Before the Call

  1. 1

    Research the company thoroughly

    Read the company website, recent news, their social media and any Glassdoor reviews. Know: what the company does, their main products or services, their mission and values, and any recent significant news (new products, expansions, challenges). Demonstrating genuine knowledge of the company is one of the biggest differentiators.

  2. 2

    Re-read the job description carefully

    Identify the 3–5 most important requirements. Prepare a specific example from your experience for each one. The STAR method works well: Situation, Task, Action, Result — keep each answer under 2 minutes.

  3. 3

    Prepare for common questions

    Have answers ready for: Tell me about yourself (2-minute professional summary). Why do you want this role? What are your strengths? Describe a challenge you overcame. Where do you see yourself in 3 years? Practise saying these out loud — hearing yourself matters.

  4. 4

    Prepare 2–3 questions to ask them

    Interviewers always ask if you have questions. Having none signals low interest. Good questions: What does success look like in this role in the first 90 days? What are the biggest challenges facing the team right now? What do you enjoy most about working here?

  5. 5

    Test your phone and find a quiet spot

    Charge your phone fully. Test the call quality from the spot you plan to use. Find somewhere private with no background noise and good signal. Inform anyone else in the space not to interrupt.

During the Call

  1. 6

    Stand or sit up straight

    Your posture directly affects your voice — slouching makes you sound quieter and less confident. Standing while on the call makes many people sound and feel more energetic and engaged.

  2. 7

    Smile and speak clearly

    Smiling while you speak is detectable over the phone and makes you sound warmer and more enthusiastic. Speak slightly slower than you normally would — nerves tend to speed people up. Pause before answering complex questions — silence while thinking is fine.

  3. 8

    Have your notes in front of you

    Unlike a video interview, you can refer to notes. Have your CV, key bullet points about your experience, the job description and your prepared questions in front of you — just do not read from them robotically.

Follow up within 24 hoursSend a brief thank you email to the interviewer (or recruiter who arranged it) within 24 hours. Reference something specific from the conversation. This simple step differentiates you from most candidates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually 20–45 minutes. A first-round screening call with a recruiter is often 15–20 minutes. A more substantive first interview with the hiring manager runs 30–45 minutes. If you are asked questions that go well beyond your preparation, that is a good sign — they are interested.
Be honest — say you are not sure but here is how you would approach finding out, or relate it to a similar experience. Interviewers know no candidate has every answer. Bluffing confidently with wrong information is far worse than admitting uncertainty and demonstrating reasoning ability.