15+ Common Phone Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

15+ Common Phone Interview Questions And Answers

A phone interview call is the one we wait for a long time. But this call can get to our nerves. Many people don’t know what questions they will be asked and how they should be answered.  Below are frequently asked phone interview questions with example responses. 

1. Tell me about yourself

This is the first of the phone interview questions that a recruiter will ask you. The best way to answer this question is to tell them about yourself. 

But you have to keep the response concise. 

For example, you can follow a simple framework

Name -> Expertise -> Previous roles -> Achievements

Sample Answer:
“I am Daniel Savy from London. I am a digital marketing specialist. I have six years of experience in managing digital campaigns. I am currently employed as a media manager. In my present role, I have boosted the website’s organic traffic by 40% by running Google Ads. I am also proficient in SEO strategy and content development in my current role. In the future, I’m now looking to leverage my skills in a company that values growth”.

2. Walk me through your CV

Next, the recruiters may ask about your background. 

This way, they can assess whether your qualification matches the job requirements. 

An example of an answer you can give is: 

 “I am my present position, I am leading a team of media and advertising. I oversee social media campaigns, Google ads, and PR. My team aims to strengthen brand visibility. I have also worked as a copywriter. My core responsibilities included SEO and YouTube script writing”.

3. What do you know about our company?

Now this question is asked in every interview. It shows that the candidate can work for a long time in the company. 

Sample Answer:

I have been researching on the company since long. The aim of your company is to deliver digital and PR marketing services to medium and large tech enterprises. I am particularly drawn by your positive client reviews I read on your website. The goals of the company resonate with my expertise. I’d love to contribute to projects that focus on long-term growth.

4. Why are you interested in this role?

This is one of the trickiest of telephone interview questions. It proves that you are the best choice for the position. It’s not difficult to answer. You can say that….

“I noticed the responsibilities in this role match my expertise and skills. Also, I am currently handling the same activities in my current role. The most creative part of this job is problem-solving and client engagement. I see this as a chance to develop my expertise while contributing towards the goal of my company.”

5. Why are you the best candidate?

Many recruiters might ask this question in a telephone interview. They want to see what set’s you apart from other candidates. 

You need to give answers that impress the hiring manager in a second. State your achievements in addition to the role you are aiming to join. Tell them in the form of a story how you made a positive contribution to the team.

Tackle this like…

Sample Answer:
“Apart from my marketing skills, I also have experience in leadership roles. In my previous company, I led a Facebook ad campaign. It led to an 80% increase in leads within three months. I’m confident I can deliver positive results in your company.”

6. What are your salary expectations?

This is one of the common telephony interview questions. Remember to conduct research in the industry trends you are going to work in. Note down the common range of salary being offered. Be open to the salary package the company offers. 

A good answer to this question is:

“Based on research, I expect a salary between $1000 and $2000. I am open to a compensation range according to my responsibilities.”

7. Where do you see yourself in the upcoming years?

 When you encounter such a question, tell the hiring manager what you want to do in the future. Also, highlight how working in this role can help you grow. 

8. What are your strengths?

This might be a tricky question. But you can approach it like:

 “My strength is adaptability. In my last job, I successfully managed last minute rebranding in a campaign. I was able to get results within a week”.

9. What is your biggest weakness?

One common phone interview question an interviewer can throw at you is regarding your weaknesses. Well, don’t stress about it. Answer it like:

Sample Answer:
“I sometimes take on too many tasks for myself. However, I’ve learned to prioritize tasks by using project management tools. This way I now delegate my tasks to avoid burnout.”

10. Why are you leaving your current job?

Many people switch companies for growth. You can approach this question as: 

Sample Answer:
“I’ve gained valuable experience in my current company. But now I feel ready for new challenges. These new opportunities will help me contribute to larger-scale projects.”

11. Are you interviewing with other companies?

Sample Answer

“Yes, I am considering more options. However, this role excites me most. Because it aligns perfectly with my skills.”

12. When can you start?

The interviewer can ask how early you can join the company. Behind the answer, remember to give a timeline you can fulfill: Approve this question as: 

“I can start within 6-7 days after I receive my offer. This will ensure make a smooth transition from my current role.”

13. Tell me about an instance you faced at work.

For employers, a good candidate is a person who can handle tough situations. In such questions, you can answer like: 

“Previously in my role, I once had to launch a client’s product in two weeks. I reassigned the team to their roles. Additionally, I also hired some new employees. With the help of my team, the project was launched successfully. The launch resulted in a 15% increase in sales”.

14. What motivates you?

If you face this kind of phone screen interview questions, this means you are being asked about your interest in the company.

Here is a sample answer:

 “I’m motivated by the technology-oriented environment of the organization”.

15. Do you have any questions for us?

At the end of the interview, you can ask the recruiter about: 

• The challenges might you face in this position?
• The KPI that measures your growth in the company.
• The next steps in the recruitment process?

Common Phone Interview Questions To Hire Top Candidates

Contacting a candidate on the telephone has become the norm. Hiring managers usually interview a number of people for one job. But it’s very inconvenient. Thus, recruiters often use an initial call to screen candidates. This way they select the best people for a face-to-face or virtual interview. It is one of the cheapest ways to gather information about a job seeker.

But why is it important for a job seeker to clear one? Because

Such calls are also termed as telephone interviews or phone screenings. It is the first step in the hiring process. But it is not as simple as it looks. More than half of all candidates are rejected at the first interview stage. Thus, a phone interview can get on your nerves. And many people overlook it, but remember, this screening call decides whether you will be called for an in-person interview or not. 

The recruiter will make up his mind if you are a good fit for the role. Unfortunately, many candidates underestimate the importance of this stage. Job seekers assume it’s less formal than an in-person meeting and end up losing that one opportunity they get. Thus, preparing for phone interview questions is important. 

In this guide, we’ll see:

• What is a phone interview? And why do employers use it?
• What types of phone interview questions can you expect from the recruiter?
• Common and tricky questions with sample answers.
• Questions to ask recruiters.
• Mistakes to avoid while answering telephone interview questions.

Let’s begin by understanding the core of the phone interview…

What Is a Phone Interview?

A phone interview is typically the first stage of the hiring process. Employers use it to:

• Verify qualifications
• Understand career motivations
• Assess communication skills
• Select the best candidates based on the screening interview questions

The trend of phone interviews came after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies started to adopt remote recruitment practices. 

On a phone call, you don’t have visual cues about the person you are aiming to hire. You can only hear his voice and the way he talks. Thus these indicators can help you find the best candidate for the role.

Types of Phone Interview Questions

You can expect different categories of phone interview questions depending on the role, industry, and recruiter style. Here are the main types:

1. General Screening Questions

These are designed to confirm your availability, work eligibility, and interest in the job. Examples:

• “Can you walk me through your CV?”
• “What attracted you to this role?”
• “Are you available for full-time work?”

2. Behavioral Questions

Employers use behavioral phone interview questions to predict future performance based on past experiences.

They often start talking with you like “Tell me about an instance in which…”

Example: 

“Tell me about a time when you mediated between two people who were quarreling over a small issue.”?

3. Situational Questions

The second type of common telephone questions is those that assess a person’s ability to handle real-time situations. You can ask the job seeker to tell his opinion on a hypothetical challenge. 

 Example:

“What would you do if project deadlines were changed suddenly?”

4. Technical or Role-Specific Queries

Recruiters ask job interview questions to know more about your skills. This helps them to know that you are capable of doing complex tasks related to the job.
Example:

“How many programming languages do you know for building an AI agent?”

5. Motivational Questions

As a recruiter, you need to see if the person has an interest in the role or not. For this, you can ask some emotional questions on an initial phone screen. These assess the candidate’s career goals and alignment with the company’s mission.

Example: 

“How do you see yourself growing in your next five years?”

How to Prepare The Phone Interview Questions

Many people take telephony interview questions very lightly. But a phone screening decides whether you are going to make it to the in-person interview or not. However, it is different from a face-to-face meeting. It is the first stage of hiring where the candidate makes his first impression.

 Candidates often underestimate it and think that it’s just an informal chat. Actually in a phone interview, your conversational skills, tone of voice, and clarity of speech matter a lot. And a candidate can take care of these things. Here is to prepare for a phone interview: 

Understand the Purpose of the Call 

A phone interview can have different purposes. It can be as simple a screening call where the interviewer will ask you basic phone interview questions. 

You can be asked about your

• Education
• Experience and skills
• Salary expectations.

Other times, it may be a technical interview. The recruiter can ask about the job role more extensively. Often, the hiring manager also asks behavioral interview questions from the candidate. 

Research the Company

One mistake candidates make is not studying the company. Employers expect you to know about their service so that you are familiar with the company culture.

Take time to study:

• The company’s website, blog, and social media.
  The job description and required skills.
  Your interviewer’s LinkedIn profile.

You can use these facts to frame your answers during the telephone interview.

Prepare Some Telephone Interview Questions In Advance

A recruiter can ask two types of telephone interview questions:

• General
• Role Specific

Just read your job description and craf some questions related to your field beforehand. Revisit them as much as you can before your phone interview. 

Practice, Practice and Practice

You need to revisit your job description and practice as much as you can. Prepare the general, technical and behavioral questions. The behavioral interview questions are the most puzzling trick a recruiter can use. It shows that you can handle tough situations in real life. 

To prepare phone interview questions, you can use the STAR method. It has four components:

Situation:

It is the questions related to your role as a recruiter that can be asked. 

Task:

Here, you will state your responsibility in the role.

Action:

Now you can complete your answer with the action to solve the problem.

Result:

You will complete your answer with the positive outcomes you have generated.

Revise Key Talking Points

Before your call, prepare a one-page on:

• A summary of your skills.
• Specific examples to highlight during behavioral questions.
• Prepare telephone interview questions to ask the interviewer.
• Notes about the company’s culture.

Rehearse very well..

It is better to give a mock interview. Head over to our AI Mock Interview Tool and learn to master tough situations in an interview.

This tool helps you:

• Test your voice and tone
• Give you feedback 
• Practice your answers

Organize Your Interview Space

Sit in a quiet place that does not have any distractions. You should have a good internet connection. Keep your resume and interview notes with you. Make sure that your mobile notifications are turned off during the call. 

Get Into the Right Mindset

An interviewer can judge your condifence from your voice. And your voice is affected by your mood. Dress well and wear a p[leassen perfume to calm down. This way you be able to talk in a professional way with the interviewer.

 Project Confidence Through Your Voice

You have to give your phone interview in a position where you can breathe easily. This can be done by standing or sitting in an upright posture. These positions are ideal for good vocal projection. Also a happy mood can calm your nerves and help you stay confident. 

Keep Water Nearby 

A dry throat can affect your voice whenever you answer phone interview questions. To avoid this, keep a class of water on your side. This way, you will stay hydrated throughout your call.

Ask for Clarity if you are confused

Ask the interviewer to repeat any question if you are not able to understand it at the moment. This prevents you from giving an irrelevant answer. 

How To Communicate In Telephone Interviews?

Communication is very important for every individual, be it any scenario. In a phone interview, a recruiter judges you on the basis of your voice. Hence, talking clearly is very important. Hence, every individual should learn how to deliver arguments professionally on the telephone.

Record a Practice Interview 

Hearing the recording of your voice can tell you if you are speaking fastly or too slow. 

Don’t Use Filler Words Like “Um” and “You Know”

Excessive filler words reduce your credibility. Instead, practice pausing briefly when you need to think — silence is better than filling space with “uh” or “like.”

Focus on Active Listening

Be concise…. 

Avoid long explanations because you can lose the interviewer’s interest. At the same time, listen carefully before responding to the interviewers.

Speak at a Steady Pace

Your talking speed matters a lot during your phone interview. If you speak too quickly, it will make you sound nervous. Or if you are very fast, you can sound disengaged. So, you should talk slowly and take breaks during the call. 

Smile While Speaking

Interviewers often form judgments based on vocal energy. Smiling naturally makes you sound more confident. 

How to Follow Up After A Phone Interview 

The interview doesn’t end after the call is finished. A good candidate remembers to follow up with the recruiter after the interview. You can do this by:

• Sending them a thank-you email within 24 hours.
• Show your enthusiasm for the role and briefly summarize why you’re a fit for the role.
• Send them a email if you have not heard back after the given timeframe.
• If you don’t get selected, ask for constructive feedback.

Conclusion

If you are a job seeker, then a phone interview can make or break your first interview. It is your time to leave a positive impression on the hiring manager. The right preparation can help you to ace the phone interview. And you can easily secure your spot in the next stage of hiring. You can take the help of a professional, but it’s very time-consuming. So just head over to the Interview Copilot Tool and prepare your interviews in no time. You can also download an Interview Report, which will tell you how you can land your dream job.