What to Wear to Your Phone Interview

Nope, the title definitely wasn't a typo. It's essential to dress the part even when taking a phone interview. Although the idea does seem unusual, there’s more to it than meets the eye. There’s an allure that comes with sitting at home in one’s favorite sweats while lounging on the sofa with the television as background noise as an interviewer shoots off question after question. As relaxing and comfortable as it can be, it can also be distracting. But what exactly does it mean to dress up for a phone interview, especially when the person on the opposite line isn’t going to see you? You don’t have to pull out your best interview suit in order to look your best. Here are some pointers on how to look the part and ace your phone interview.

Go Hands-Free, But Don’t Use Speakerphone

Try using a hands-free headset so that your gestures are more fluid and comfortable. If you’re prone to talk with your hands, being expressive while holding a phone to your ear can affect the natural flow of conversation and cause a distraction. Going hands-free can also free up room to grab or take notes and other reference tools. Using speakerphone, however, is not such a great idea at all because there’s a higher probability of the interviewer not being able to hear you clearly, the connection being interrupted, or background noise being more jarring than needed.

Sit Tall or Walk and Talk

It can be very tempting to slouch or lull around in bed or on the sofa when talking to an interviewer, but it’s not the best idea. Just as people can feel the presence of a smile or positive energy through the phone, they can also pick up on sluggishness too. When laying down or in relaxed positions, your energy says it all. Even if you really are at home lounging around, you don’t want to do anything that could make your interviewer sense this as well. Sit at a desk or upright in a chair at your dining room table, or even walk and talk.

Cut Out Distractions

Does your call happen to be around the time of the re-run of one of your favorite prime time shows? We wouldn’t recommend pressing your luck by taking a sneak peek at your TV screen or anything else that could divert your attention. Turn off the TV, mute your devices, put the puppy or kids down for a nap, and get down to business. The less distractions on hand, the easier it is to concentrate on the task at hand.

Don’t Talk and Drive

Although it may be tempting to take a phone interview in the midst of your Monday morning work commute or while running errands, it’s one of the worst things you can do. For one, it opens the door to a great deal of distractions, causing the conversation to become a secondary focal point as you try to pay attention to the road and drivers. You also risk running into connection problems and issues with spotty service, and there’s nothing more frustrating than having to deal with dropped calls or repetition in conversation because parties are unable to hear one another clearly. Furthermore, it can be fairly obvious that you’re multitasking, which could be deemed unprofessional.

Don’t Forget to Smile

Just as smiling during an in-person interview helps to come off as friendly, approachable and personable, it works the same over the phone. Smiles and body language cues can be picked up through the phone, as they can affect the entire cadence and tone of your voice. Smiling also helps to elude the idea of being positive and friendly, so make sure to flash those pearly whites just as you would when meeting face-to-face.