Successful phone interview and screening questions
Hiring Success GlossaryWhat Is a Phone Screen Interview?
Initial phone screens or interviews are a great opportunity to start honing in on just the right candidate and eliminate people who don’t fit the job. They’re also a key part of the process of “selling” both the job and the organization. Typically, these interviews last about 15 to 20 minutes. These interviews can take place via telephone or on a video conferencing tool like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Below, we take a look at common phone screening questions, tips for a successful phone screen, how to streamline and improve the process, and more.Table of contents
Screening question categories
The sections below outline the core categories for phone screening questions.Background questions
Background questions offer a chance to learn about a candidate’s work history, especially anything is missing or unclear from their resume, application, or bio. These questions also help employers verify that candidates have the requisite skills, experience, and qualifications for the position. Common background questions include:- Tell us about your employment history.
- What were your responsibilities in your last job?
- What major challenges did you face in your last position, and how did you address them?
- Behavioral questions that uncover key skills needed for the role. For example:
- Conflict resolution: Tell me about a time you had a disagreement at work. Persuasion: Tell me about a time you had to convince your manager or colleagues of something.
- Why are you leaving your current position?
- If offered the job, when could you start?
New job requirements & responsibilities
Moving beyond the candidate’s past history, employers can now gauge the candidate’s qualifications for, interest in, and plans for the potential new role. Common questions in this category of job interviews include:- Are you still interested in this position?
- Why do you want this job?
- What experience in your background is most relevant to this role?
- What attracts you to this position and our organization?
- The requirements for this position include x, y, and z. Briefly describe how you meet each of these requirements.
- What is your biggest professional accomplishment, and how do you think it pertains to this position?
- The position requires you to be in the office on certain days of the week. Is that OK with you?
Screening questions about the candidate
After an interviewer inquires about a candidate’s background and verifies that they meet all of the qualifications for the position, phone screens typically transition to questions about the candidates’ expectations, career plans, and ideal work environment.- What is your ideal work environment?
- What kind of management style do you prefer, or what has worked best for you?
- How do you see tackling this role? What are some of the initial steps you would take during your first week, month, or three months?
- What are your salary range expectations at your next position?
Industry/job-specific questions
While the above lists cover the general questions asked in a phone interview, each corporate function has its own set of questions tailored to the profession. For example:- Project Managers: What management tools and strategies do you employ? How do you quantify performance, relative to your competitors? How much money have you saved your company in your current position?
- Sales Managers: How do you measure performance? How do you measure your team’s and your own performance?
- Salespersons: What is the greatest obstacle in closing a sale and how do you handle it?
- Managers: Describe your management style.
Interview questions for the employer
Here are some questions that job seekers commonly ask during interviews.About the Job
- What does a typical day look like in this position?
- What are the short- and long-term goals for a new hire in this position?
- What will some of the biggest challenges be in the job?
- How will artificial intelligence be used in the job?
About the Organization
- Why do you enjoy working here?
- How would you describe the organizational culture?
- What are the company's goals, both short and long term?
- What have been the most significant recent challenges the organization has faced?
- How is artificial intelligence affecting the organization?
About the Hiring Process
- What are the next steps in the hiring process?
- When can I expect to hear back from you?
Screening interview red flags
Here is a list of red flags for the phone screen. Employers should be on the lookout for these common behaviors, which indicate a candidate might not be the best fit for a role.- Lack of enthusiasm. Disinterest in the interview may mean a lack of enthusiasm for the position.
- No questions for the interviewer. No interest in learning more about the position and the company could mean no interest in the position or the company.
- Distractions during the phone call or video interview. A lack of focus could mean a lack of interest. It could also be indicative of the candidate’s work ethic.
- Negative comments about former employers. Criticizing former employees shows a lack of professionalism. It also shows, potentially, an inability to take responsibility for professional missteps. However, some corporate cultures can be “toxic” or very difficult workplaces with poor managers, and it is reasonable for candidates to acknowledge that.
- Too much focus on money, benefits, and perks. Employers are looking for someone who is passionate about joining their organization and filling the available role, not just looking for the best salary, vacation policy, work benefits, etc. However, it is understandable for candidates to ask about internal mobility and opportunities for a future with the organization.
- Other inappropriate behavior. Swearing or inappropriate comments are signs that a candidate is not right to join an organization.
Tips for a successful phone screening process
If you are a recruiter advising or coaching an employee preparing for a phone screen, here are some tips you can provide. For interviewees
- Make sure they know the job description backward and forward.
- Know their resume backward and forward as well.
- Be concise in their answers.
- Be straightforward.
- Always follow up with a thank you note or email.
- Show that they have researched the company.
- Have anecdotes/stories and data to back up any points.
For interviewers
Here are tips for interviewers conducting a video or phone screening interview.- Schedule a specific date and time for the interviews to take place.
- Send candidates email/calendar invitations and reminders to verify the interview.
- Prepare your questions. Make sure they are clear and easy to understand.
- Test your technology ahead of time to avoid any hiccups.
- Test your room to make sure it is quiet and devoid of any noisy distractions.
- Ask follow-up questions as needed.
- Take brief notes during the interview and more detailed ones afterwards.
- Compare notes with those of the rest of the hiring team.
How to streamline and improve the phone screen interview process
Many employers are turning to new technologies to reduce the time spent on phone screening and provide a better experience for candidates. Technology can help best-fit candidates move more quickly to a conversation with the hiring manager. Here are a couple of the ways employers are improving initial phone screening.- Conditional screening questions: Including questions that were previously handled during phone screen interviews on job application forms eliminates the need to ask those questions again on the phone. For example, if a job requires an employee to work Sundays and have a valid driver’s licence, these questions can be asked via the application rather than during an interview.
- Recruiting chatbots: Chatbots or conversational AI can be programmed to have candidates answer screening questions via SMS, WhatsApp, or on the web. By the time the candidate submits their application, they will already know more about the role and have answered key questions that make them eligible for the role.
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