What is a Phone Screening Interview?
Recruitment can be a long and time-consuming process for both you and your candidate, so it’s important to make it as time efficient and convenient as possible, that’s where a good old-fashioned call (and effective questions for phone interview screening) come in.
What is the main reason for screening interviews?
A phone screening interview is a short initial call with any potential candidates. It’s less formal than an interview and really just a way to make sure both you and the candidate are on the same page before choosing to continue with the process. Considering a job opening gets around 250 applications, these time-effective calls and to-the-point phone screening questions are essential for streamlining your hiring process.
A phone screening interview helps recruitment teams narrow down candidates to a shortlist before hiring managers or other team members invest their time. It’s also an opportunity to do all-important admin checks like confirming salary expectations or workable notice periods. The last thing anyone wants is to go through a whole interview process only to discover you didn’t align on the key things your candidate was seeking.
What happens in a phone screening?
Calls are commonly carried out in two halves. In the first half, the recruiter explains more about the company and the specific role, as well as culture, benefits, and anything else a candidate might need to know. Remember, recruitment goes both ways, so a screening call is a good time to shout about anything you’re really proud about as a company and that might attract the best talent, like making any ‘Top Places to Work’ lists.
The second half is usually spent getting to know a candidate's experience a little, but not so in-depth as an interview. This can be as simple as asking candidates to run through their CV briefly — the way they talk about their experience may be telling in itself, especially if the hiring team has briefed you on the sort of buzzwords they’re looking for. You can also ask after certifications and, of course, salary expectations. Telephone screening interview questions aren’t meant to be done in place of real interview questions, so make sure you keep them distinct.
Most importantly, you should always leave time for candidates to ask their own questions.
How to prepare for a phone screening interview
As with any interview, phone screenings go both ways, so make sure you’re prepared with these handy tips:
Be up to date
Candidates may have clicked on your vacancy with no prior knowledge of the company, or they may have been following you for some time. In either case, you want to make sure that you’re up-to-date and informed about the business’s latest successes and future goals to give candidates a clear and accurate overview of it all. As the face of the brand, you need to sound knowledgeable, professional, and create a great first impression.
Use phone screening interview questions that get the answers you need
Your recruitment team may have a set of phone screening questions that are more generic and apply to every role, but some roles may need their own phone screen interview questions, for example, around specific certifications or years of experience required. Talk with the hiring manager to understand what they need to know. In the simplest sense, a telephone screening interview is a box-ticking exercise that goes both ways — you make sure your candidate has the essential skills and traits, and they can make sure you’re offering their desired compensation, benefits, or opportunities.
Share next steps
Never just end a call without candidates knowing what to expect next. You may decide on the call that you’ll be putting them through to the next round, in which case, save time (and boost morale) by letting them know. Alternatively, you may need to report back to the hiring team first, so let the candidate know when to expect to hear back from you.
You should also explain the whole recruitment process so they can decide if it’s something that aligns with their availability.
Be honest
If a candidate asks a question you don’t know (because you’re not their hiring manager, after all) be honest. Tell the candidate you don’t know but make a note to ask someone who does and get back to them as soon as possible. It’s worth keeping a record of these questions so you can form an answer bank for the most common.
Remember, reviews are easily written
It’s been proven that a poor recruitment process can directly impact any future hires. With reviews and social media, there’s plenty of opportunity for candidates to be open and honest about their experiences with different companies. So, make sure you’re always professional.
Top phone screen interview questions to ask
Questions for phone interviews should generally be around the admin of the role rather than asking about specific scenarios or anything that would better belong in an interview. Remember, this isn’t a technical interview, and while it may give you an important first impression of a candidate, any questions for phone interview screening processes should be more admin-based and objective. With that in mind, here are some questions for phone interviews you might want to consider:
Elements of a successful remote onboarding process: A checklist
• Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
• Tell me about your current role
• Are you certified in [X] as part of your role?
• Do you work with [X] work method?
• What do you know about the company?
• Why are you looking to move on from your current role?
• Can you please explain your employment gap?
• What is your notice period?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Where are you located?/Can you attend the office?
• Do you have any questions?
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