Preparing for Different Interview Formats: Phone, Video, and In-Person
The #1 way to nail your interview… Prepare.
As a recruiter, I interviewed more than 1,000 people… the prepared candidates always did better!
Let me illustrate for you how a LOT of phone interviews start:
Candidate: “Hello?”
Recruiter: “Hi! Is this Brandon?
Candidate: “Uh, yeah. Who is this?
Recruiter: “This is Ellie with Rock and Secure, calling you for your 1:00 PM phone interview. Is now still a good time?”
Candidate: “Uh sure, I guess”
Recruiter: “Okay, can you tell me about yourself?”
Candidate: “Uh I… Uh…”
Then there were some candidates who really stood out from the start- their phone interviews started like this:
Candidate: “Hello, this is Jason.”
Recruiter: “Hi Jason, this is Ellie with Rock and Secure, calling you for your 1:00 PM phone interview. Is now still a good time?”
Candidate: “Hi Ellie! Yes! I’ve been looking forward to this call. It’s great to chat with you”
Recruiter: “Awesome! Well to get started I’d love if you could tell me about yourself”
Candidate: “Absolutely! My career started at….”
Of these two conversations… Which candidate do you think I’m more excited to talk to? The one who didn’t remember that we were having an interview, or the one who is prepared and ready-to-go?
Prepared candidates are easier to talk to, they make my job easy! They’re ready for me, ready to answer my questions, and excited and enthusiastic. Do you want to be the prepared candidate, or the unprepared and hard-to-talk-to candidate?
I’ll bet you want to be a prepared candidate.
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When preparing for interviews, there are things you will always want to do to get prepared, no matter the type of interview.
These include:
Researching the company to understand what they do, their mission, and their values
Preparing a response to “Tell me about yourself”
Knowing who your interview is with
Preparing questions to ask the interviewer
But the TYPE of interview you have matters: So in this article, I share additional preparation steps to take, depending on the interview type. We’ll cover specific preparation steps for phone, video, and in-person interviews.
Phone Interview
1 | Set an alarm on your phone 5 minutes before the time of the interview, to make sure you don’t miss the call, and be ready for it when it comes.
I HATE playing phone tag. Especially if we have a time set up, I’m expecting you to answer!
This phone interview will likely be your first impression. Nail it by starting out strong and on time.
Go the extra mile. Don’t just say “Hello?” when you answer the phone. Instead, say “Hello, this is (Your Name).” This displays confidence and professionalism.
2 | Make sure your prepared questions are BASIC.
Depending on your interviewer, prepare at least 3 basic questions to ask- since this is a phone interview, you’ll want these questions to be baseline questions that don’t go too deep into specifics at this time. These questions should also be questions that give you more insight into the company and the position. Avoid asking specific questions about benefits and what the company can do for you. Those questions and conversations can come later.
Here are a couple of examples:
Why do people love working for XYZ company?
How did you get your start at XYZ company?
What does the team structure look like for this position?
You’re going to ask HIGH-LEVEL questions to get an idea of what the position is like. In your phone interview, the interviewer is assessing your enthusiasm. Asking great questions shows that you have a genuine interest in the position.
Video Interview
1 | Present yourself and your space well.
Anything that can be seen by your webcam will be evaluated, consciously or unconsciously.
People are biased. Recruiters are biased. (Even when they do their best not to be!). If in the background of your call, you’ve got an unmade bed piled with unfolded laundry, assumptions could be made that you’re a disorganized person. I recommend having a wall behind you. It’s okay if there is art or decor on this wall, but avoid inappropriate posters or anything distracting.
I know you’re at home, and you don’t want to change out of your favorite sleep shirt that has stains and holes, but you are presenting yourself to be evaluated in this interview. Take the extra time to throw on a polo or nice blouse.
At one of my jobs, we literally had a candidate log in to his video interview completely shirtless. Don’t be this person.
Additionally, make sure you have some good lighting. Position yourself by the window, or take the interview in the kitchen (there’s almost always great lighting in kitchens).
2 | Restart your computer 2 hours before.
I know what you’re thinking… “I can skip this one, my computer will be fine” but I have had too many occasions where a candidate opens up their laptop, ready to join, and then they get hit with this: “Update starting in one minute…” and then they miss their whole interview. Don’t let this be you!
Restarting your computer beforehand will also help avoid any technical issues (e.g. Camera or mic issues) once you get the interview started.
Oh, and this might go without saying, but just in case… make sure your laptop is either fully charged or plugged in. The last thing you want is for your PC to go out on you mid-sentence.
3 | Join early to test the meeting system beforehand: Even if you’ve done 100 Zoom calls before, join the meeting early to test your camera and mic. It’s really frustrating for the recruiters when we can’t hear or see you (it happens so often, and gets old quickly).
In-Person Interview
1 | Plan your travels.
You can use Google or Apple Maps to enter in the date and time that you want to arrive, and then maps will tell you when to leave based on predicted traffic.
If you do this, make sure you are putting in the exact date and time to get the best traffic prediction. If you’re looking up the commute at 11:30 PM the night before, it might say 20 minutes, but that 20 minutes turns into 40 minutes around 8am!
2 | Get comfortable with the space and parking situation. You can also go to the interview spot the day before, around the same time, to get an idea of what traffic and parking will be like on the day of. These will ease your anxiety about any potential parking issues and are especially helpful if your interview is in the city.
3 | Present yourself well, from head to toe.
If you aren’t sure how professionally to dress, go into the establishment (if it’s a public establishment) and see how other employees are dressed, then go one step further. For example, if everyone is casual, dress business casual. If everyone is business casual, dress professionally.
Again, this is your time to make an impression. Make sure that you are feeling comfortable and confident in whatever you wear. If fashion isn’t your forte, ask a friend or family member for a second opinion.
4 | Arrive 10-15 minutes early: Arriving early is important, but don’t arrive too early. When I did in-person interviews, it was actually rather cumbersome when a candidate arrived more than 15 minutes early- because I usually had to stop what I was in the middle of to go greet them. If you want to play it safe and be really early- that’s cool- just park and have some relaxation time to yourself in the car, and then go into the building about 15 minutes before your interview start time.
Conclusion
Preparing for interviews is your key to success; whether it's on the phone, virtual, or in person. Adequate preparation can make a significant difference in how you present yourself and how well you perform. By following the specific prep tasks outlined in this article, you can ensure that you are ready to make a strong impression and showcase your qualifications, no matter the interview type.
For more insights on interview preparation, interview excellence, and career confidence, follow me on Instagram or connect with me on LinkedIn. To learn more about career coaching with me, visit my website at rockandsecure.com
Author Profile: Ellie Hoekman
Ellie began her career as a corporate recruiter in 2018, interviewing over 1,500 individuals during her time in the role. She is now the proud owner of Rock and Secure LLC, a coaching business dedicated to helping clients build their professional confidence and transform their interview and career experiences.
