Make a Great Impression
Depending on the role you apply for and your location your first interview will either be face-to-face or over the telephone. Here are some basics to remember.

Telephone Interviews
Face to Face Interviews

Telephone Interviews

If you haven't taken part in a telephone interview before, you might find these tips useful:

  • Take your telephone interview as seriously as a face-to-face interview. This is often your initial contact with our firm and may be your only opportunity to demonstrate your abilities.
  • Remember which number you give us as your contact number for your telephone interview. Make sure you can hear the telephone ring at the scheduled time for your interview.
  • Consider the interview to be an appointment.  It is surprising how many people forget to be in the right place to receive the call.
  • Make sure you can be somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed – particularly if you are using a cell phone. If you do use a cell phone, be sure to take the call somewhere with adequate reception.
  • Remember, you won't be able to give or receive all the visual clues that you normally do during a face-to-face interview. This makes listening especially important and your verbal communication skills essential.
  • Make sure you understand the questions and be as clear and articulate as you can when you answer.
  • Naturally, you will prepare for your interview in advance, but avoid the temptation to prepare scripted answers to the questions you think you will be asked.  Candidates who do this often find themselves answering inappropriately to the question that was actually asked.
  • The telephone interview is structured in nature and the interviewer will have a time limit. The interviewer will be attempting to learn specific information about you and therefore will guide the direction of the conversation.  The interviewer may cut you off if your response is heading off course or if you have provided sufficient information.  Do not be offended – this is merely to ensure that the interviewer learns what he/she needs in the time allotted.