Business English- Arranging Telephone Interviews

Arranging telephone interviews

Try to think of tips for arranging a telephone job interview, then compare your ideas to those below.

Check/ negotiate a suitable time. If you will be at your home or office, try to avoid noisy times.

If it is an international call, check which time zone, e.g. GMT, they are talking about and/ or the time difference.

Check who will call who.

Ask how long it will take.

Ask for more details on who you will speak to (including how many people).

Confirm which number they should phone you on or you should phone them on (e.g. landline, Skype or mobile).

Confirm your number.

Give them an alternative number in case the first one that they try isn’t working.

Check other details of the interview, e.g. if they want you to come into their office to do it.

Check the relationship to other parts of the recruitment process, e.g. if it is only the first of two interviews, and if the kinds of questions will be different from the other kinds of interviews that you will have.

Check the purpose of the interview, e.g. if it is an initial “screening interview” or if it is an English language test.

Ask if you should do anything to prepare.

Check that the person you are talking to has your CV.

If you are using Skype, check if they want to use video or not.

If you are using Skype or a teleconferencing system, confirm how to make the connection, e.g. what their Skype name is or if you need a PIN.  

Brainstorm at least two useful phrases for each of the tips above and then compare to those on the next page.

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Recommended phrases 

• Check/ negotiate a suitable time – “I’m free any time after 10 a.m.” “Tuesday would be best for me, if that is okay with you.” “Are there any interview slots in the afternoon?”
• Check which time zone and/ or the time difference – “I’m guessing that is 11 a.m. your time/ my time” “If I’m right, it’s summer time there now so that will be 2 a.m. Japan time”
• Check who will call who – “Should I call you?” “Would you like me to call you?”
• Ask how long it will take – “How long do you expect it to take (more or less)?” “If I schedule one hour, will that be long enough?”
• Ask for more details on who you will speak to – “So, will you be the interviewer?” “Will the interviewer be someone from HR?” “Is that my prospective boss?”
• Confirm which number– “Will it be the same number as I dialled just now?” “I have two numbers here. Should I phone… or …?”
• Confirm your number – “Please use the number on my CV.” “Can I check if you have the right number?”
• Give them an alternative number – “If you have any trouble getting through to my landline, you could try my mobile.” “That’s also a fax number, so please use my mobile number if it is busy when you try.”
• Check other details of the interview – “Should I come into your office to do it?”
• Check the relationship to other parts of the recruitment process – “Will the telephone interview be the only one?” “Is there anything special that the person who phones me will want to speak about?”
• Check the purpose of the interview – “So, is this interview just to find out about me, or is it more of a language test?”
• Ask if you should do anything to prepare – “Is there anything I can do to prepare?”
• Check that the person who you are talking to has your CV – “Shall I send you another copy of my CV?” “Did HR pass my CV onto you?”
• If using Skype, check if they want to use video or not – “Will I need a video camera?” “Should I set my video camera up?”
• Confirm how to make the connection – “I’ll find you and send you an invite” “Do I need a PIN to use the teleconference system?” “Can I check your Skype name?”