Full Charge Interviewer

Telephone interviewing

For many candidates, a phone interview can be one of the most daunting parts of the application process. Knowing how to make a good impression, especially when you can’t see the person you’re trying to impress, can be a real challenge. Here are some top tips to help you handle your telephone interview with confidence. Try a dry run. There are so many ways to record yourself these days that it’s an easy way to check how you sound to others. Do you sound confident and well- informed? Can you explain yourself clearly and succinctly? Ask a family member, friend or colleague to run through some questions and play your answers back. Smile as you dial (really, this works!). A smiling voice sounds positive and upbeat, coupled with great energetic body language will ensure that you come across positively over the phone.

Be in the right place. Find a quiet spot somewhere with no distractions, to give yourself the best chance, you need to be focused on the task at hand. Make sure if you are using your mobile for the call that you have good signal and a full charge.

Remember to breathe and try to keep your speaking pace steady. We’ll try to make the discussion as relaxed as possible, but nerves can get the better of us all, and sometimes this can lead to speaking really quickly or sounding like you are mumbling.

Give the interviewer a chance too! On a telephone interview, there’s a tendency to speak-over and interrupt. It’s probably nerves – so bear this in mind, and keep calm.

A telephone interview is much like a face-to-face interview, by which there will be set questions your interviewer will be looking to cover, be guided by your interviewer and the question being asked of you.

Remember to build rapport – a telephone interview is also a great way for you to ask us questions, so use it as an opportunity to find out more about if bp is a place where you would like to work.

Drop us a line. A quick thank you note to your interviewer goes a long way to show your interest. It’s a quick thing to do and it really does show a positive attitude.

Top tips