or interviewer to reaffirm your interest in the position/organization. This very well may be the thing that sets you apart from the rest!
