Technical recruiters conduct phone interviews and phone screens almost every day. Before a face-to-face interview, phone interviews are a wonderful approach to judging ideal candidates. Phone interviews have many advantages, even if they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. They’re quick and simple to set up and provide just the appropriate amount of information to start hiring your tech talents, but only if they know what questions to ask in interviews!
These initial phone screens help companies gauge a candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit with the Company Culture. Recruiters often ask Common Interview Questions to assess technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities. The job interview process typically starts with a phone screen, followed by coding assessments and in-person interviews for shortlisted candidates.
How to Conduct an Effective Phone Interview: Questions to Ask in Interviews?
When doing phone interviews, it’s critical not to get carried away. Remember that they are meant to be used as a screening tool to determine who should be invited for a face-to-face interview. You don’t need to know everything about your candidate’s life. The best policy is to ask simple questions.
Candidates are often nervous, which can lead to an awkward conversation in which you don’t acquire the information you need about your candidate. Introduce yourself, explain how long the interview will run, and how it will be structured to put interviewees at ease.
What Type of Questions to Ask in Interviews?
Since phone interviews lack visual engagement, they are unsuitable for difficult inquiries that demand lengthy responses. Of course, you want your applicants to be thorough in their responses, but avoid asking any questions that would cause them to wrinkle their brows.
Here are some of the best phone interview questions to ask candidates, according to our knowledge:
1. Tell me a bit about yourself
While this question appears to be easy, it has an essential purpose. First, it relaxes the candidate by stating that the Questions to ask in interviews are simple and that they should expect it. Second, your interviewee will almost certainly bring up anything they are most enthusiastic about or proud of regarding the role, which will assist in orienting the conversation.
This phone behavioral interview question is likely to elicit a wide range of responses. Some applicants may focus on their professional background and relevant expertise, while others will discuss personal aspects that will help you get a better sense of who they are.
2. What made you apply for this position?
Does your candidate appear to be interested in the position? Keep an eye out (not literally) for passionate responses. Rather than someone who sounds uninterested and apathetic, you want an applicant who is genuinely interested in being hired by you. Genuine enthusiasm demonstrates that your prospect is confident in their ability to excel in the work.
Look for a candidate who exhibits interest in the responsibilities necessary for the specific function rather than the company’s more secondary benefits, such as the excellent snack room or team outings.
3. What can you tell me about yourself that isn’t on your CV that I should know?
This question demonstrates to the candidate that you are interested in who they are as a person, not just what a piece of paper says. It also challenges the candidate to avoid relying on their CV as a crutch, forcing them to think more carefully about their greatest strengths.
You could want to use this question as an icebreaker at the beginning of a phone interview, but you can also use it halfway through the interview if you feel the candidate’s answers are stiff and you want to unearth some deeper depths of their personality.
4. How would you describe your work style?
What if your applicant claims that they prefer collaborative, sociable environments, but the position they are seeking involves a lot of independent work? Although this may not be a deal-breaker, it is important to know early on whether or not this person would be the greatest fit for the work style required to flourish in this role. Ideally, the interviewee will outline a work style that corresponds to your needs.
5. What do you consider to be the most significant skill you’ve acquired in your current position? What’s one thing you’d like to get better at?
You might want the candidate to say something like: “In my previous job, I have learnt a lot about programming, but there’s still room for more in this area.”
Another good response could be as follows: “That’s why, at the moment, I’m seeking a job that will provide me with abundant opportunities and space to learn even more–perhaps you’re the right person for the job!”
While the responses can vary greatly, you should look at the candidate’s core strengths, weaknesses, and plans to overcome them.
6. Why do you want to leave your current company?
You’ll also want to know why the candidate’s present employment is unsatisfactory so you can assess how your organization might be able to fill the vacuum. This also reflects their personality. This isn’t a good sign if they say, “I’m quitting my current job because I don’t really enjoy the individuals I work with.”
While this may be accurate, it suggests that they may have difficulty getting along with others. Instead, search for a candidate who wants a more challenging post or one that allows them to pursue their professional interests. Hopefully, they will find this employment a better fit for them, and you will express that.
Note: Most likely, after this question, you can ask questions about salary or salary expectations. Do check the salary range for different software engineering roles.
Ask Great Questions, Get Great Answers
Phone interviews and screenings are the beginning of a candidate’s journey with your organization, so it’s important to make sure it’s off to a good start by asking the right questions in interviews. You can learn more about your candidates and improve their experience by asking clever and relevant questions to ask in interviews like these.
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