As a former technical recruiter at Facebook and Google for 10 years, if you made it to the phone interview with me, that means I weeded through hundreds or even thousands of other candidates to speak with you. I picked you out of a pile of resumes because I saw something that made me believe you could be the right fit.

I spent countless hours doing thousands of phone interviews with engineering candidates and I’ve seen what a successful phone interview looks like. So, how do you move beyond that initial interest and get a recruiter or hiring manager to move you to the next round? These are the 5 phone interview tips I give candidates (think of it as a phone interview cheat sheet) who want to make it to the next stage and land their ideal role.

Why companies use phone interviews

Whether you applied for a position or a recruiter reached out to you about a job opening, a phone interview usually marks the beginning of the interview loop. During the interview, the recruiter/hiring manager will assess your suitability for a specific role, team, and the company as a whole. On the flip side, a phone interview is your opportunity to express your interest in the company and learn more about the specifics of the role, team, and company.

Most companies generally start off by sharing information about themselves, like what they’re looking for and what makes them an exciting place to work. Then, they’ll ask candidates about their background, prior achievements, skillset, and job search logistical questions. A phone interview is a company’s way of vetting someone before investing time in interviewing them more thoroughly.

How to Pass a Phone Interview

1. Research the company

I usually recommend spending 10-15 minutes looking at the company’s website, blog posts, and recent news articles. As a recruiter, I want to know why you like the company and what makes you want to work there. Keep these things in mind:

• Avoid simply rephrasing the company mission; instead, tell me what you find special about us
• Have some sort of personal connection to the company. I’ve had candidates tell me they hear the office has the best food out of all the tech companies. Others say they have a friend who works there and loves it. Whatever your connection is, your phone interviewer wants to know.

In your research of the company, you may also want to download their product or app or at least know what it does. Maybe you have critical feedback on some part of the product and you want to work on that. Mention it to your recruiter! Being a super fan isn’t always the best way to show your interest in the company.

2. Ask specific questions

Asking your recruiter specific questions demonstrates that you took time to research the company, shows your curiosity, and conveys you're thinking about what it's like to work there.

However, be mindful of your audience. Your recruiter may not know about team-specific information since they’re not on that team. Additionally, they won’t know about most technical things like stacks and languages. It was usually a waste of time when candidates would ask me about technical pieces; I could never give them as good of an answer as the hiring manager or a team member could. Save those questions for the next rounds. Instead, ask your recruiter about:

• Hiring timeline
• Team placement
• Size of team/future headcount
• Management style
• Company promotion process
• Number of open positions
• Timeline from onsite to offer
• Additional open general software engineering roles

In general, ask the types of questions that are going to help you know what to expect next. You’ll get clarity about the interview loop, onsite process, and coding interviews. Your recruiter can help you best prepare for the next steps by answering your questions, and your expectations will be set as you move forward.

3. Prepare for common behavioral interview questions

The most common (and important) question you’ll be asked during a phone interview is “Can you tell me about yourself?” I won’t go into too much detail here, but it’s one behavioral question you should be prepared to answer. These are the other questions you’ll likely get asked and how to navigate them:

What is your current job search?

• Don’t be shy about letting your interviewer know you’re interviewing elsewhere. It’s okay, and often encouraged, to tell them where you’re currently interviewing, if you have other offers, and where they’re from. This might even encourage them to pass you on to the next round so their company can catch up to the other interview loops you’re in.
• You don’t have to tell your recruiter anything about your job hunt. You can be as vague as you’d like. If you’re actively interviewing but don’t have an offer yet, you can say that but that you expect to have some in the next few days.
• If your phone interviewer wants to discuss compensation, remember you don’t have to divulge anything about your comp or expected comp during this phone screen. Instead, suggest talking about it once you get to the onsite.

What do you want in your next job?

• Don’t pigeonhole yourself. If you start talking about how you want to go into management or PM work, you’re putting yourself in a position where the recruiter doesn’t know if you actually want to be an engineer. Speak to what you want to do in your next role, and make sure to keep it coding-focused.

4. Ask for next steps

Be confident and straightforward. Ask, “When can I do my next interview?” or “Can I give you my availability for a technical screen?" Giving them ample availability over the next few weeks saves them a back-and-forth round of emails with you, which they will appreciate. Speak with confidence and act as if you’re expecting the interview.

5. Avoid these common mistakes

The most common mistake candidates make is that they simply don’t prepare. These are the other mistakes I’ve seen too many candidates make:

• Difficulty conveying their interest or excitement in the company/role. Remember to make eye contact, smile, and use an appropriate tone when speaking to your interviewer.
• Asking vague questions. Asking broad or general questions about the company isn’t going to get you extra points.
• Asking questions just to ask them. Prepare specific ones you actually want to know or learn about. It’s okay to not have a ton of questions!
• Not prepared to answer very basic technical questions.
• Not updating your resume/LinkedIn. A recruiter is going off of that during your phone interview, and they don’t know what you don’t tell them.
• Eagerly scheduling interviews ASAP when you’re not actually ready to interview. Your recruiter wants you to pass your interview as much as you do, so if you need more time to study, just ask!

Preparing for a phone interview is the best way to ensure you make it to the next stage of your interview loop. Remember, the recruiter saw something in your resume or application that made them think you could be a good fit. Use this phone screen to speak to your strengths, express your interest in the company, and show them why you are the right person for the role.

If you're in the job hunt process or are looking to level up your engineering career, apply to our Fellowship and become the engineer you were meant to be.