How to ace a phone interview at any stage in your career

Only residents need coaching for a job interview phone call, right? Nope. Any physician who’s on, or considering, a job hunt and is faced with a phone interview could use a few pointers. “Most of the mistakes I have witnessed are done by young and old alike. These include not taking the call seriously, talking too much instead of listening, and not asking meaningful, important questions,” says Bruce M. Guyant, FASPR, systems director of provider recruitment, Covenant Health, Tewksbury, MA.

To avoid those mistakes, and to say all the right things so you ace the phone interview, Mr. Guyant offers these pointers.

Proper preparation prevents poor performance

To quote a time-worn phrase: There’s no second chance to make a good first impression. “The phone call is the first interaction that the physician is going to have with a potential employer in a formal interview format,” Mr. Guyant says. “Physicians need to take the phone call seriously and prepare for it beforehand.”

Take it seriously by setting aside time and finding a quiet place to talk so that you avoid distractions. Prepare by anticipating the types of questions you may be asked and have well-thought-out answers. Have a copy of your CV in front of you in case the interviewer has any specific questions about it.

Don’t forget the simple stuff

As you struggle to respond intelligently, while simultaneously trying to contain your anxiety of being interviewed, sometimes it’s easy to forget some of the simplest things.

• Speak into the phone. “One of the most common problems of all physicians, regardless of specialty or gender, is that they will not speak directly in the phone,” Mr. Guyant laments. “Too many sound faint and muffled, which is a huge issue.” So, speak clearly and slowly. Also, be aware of your vocal inflections—stay positive and sound positive.
• Have a paper and pen handy to take notes. “Taking notes will help you remember important aspects about the position, the clinic, the hospital, and the names of other physicians who may want to speak with you,” Mr. Guyant says.
• Don’t ramble on. “A surprisingly large number of physicians have a difficult time staying focused on the topic at hand and will take unrelated tangents in the conversation that not only waste time and frustrate the interviewer but, worse yet, lessen their chances to move forward further in the hiring process,” he adds.

The interview is a two-way street

The phone interview isn’t just about getting yourself to the next stage of the hiring process. It’s also a way for you to decide if this is the right position for you. To find out, formulate a list of your own questions. Mr. Guyant offers these examples:

• Tell me about physicians on staff. What are their backgrounds?
• How many patients are they seeing or how many procedures are they doing a week?
• Is anybody fellowship trained?
• Where do patient referrals typically come from?
• How is call currently being handled?

Be the solution

Employers aren’t just hiring a candidate to fill a job—they’re really looking for solutions to their unique problems and needs. Tailor your answers (without going overboard) to show how you can be the solution to their problems. “If the position requires a high degree of laparoscopic surgery skill, for example, and you have a high degree of proficiency and training in this area, then you want to emphasize that you were fellowship trained in a nationally recognized top program with a leading award-winning surgeon, and that you have successfully completed X number of surgeries with X percentage of successful outcomes,” Mr. Guyant says.

Another example: when the employer is looking for someone to handle night and weekend trauma call. “If in fact you’re able to do this, then you should be sure to point this out,” he added.

Advice for each career stage

Candidates looking for new positions—no matter the stage of career—may have more similarities than differences. Mr. Guyant offers this advice for each “generation” of job seekers: 

• Residents. “Oftentimes, residents are looking for the absolute perfect scenario, which very rarely exists. Too many residents pass over excellent opportunities because a particular position doesn’t have each and every predetermined thing they’re looking for. Residents need to be reasonable in their expectations and be willing to demonstrate a degree of flexibility when starting off in their interviewing ventures.”
  
  
• Midcareer. “Midcareer physicians can sometimes fall into some of the same traps with regards to expectations that new residents often do. The main advice for midcareer physicians is to have a very specific and well-defined career strategy that they can present to the potential employer. Too many physicians just decide they want to move to Hawaii, for example, because it’s beautiful. Yet when you start asking important questions, it becomes quite clear they have not put any forethought into the realities of living on the islands—such as the cost of housing, living expenses, isolation from family on the mainland, cultural elements, or other important things to consider. Be prepared to make well-thought–out career choices and to demonstrate to a potential future employer that you know what you want, why, and that you have done your due diligence to make a well-informed decision.”
  
  
• Later career. “The advice for physicians toward the end of their career is very similar with the new residents starting off. Many senior physicians do not want to take call, do not want to work as hard, and want an unrealistic amount of time off or compensation level. Sometimes physicians become accustomed to a certain standard of living and then want or need to move on from their current position, and they want to make a lateral move with their income. Very rarely will that work out, and many physicians are not cognizant of the cost-of-living differences, the budgets of the potential new employer, and what the employer is looking for. They make the mistake of thinking only in terms of ‘This is what I want,’ as opposed to really digging in and learning what the employer is looking for, and how they can help solve that problem. While compensation is important for everybody, mutual fit is more important, and you need to demonstrate interest in the employer’s point of view, too.”

Listen and learn

Amid the conversation, don’t simply think about the next thing you’ll say at the expense of ignoring the interviewer. “You certainly want to be a good active listener. Do not interrupt the interviewer,” Mr. Guyant advises. To avoid spending your time thinking up your next response—and consequently missing what the interviewer is saying—plan ahead so you already have answers to frequently asked interview questions, such as:

• Why you are leaving or why did you leave your current position?
• What did your current position entail?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• What do you know about the area? Is your family interested in the area?
• What are your weaknesses? What are your strengths?

Regarding the latter, “There is certainly a time to be bold and to sell yourself in a way that is confident without coming across as conceited,” he says.

Don’t talk about money (or do talk about money)

“It used to be set in stone that you don’t discuss money or benefits on a phone interview. However, in the last couple of years, candidates young and old have started to break that mold, as have the recruiters, who are asking questions upfront about money as well,” Mr. Guyant says.

How do you know if it’s OK to ask such questions? If the interviewer starts talking about money, asks what you’re making currently or what you’re looking for in terms of compensation, then that’s your cue that it’s OK to talk about salary and benefits. So, be ready to give at least some idea of what you expect.

How to end the call

“Thank the interviewer for their interest and time. If you are seriously interested in the job, go ahead and ask for a face-to-face interview,” Mr. Guyant advises.

In short, be prepared, listen carefully, consider the employer’s needs, and ask important questions—and you’ll ace the interview.