It’s important that you prepare yourself for your next phone interview – and know what you are looking for from giving the interview. Here are six tips to keep in mind next time you’re taking part in a phone interview.
1. Use a Landline: If you can get access to a landline, it’s almost always a better option in terms of audio quality than your mobile, especially if your interview is for broadcast. Resist using your phone on speaker mode because it tends to produce inferior audio quality.
2. Find a Quiet Spot: An empty conference room where you won’t be distracted by your inbox, phone calls or other colleagues is the ideal environment.
3. Have Your Notes: Have your key messages/talking points in front of you to keep you focused.
4. Up the Energy: This tip is just as important for telephone interviews as it is for TV or Skype appearances. A journalist always prefers an interviewee who sounds enthused and with phone interviews, you’re 100 per cent reliant on the sound of your voice to do that.
5.“Sorry, Can I Just Say That Again?”: Most phone interviews are not live-to-air so if you feel like you haven’t expressed yourself clearly or said something this is incorrect, most journalists will be happy to allow you to restate your answer so that it’s accurate and clear.
6. “Is There Anything We Haven’t Canvassed that You Think is Important?”: If you’re asked something like that at the end of an interview, always seize the opportunity to reiterate your key points. I’ve asked interviewees that question thousands of times and they often produce a more succinct quote at the end of the interview.
If you’re nervous about your next phone interview, Media Success can help. Find out about the media training we provide here.