How To Have A Successful Phone Interview If You’re Shy

Interviewing can be nervewracking.Talking on the phone can be nervewracking. Put those two together, and the anxiety is crippling. Have no fear though, there are tips to help you overcome the anxiety to help you be as successful as possible. Here's how to have a successful phone interview.

Job or internship interviews can cause nerves, but phone interviews can be downright intimidating. It is hard to know what the other person is thinking, but if you have an in-person interview, you can judge this by looking at their body language. However, this fear is even worse for some people who are super anxious about talking on the phone in general, much less for a job or interview. Have no fear though, there are tips to help you overcome the anxiety to help you be as successful as possible. Here’s how to have a successful phone interview.

1. Talk slowly and clearly.

When people get nervous, they tend to talk quickly and slur their language, even if it is unintentional. To prevent this from happening, intentionally force yourself to talk slowly. It may seem unnatural, but it will help you be clear in your first time saying things. Doing this also gives you a chance to think deeper into more difficult questions.

2. Enunciate to the point of over-enunciating.

As mentioned before, people tend to be unclear when they speak when they are nervous. To help with this, be hyper-aware of how you are pronouncing words. Certain words sound jumbled over the phone, which is heightened by nerves. To fix this, it is important to over-enunciate, even though it feels and sounds awkward to you. There are even vocal exercises you can do to help!

3. Take a deep breath before speaking and answering each question.

Before jumping right into answering a question, take a deep breath. This helps you calm your nerves, especially if the question is particularly difficult. It helps you gather your thoughts while giving you a chance to remember everything you need to say. It also gives you a chance to keep in mind tips that will calm your nerves.

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4. Have notes in front of you.

If you have been on interviews in your field before, you know at least a few of the questions that the interviewer is likely to ask. If not, do some research as to some of your field’s most asked interview questions. Write down the answers and have them in front of you during the interview. This will give you comfort and will help you out if you blank on something you want to say or ask.