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Remote Interviews: How to Make Connections Over the Phone

When working with a staffing recruiter like those at JSG, it is common for the hiring process to be handled over the phone. If you are interviewing for jobs over the phone like this, some opportunities to show warmth and connection are lost. Read on for some ways to make connections with recruiters when they can only hear your voice.

Choose a good environment.

It can be easy to unintentionally get a little more casual when an interview is over the phone. Generally, recruiters are forgiving if your dog starts barking or there is street noise outside your office window. Those things are often out of your control. However, it is important that you find the quietest space available for your meeting. Make sure you have a good phone connection—do not sit in that one corner of your house where calls always drop. Having a clear voice coming from your end of the phone call shows the recruiter that you are on the ball and care about speaking with them!

Show you are engaged.

You have probably found yourself nodding along emphatically when you are on the phone with someone, only to realize that they cannot see/feel your agreement. Show you are engaged in what they are telling you by saying things like, “Oh,” “Hm,” or “Yes” as they explain things to you over the phone. When they pause, make sure to allow a couple of seconds before answering just in case they have not finished their thought. The last thing you want to do is talk over each other throughout the interview. Not only does this keep you from talking over each other, but it shows that you are truly listening to what your recruiter is saying.

Show emotion through your voice.

In an in-person interview, the interviewer could sense excitement or warmth through the interviewee’s body language. Over the phone, we do not have that luxury. Make sure to communicate these emotions through your voice! If you are interested in or excited about the position, your recruiter needs to know. Staying monotone can be interpreted as being cold or uninterested. Let them know there is a human on the other end of the line!

Are you looking to speak with a recruiter now? Check out our open positions here or learn more about JSG here.

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