1. Match to your qualifications

A phone interview allows you to dig deeper into each applicant’s qualifications. You can use the call to review the qualifications and experience they listed on their resume or application. It’s also a chance to make sure their qualifications are valid and valuable. You might ask for more details about a previous role that seems similar to your job opening. The candidate should be able to speak confidently on their previous experience and qualifications.

When looking for a match with your qualifications, don’t overlook the value of transferable skills. Even if a strong candidate hasn’t held a similar position, they might have skills that could work in this role. Examples of transferable skills include problem-solving, technical ability, analytical, critical thinking and management.

2. Interest in the position

Job seekers often apply to lots of jobs, even ones they might not consider the most exciting opportunities. This might mean a candidate you like isn’t actually all that interested in your company or position. Or maybe they heard from another organization sooner and already found a new position there. It can save you time in the interviewing process if you confirm the applicant’s interest and availability.

3. Excitement and attitude

During an in-person interview, you can look at visible demeanor and facial expressions to get an idea of how excited someone is about the opportunity. Phone interviews can also give you a chance to evaluate excitement and overall attitude. Look for someone who’s professional and attentive on the phone.

Listen for their tone of voice and inflection. Their responses can also give you clues. Do they seem ambitious, excited and grateful for the opportunity, or do they seem bored and disinterested? Nerves can affect how someone comes across, but candidates who are energized by the opportunity could be strong contenders.

4. Communication skills

No matter what the position, communication skills are often important. A phone interview gives you an immediate way to evaluate a candidate’s verbal skills. Pay attention to how well the person listens to what you say and whether they respond logically. Listen to how they form their thoughts and express their answers to you. Their tone of voice can also give you clues about their communication style and skills.

Keep in mind that interviews are stressful for many people, and it’s not always as easy to communicate over the phone. However, your employees likely face stressful and demanding situations at work. For instance, they might need to place phone calls regularly. So the phone interview can be a real-world evaluation if similar situations will be part of the job.

5. Compatible salary range

It’s important to find out if salary expectations align upfront rather than later on down the line. Consider telling the candidate what salary range you can offer for the position and if that aligns with what they’re looking for.

6. Culture add

Your company culture affects the overall work environment and employee satisfaction.Many companies look for a culture match. They prioritize candidates who are similar to other employees and who will fit in well. However, evaluating candidates for culture add can be more beneficial. This approach looks for candidates who have something new and valuable to add to the team. It can help improve your team’s diversity and add new skills and talents to the roster. Adding a few cultural interview questions to your list can help you assess whether they will add to the company culture. You can also pick up on personality traits and other factors to determine what the candidate could add to the team.

7. Thought processes

You can get an idea of how a candidate thinks during the phone interview. Do they understand the questions you’re asking and come up with thoughtful responses that answer the questions? You can often see how they approach problems and how they use critical thinking skills based on the questions you ask. For instance, you might ask how they would handle a particular problem or tricky situation.

You can also see what they prioritize and how they approach tasks. For instance, you might notice that they’re very direct with clear black-and-white thought processes. Understanding how candidates think through situations can help you decide if they would be a good fit for the position.

8. Motivation

Use the phone conversation to look for the person’s motivation. Do they seem genuinely excited about the opportunities your company offers or are they only in it for the perks? Are they motivated to grow and improve their skills or are they happy maintaining their current skills? Looking at their motivation can help you anticipate how they might grow and improve within the role.

Tips for spotting the phone interview signs you’re looking for

These tips can make it easier to spot phone interview signs you expect to see from strong candidates.

• Create a checklist. Having a checklist of the traits you want to see in phone interviewees can help guide the process. It helps you remain aware of those characteristics and allows you to check things off or write notes about what you notice from the phone interview job candidate.
• Ask the same questions. To compare candidates fairly, create a standard list of phone interview questions you ask everyone. Create the questions to get the information you want based on the phone interview signs you expect to see.
• Have others sit in on the interview. You might have one or more other people in the interview to give you a more well-rounded analysis of the candidates. This can allow you to focus on the answers while someone else looks for subtle clues such as tone of voice. Sharing your opinions after the interview can help you reach a consensus.
• Allow plenty of time. Schedule the interviews so you’re not rushed. This gives you and the candidates plenty of time to answer questions fully. Some candidates might take a little time to warm up due to nerves. By not rushing, you give them time to show who they truly are so you can better understand how they’ll help your team.
• Ask follow-up questions. If you get a gut feeling about something, good or bad, follow up with more questions to clarify. You can discover more details to either confirm your suspicions or get a different perspective on the person. This helps you avoid making a knee-jerk reaction to a candidate based on something you misinterpret.

Keep in mind that looking for phone interview signs is one way to decide who moves on to the next phase. You’ll go more in depth during the subsequent interview phase, when you can follow up on characteristics you noticed in the phone interview.