How to give the perfect telephone interview

You may be a whizz at the stove, or fabulous front of house, but if you have a terrible telephone manner you might never even get to interview stage never mind get the chance to show off your skills. That’s because at some point in your job-hunt you will probably be invited to give a telephone interview.

Why? Well, as you know, there’s a lot of competition for hospitality jobs abroad, particularly in tourist hotspots such as Dubai or growth areas such as China. On top of that, there’s the logistical difficulty of arranging interviews across the globe. It’s no wonder, then, that many employers abroad now view phone interviews as a practical method of screening UK applicants before investing in one-on-one interviews.

The first thing to remember is that telephone interviews can work in your favour. For a start, they can speed up the hiring cycle. They’re also your chance to show you’re worth inviting to a face-to-face interview.

That said, there’s evidence that 80% of jobs are won or lost during the first five minutes of the conversation, so you need to prepare thoroughly. Keep reading for advice on how to polish up your telephone skills, organise your ideas, deal with tricky questions and practise useful techniques to raise your chances of success.

Preparation

Rule number one is to make sure you’ve put the correct contact details on your CV. Needless to say, employers won’t waste time trying to contact you if you’ve changed your phone number or moved house.

In fact, you need to be on the ball from the moment you start applying for your job abroad, because a recruiter might call at any point to ask if you have a few minutes to talk. The key is to stay cool. If it isn't convenient, ask if you could talk at another time - and suggest some alternatives.

For this reason, it’s also important that you make sure your answer phone greeting is professional. An HR manager is unlikely to be inspired to leave a message regarding that high-powered executive chef role if they hear “I’m either out fishing, playing golf or at the bar… so leave a message”...

Last but not least, prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. Compile a list of your strengths and weaknesses, skills and achievements. Another smart move is to draw up a list of answers to typical interview questions and rehearse them…read on for examples...

Typical interview questions

· "What can you offer this company?" Use this as a chance to tell the employer about your relevant skills - but remember to keep your answer short and succinct. If you are applying for a general manager role at a new hotel in India, you might tell them: "I have strong financial acumen, previous experience in opening hotels and am keen to be involved in the new markets you are developing in Asia."

· What do you know about this hotel/restaurant? Make sure you have done your research using the internet and by flicking through industry publications such as Caterer & Hotelkeeper. Find out about the hotel or restaurant’s size, type of customer, style of cuisine and so on.

· Tell me a bit about yourself Don’t wax lyrical about your love-life, stay professional. They are assessing your communication skills and ability to think fast as much as your personality, so impress them by preparing a list of your responsibilities in your most recent job, your skills, and a summary of your career and how your experience will benefit the job you’ve applied for.

· Why have you applied for this job? They really want to hear why you want to work for the company, so do some research on the internet and re-emphasise your suitability for the position.

· What do you enjoy about your current job? The knack is to link what you enjoy with the key skills needed for the role you are applying for. Go one better and mention that you want to expand your experience in these areas.

· Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? This time-honoured question requires a well-thought-out answer. Demonstrate that your long term goals are a natural progression from the position they are offering – and underline your commitment to them.

Watch out for tricky questions

· Why did you leave your last job? Always respond positively along the lines of: “I wanted to advance my career,” or I am looking for better opportunities for promotion,” or “I want more responsibility and variety in my job."

· What would you say were your weaknesses? Everyone knows that this is an opportunity to turn the question into a positive. Think of something that relates to your experience of work that is plausible as a weakness but is not really a negative point. For instance, "Some people think I am too obsessed about giving perfect service", or "I get too absorbed in sourcing seasonal produce for new menus".

· A request for confidential information about your previous employer Never get drawn into this as your discretion and professionalism will then be under question. You can always lightly point out that they would expect you to be equally discreet about them.

· Describe how you have dealt with conflict in the workplace This type of question aims to find out how you behave under pressure. Describe a difficult experience from a past job, but keep it professional and positive – try to illustrate how you learned from the experience

· Were you forced to leave your last job? If you’ve had a bad experience such as redundancy, sexual harassment, or clashes with colleagues, you will be asked about them either at the telephone interview stage or later in the formal interview. Always be honest, positive, and avoid criticising former employers or expressing grudges.

Prepare your own questions

Remember, the interview is a two-way process so you are entitled to ask a few questions at the end. It also underlines your interest in the job and gives you a chance to demonstrate that you’ve done some research on the position and the company. To this end, you could ask them to confirm your understanding of a particular operation at the hotel or restaurant.

Other questions could include:

Could you confirm what is the main focus of this role?
Will the position also involve liaising with the kitchen brigade/front of house team/sales team?
What level of budget is allocated to the department and how is it controlled?


Practise your telephone skills



It doesn’t matter whether you work back-of-house or front-of-house, employers in the hospitality industry want staff with personality who can communicate confidently and comfortably. So, you can bet they are going to be assessing your interpersonal skills. It’s crucial, therefore, to assess your telephone style and correct bad speech habits. Either get a friend to ring and ask mock interview questions or tape yourself giving answers.



So what to watch out for? Well, don’t fall into the trap of thinking a telephone interview is casual. It’s important that you sound professional and confident throughout the call. It’s also crucial that you don’t start waffling; neither should you just give yes or no answers. And watch out for those dreaded ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’. You don’t have to speak like the Queen, but you do need to enunciate clearly and avoid using slang or fillers such as ‘like’ and ‘you know’.

What you do need to do is to project a positive attitude - which admittedly is a bit difficult as the interviewer can’t see your body language. Ironically, a foolproof technique is to smile while you talk as it helps to convey enthusiasm.



The interview

For the interview itself, you need to be comfortable. Research shows that people often sound more professional when standing up, but if you feel less stressed sitting down then go with that. Either way, you need to sort it out before the interview itself.

Strange as it sounds, it’s also a good idea to dress smartly. Obviously the telephone interviewer can’t see you, but it’s harder to feel - and therefore sound - professional if you’re wearing your gym kit.

If you are being interviewed over your landline, don’t forget to switch off your mobile phone and disable the call-waiting feature on your telephone. Never use speaker-phone. If you use a cordless phone make sure the batteries are charged but always avoid using a mobile phone as poor reception can ruin what might otherwise have been a good interview. It’s also important that you choose a room that is free of distractions.

At the start of the phone interview, confirm the caller’s name and company and jot down their telephone number. It’s a good idea to create a phone interview log as a record and keep a notebook handy. Only use first names if they ask you to.

In short:

Smile because it makes you sound more positive
Give short, clear answers and never interrupt
Don’t use a mobile phone and never put the interviewer on hold or speaker phone
Find a comfortable area away from distractions


Use notes

Of course, the great advantage of the interviewer not being able to see you is that you can spread out your notes and pull up the hotel or resort website. Use memory aids such as flashcards to remind you of key achievements, questions, and so on. Jot down some short phrases in bullet point form to remind you of a particular challenge. Make sure you can talk about how you dealt with it and what results you achieved. It’s not a good idea to rehearse too much, though, as you will sound unnatural.

Keep a copy of your CV close, too, so you can look up details of past employment, training or work experience.

In short: Pull up the company website on your computer in advance of the call and spread your notes around you – including your CV





Dealing with tricky moments

Perhaps the most uncomfortable telephone moments are silences. If you’ve finished answering a question, but the interviewer hasn’t asked you another one, don’t be tempted to fill the gap with garbled chatter. If it does drag on, you could always ask the interviewer a related question about the job.

Try not to cough or sneeze during the interview. If it’s unavoidable, say ‘excuse me’. It goes without saying that you don’t eat during the interview and if you need water, sip it silently.

In short: Keep your answers concise and relevant – don’t fill in awkward silences with waffle

If you are hearing impaired

You need to email the employer beforehand if you are hard of hearing. Most interviewers will be happy to make alternative arrangements to accommodate your condition.



At the end…

Don’t forget to ask what the next step in the process is and thank the interviewer by name. It’s also a good idea to follow up with a thank you letter, to confirm your interest in the job.

Another handy tip is to quickly job down some notes about what you were asked and how you answered as soon as you put the phone down. That way, you can learn how to improve your telephone interview technique.

If you follow this advice and stay calm, you will sail through even the toughest phone interview.



Interview tips and advice



How to handle an interview



It’s what you’ve been working towards - you’ve written the perfect CV and cover letter and you’ve made it through to interview stage.



Now what?



Well, now is your chance to show your prospective employer exactly why they should give you the job. Obviously, as you are applying for a job abroad the stakes are high. It could be that the employer has flown over to the UK to do a series of interviews. Or maybe they have flown you over to meet them. Either way, there is a lot riding on how well you conduct yourself, so read on for some useful tips on what to do – and what not to do…



Dealing with nerves



Unless you are a stunningly cool person, you will inevitably feel nervous before an interview. Unfortunately, none of us perform naturally or creatively when we are anxious, but the good news is that there are techniques you can use before and during the interview to combat nerves.


Just before the interview, clench your left fist for 30 seconds or more. This activates circuits in the brain's right hemisphere that enhance your ability to reach decisions and calm unpleasant emotions.

Then, visualise what you want to achieve in two years' time. This will help you to crystallise what your ambitions are and you’ll find that your anxiety will lessen and your confidence will increase.



It also helps if you rehearse giving answers to questions that relate to your attributes, limitations, preferences and values – but visualise the person asking the questions as being someone you trust and like.






Get your body language under control



Yes, it’s true. Actions speak louder than words. If you gesticulate wildly, twitch, avoid eye contact, jut your chin or behave in any other exaggerated way you will undoubtedly create an unattractive – and possibly unfair – image of your self.



Body language is used to express both conscious and subconscious thoughts, and can be as warm as a friendly glance - or as rude as turning your back on someone. It’s crucial, therefore, that you understand how to use your body language to positive effect.



One trick is to ask a friend to identify any peculiar habits you might have – watch out for tapping feet, drumming fingers or playing with your hair. If you’ve got time, get your friend to video you giving a mock interview. That way you will see how your body language changes when you are under pressure or answering tricky questions.



Confident people tend to have an open, friendly manner so another technique is to observe their behaviour – and then emulate it. Usually this method helps you to avoid sending mixed messages, too.



During the interview, you can create rapport with the interviewer by maintaining good eye contact and looking interested and alert. Don’t stare, though, as you will end up coming across as mad, bad or dangerous to know. Some experts also advise mirroring the way your interviewer is sitting and breathing but you need to be careful that you don’t get caught out.



Above all, don’t sway, tap your feet or hands, or touch your face, and avoid playing with pens, paper or anything else unnecessary as these all betray your nerves.



Last but not least, practise your handshake. You need to aim for a cool hand, firm grasp and good eye contact to create the best impression.



In short:

Smile when you enter the interview room and maintain lots of eye contact throughout the interview
Give a firm handshake as this shows you are confident
Wait to be offered a seat and allow your interviewer to sit first
If you are offered a drink it is wise to accept water as you can sip it if you dry up and it’s less fiddly than tea or coffee
Look and sound enthusiastic and alert
Maintain an open upright sitting position and lean forward slightly
Speak clearly and loudly
Think before answering questions. Listen carefully and don’t talk too much
Keep a comfortable distance from your interviewer
Do not slouch, fidget, scratch you ears or cover your mouth with your hands or fingers - or cross your arms in front of you


Dress to impress
Although the interviewer is assessing you on your CV, experience and skills they will nevertheless form an opinion almost immediately based on your dress and body language. We’ve already shown you how to improve your body language, but it’s crucial if you are going for a job in the hospitality industry that you are well presented with crisply ironed clothes, combed hair, polished shoes, clean nails and so on. If the journey to the interview is likely to be long and sticky, check out in advance if there is a public facility nearby where you can wash and change before the interview.



Take note that no matter how casual the operation is, you should always dress smartly and professionally for the interview. If you dress to show respect you will be respected in turn.

In short
Dress professionally. An interviewer will respond more positively to you and an employer is more likely to recruit someone who will best represent their company
Ensure you have clean shoes, hair, nails and so on


Plan your Journey
You really don’t want to arrive late for your interview. If you are nervous beforehand, just imagine how stressed you’ll be if you can’t find the address or miss that vital train – which is quite likely in an unfamiliar country or city. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to make sure no such disaster occurs.

The main thing is to get clear directions either from checking the hotel or restaurant’s details on the internet or from the HR department. Then plan your route, factoring in extra time for any potential delays.

It will also help if you aim to arrive at the interview 10 minutes early, this will prove your punctuality and time-keeping skills, as well as giving you time to freshen up and gather your thoughts.

Make sure you have the name and contact number of the person you are reporting to for interview. This avoids any unprofessional confusion when you arrive and also means that if for some unforeseen reason you are delayed, you can immediately ring to apologise and explain. Should it be obvious that you will arrive very late, you may need to reconfirm that they still want you to keep the appointment. If they don’t, suggest other dates and times when you are available.

The interview
It would be very unusual if the interviewer didn’t spend a few minutes asking you about your journey, the traffic, the weather or other pleasantries before kicking into the formal interview. Be aware that although it helps you both to relax, this informal chat is still part of the interview and you will be assessed on the way you answer.

A big mistake many people make at this stage is to become over familiar or over friendly. You’ll also get off to a bad start if you they ramble on about how you got lost or stuck in terrible traffic. It’s much better to give short, friendly answers that hint at how well organized you are. For instance, by all means mention that the traffic was bad, but add that you had already factored that into planning your journey so it worked out well.

As you are applying for an international job, it is likely that you are being interviewed for a senior position. In that case, it is not unreasonable to address the interviewer by their first name if they use yours – or at least ask them how they would like to be addressed. If in doubt, don’t address your interviewer by their first name even if they use yours. The culture in many countries outside the UK - not to mention in large hotel groups – is formal, so it can be safer to use Mr, Mrs or Ms or any other relevant title depending on the nationality of your interviewer.

Be reassured that an interview isn't all about giving the right answers - in many cases there isn't a one. What’s more important is that you come across as confident, genuine and, of course, talented.

In short

Be confident and sell yourself without being arrogant
Let the interviewer lead the interview
Remember to switch off your mobile




Typical interview questions



No matter how senior you are, it pays to do some preparation before the interview. To help you consolidate what you can offer your prospective employer, compile a list of your strengths and weaknesses, skills and achievements. Another smart move is to draw up a list of answers to typical interview questions and rehearse them.



If you don’t understand a question, ask them to rephrase it - most interviewers understand this. If you are asked a question you do not know the answer to, or if you don’t have experience in that area you could explain that it is an area where you are developing your skills. Usually the interviewer will respect your honesty.

Those of you applying for decision-making role may be asked your opinion on relevant issues. For instance, a hotel may have a policy about being environmentally sound, while a restaurant may have policies on sourcing local produce or using Freetrade suppliers. This is where your company research and interview preparation will save the day.

Read on for examples of questions they might ask and how you could best answer...



What can you offer this company?
Use this as a chance to tell the employer about your relevant skills - but remember to keep your answer short and succinct. If you are applying for a sales director role for a hotel group expanding in Asia, for instance, you might tell them: "I have a proven record in sales and considerable experience of developing new business for luxury hotels, so I am looking forward to bringing my expertise to Asia.”



What do you know about this hotel/restaurant?
Make sure you have done your research using the internet and by reading industry publications such as Caterer & Hotelkeeper. Find out about the hotel or restaurant’s size, type of customer, style of cuisine and so on.



Tell me a bit about yourself
Don’t wax lyrical about your views on US foreign policy, stay professional. They are assessing your communication skills and ability to think fast as much as your personality, so impress them by preparing a list of your responsibilities in your most recent job, your skills, and a summary of your career and how your experience will benefit the job you’ve applied for. Don't be limited by the information you provided in your CV. There may be things that you didn't include but could be relevant to the role.



Why have you applied for this job? They really want to hear what value you can add to the role and why you want to work for the company, so do some research on the internet and re-emphasise your suitability for the position.

· What do you enjoy about your current job? The knack is to link what you enjoy with the key skills needed for the role you are applying for. Go one better and mention that you want to expand your experience in these areas.



· Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? This time-honoured question requires a well-thought-out answer. Demonstrate that your long term goals are a natural progression from the position they are offering – and underline your commitment to them.



Other questions you may be asked include:
Why do you want to pursue an international career?
Have you experience of living and working away from home?
How do you respond to working under pressure?
Do you like to work in a team or by yourself?
What are you looking for in a company?
What do you do in your spare time?
How did you get on with your other colleagues
What do you think you will do if you do not get this job
What other jobs are you applying for and why those jobs
What makes you tick
What motivates you


Watch out for tricky questions

The key with difficult questions is to put a positive spin on your answers – and to be honest but discreet. Remember that many countries don’t have the same laws on equal opportunities so you may also be asked about your age, family life or other personal details. Here are some commonly asked questions:

Why did you leave your last job? Always respond positively along the lines of: “I wanted to advance my career,” or I am looking for better opportunities for promotion,” or “I want more responsibility and variety in my job." Make sure that you can give positive explanations for any gaps in employment or where you have only stayed in a job for a short time
· What would you say were your weaknesses? Everyone knows that this is an opportunity to turn the question into a positive. Think of something that relates to your experience of work that is plausible as a weakness but is not really a negative point. For instance, "Some people think I am too obsessed about giving perfect service", or "I get too absorbed in sourcing seasonal produce for new menus".

· A request for confidential information about your previous employer Never get drawn into this as your discretion and professionalism will then be under question. You can always lightly point out that they would expect you to be equally discreet about them.

· Describe how you have dealt with conflict in the workplace This type of question aims to find out how you behave under pressure. Describe a difficult experience from a past job, but keep it professional and positive – try to illustrate how you learned from the experience

· Were you forced to leave your last job? If you’ve had a bad experience such as redundancy, sexual harassment, or clashes with colleagues, you will be asked about them either at the telephone interview stage or later in the formal interview. Always be honest, positive, and avoid criticising former employers or expressing grudges.

Prepare your own questions

Remember, the interview is a two-way process. This is your chance to find out if the company and job is the right fit for you, so you are entitled to ask a few questions at the end. It also underlines that you are taking the interview seriously and confirms your interest in the job.

Now is a good time to mention any relevant strengths that you feel have not been revealed through the interviewer’s questions. You could, for instance, ask if it would it be helpful to expand on, say, your knowledge of wine if you are applying for an F&B role. Use the time to show that you have researched the company.

It is a good idea, therefore, to have a few questions prepared. If the interviewer has already covered areas that you were going to ask questions about, you can ask for confirmation on certain points – which at least shows you are interested and paying attention.

To help you, here’s a list of possible questions:

Could you confirm my understanding of the main focus of this role?
Will the position also involve liaising with the kitchen brigade/front of house team/sales team?
What level of budget is allocated to the department and how is it controlled?
How does the department fit into the company as a whole?
How long was the last post-holder in the position?
Can you tell me more about the company culture?
What sort of training or career development is on offer?
When will I become eligible for further training
What opportunities are there for promotion?
How long has the interviewer been with the company?
Why is this such a good company to work for?


Questions to avoid

· Don’t ask about the salary, benefits or holidays at the first interview but be ready to discuss these if your interviewer brings them up.

In short

Be prepared. Research the company and prepare some questions
Give clear and concise answers
Think about the question before answering
Red alerts
It is important that you don’t:

Arrive late
Lead the interview
Show a lack of knowledge about the company and the role
Start to waffle if there are periods of silence
Lie or exaggerate about your experience and qualifications
Be vague in any of your answers incase it makes you look shifty
Give over-long answers - if you feel the interviewer is not satisfied with your answer ask them if they want you to expand
Discuss the salary at your first interview unless it is specifically discussed with you
Criticise previous employers or jobs
Get into an argument with the interviewer
Give answers to questions that are not asked
Lose concentration or fidget
Leave your mobile phone switched on




Telephone Interviews
Telephone interviews are frequently used when applying for jobs abroad as they can help to eliminate people in the early stages before arranging potentially costly face-to-face interviews. For detailed advice, click through to XXX

Panel Interviews
This might sound daunting if you haven’t experienced one before, but if you remember a few key points you will be fine.

On the whole, it isn’t much different to a one-to-one interview. When you are introduced to everyone, make a mental note of their roles and identify who you would be working for. Then just remember to try to address everyone when answering each question. Stay calm, answer clearly and honestly and don’t forget to include illustrations of your skills in your answers.



After the interview


It’s clearly up to the interviewer to wrap up the interview but don’t forget to ask what the next stage is and when you can expect a decision.



Hospitality is a small world so if you decide you do not want the job it is important either to let the interviewer know during the interview or to write immediately afterwards.



Similarly, if you are still interested in the job you should send a note explaining that you enjoyed the interview and confirm your interest. Incidentally, this is a good opportunity to draw attention to any skills that perhaps you forgot to mention in the interview. So, you could say: “I have given some thought to what you said about handling budgets and …”



If you haven’t heard within a few weeks, by all means make a follow-up phone call to check progress - but don’t seem to be pestering.



In short:

Allow the interviewer to wrap up the interview
Thank the interviewer and confirm your interest in the company and the role
Alternatively, thank the interviewer and politely explain that you don’t feel the position is right for you


If you don’t get the job

It’s hard to believe that you won’t get the job if you’ve got the right skills and you follow this advice. If the unthinkable happens, however, use the experience to assess where you could improve your interview technique.



Try to identify any factors that may have contributed to the outcome, such as lack of preparation or nerves. You can ask the interviewer for feedback and use any tips they give in future interviews.

If you would still like to work for the hotel, restaurant or contract caterer there is no harm in sending them a letter explaining that although you have not been successful on this occasion you would like to be considered for other related roles.

What you mustn’t do is become depressed or take it personally – let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition for international hospitality jobs so you have done very well to get to interview stage.

If you don't want the job

You might be in the happy position of getting several job offers, you might be given a job offer that you decide you don’t want, or you might change your mind about the company before you hear back from them. In each case, it is important that you get in touch immediately, ideally by telephone or email, explaining politely and professionally that you won’t be able to accept the position.



Top tip
If you get called to second interview or accept a job offer, it might be useful to ask some questions about your colleagues during the process. This will help to prepare you for the first few days in the job when you will need to be sensitive to who does what in the department and be aware of other issues.

You could, for instance, find out how long each team member has been at the company, what positions they’ve held, where they’ve worked in the past and what the hierarchy is. If you are at managerial level, you may also want to know if there is any romance or bad feeling between members of the team. Try to be subtle by slipping questions into the conversation rather than sounding that you are launching an inquest.

Good luck …