Telephone Interview Questions

With UK job applicant volumes currently so high, an increasing number of companies are turning to telephone interviews to whittle down candidates early on.

Whatever your perception of the telephone interview might be, it is always worth treating it as you would an ordinary interview. If you are serious about the role you have applied for, you need to be seen as professional and well-prepared every time you are in contact with that company.

Be prepared

Most telephone interviews will last no longer than around half an hour. Some phone interviews may simply gauge your interest in (and understanding of) the role being advertised, while others may discuss, in some depth, your background and suitability for the job. Every telephone interviewer will be looking at how well you can communicate under pressure though.

By running through some possible telephone interview questions, you should be able to get a clearer idea of what some of your responses might be and further your chances of eventually landing the job.

Sample Questions

Possible telephone interview questions may include:

Could you tell me a bit about yourself?
What interested you in this particular role?
What do you expect this role to be?
Why are you thinking of leaving your current position?
What do you know about our company?
What experience do you have that is relevant to this position?
What are your key strengths?
Can you describe some of your current or previous duties?
Are you happy working flexible hours?
What are your salary expectations?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Do you have any questions?

If you would like additional advice on how to best approach a telephone interview, please visit our Interview Tips Page.

We also encourage you to stop by our Candidate Advice section for more advice on preparing your CV and interviewing successfully.