Handling Questions in Nontraditional Interviews

What if you have an interview over the phone? You may be using the same words to communicate your answers, but you will need to pay extra attention to how you communicate warmth and enthusiasm. Here are a few strategies to use when you want your phone interview to have the same impact as being faceto- face:

1. Stand up while you’re talking. You will breathe more deeply, and your voice will sound fuller.

2. Smile. Yes, smile! Professional salespeople are trained to use this technique so that they actually sound friendly and cheerful (even if they’re really not having a great day). When you are smiling, an interviewer can “hear” your smile in your voice.

3. Listen extra carefully. Since you can’t see the interviewer, be sure you understand what he or she is asking. It’s okay to ask an interviewer to repeat the question or to say, “I understand that you are asking me
_______________________. Is that correct?”

4. Keep your answers less than 90 seconds long. You won’t be able to see any visual cues, so it’s wise to keep answers to a reasonable length so as to not let the interviewer become distracted or bored.

Taken from : Fearless Interviewing - How To Win The Job