How to Create an Effective Phone Interview Cheat Sheet

Potential employers will often use phone interviews as a screening tool, allowing them to narrow down the list of candidates. For job seekers, this initial contact is an opportunity to make a great first impression. Preparing a phone interview cheat sheet can be an effective way to ensure that you’re well-prepared and confident. Here’s how to create an effective phone interview cheat sheet.

Get Familiar with the Job Description

First, analyze the job description carefully. Highlight the key responsibilities and required qualifications. This will help you understand what the employer is looking for and allow you to tailor your responses accordingly. Even though you’re creating a physical cheat sheet to refer to, it’s helpful to have prior knowledge of and familiarity with a potential employer’s job description so you come off as natural even when checking your notes.

Next, identify and write down any industry keywords or phrases used in the job listing. These often include specific skills, qualifications, and attributes the employer values. Be sure to incorporate these keywords and phrases into your responses to demonstrate that you’re a good fit for the role.

Research the Company

Now that you’ve got the job listing memorized backwards and forwards, take some time to research the company. This might include its history, mission, core values, and recent achievements. The best way to learn about a company is to check out its official website, social media pages, and any employee reviews you can find. Understanding a company’s culture and goals will help you align your responses with their expectations.

You may also want to stay up to date with the latest news and achievements related to the company. This can be done in the time leading up to your interview by regularly visiting the company’s website and social media pages. Mentioning a recent project or achievement during the interview will demonstrate to the interviewer that you’re genuinely interested in the company, and that you’re someone who does their homework.

Prepare Responses to Interview Questions

Before any job interview, take some time to research common interview questions and answers relevant to your role and industry. To help you get started, here are some commonly asked interview questions:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why do you want to work here?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Describe a challenge you’ve faced and how you handled it.

Crafting well-thought-out responses to questions like the ones provided above will help you present yourself as a prepared and confident candidate. It’s important to remember that even with your notes, you can still find yourself caught off-guard by a question you didn’t anticipate. In this situation, remain calm and think before you answer. It would be far better to give a delayed response than to trip over your words when answering a question hastily.

In certain cases, an interviewer might ask behavioral questions. These types of questions are designed to assess how you’ve handled situations in the past. Here are some examples of behavioral interview questions:

• Tell me about a problem you solved at work. What was your approach in finding a solution?
• What have you learned from mistakes you’ve made?
• Tell me about a time you handled a conflict at work.
• What was the most stressful experience you’ve had at work? What tactics did you use to manage the pressure?

Again, you can conduct a simple online search to find more examples of behavioral interview questions. When crafting responses to behavioral interview questions, try using the STAR method. STAR stands for “situation,” “task,” “action,” and “result.” The STAR method will help you describe real-life situations in which you used skills that are relevant to the role in question. For more about the STAR method check out our previous blog here.

Questions for the Interviewer

At some point during your interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. The worst thing you can do is say “Nope, I think I’m all set.” By doing this you’ll come off as uninterested or even lazy, so make sure you’ve got at least two questions prepared before the interview. Some common topics to ask questions about are team structure and company culture, professional growth and development opportunities, the company’s vision for the future, and specifics about the job responsibilities. For more advice on questions you can ask during an interview, check out our previous blog.

Organizing Your Cheat Sheet

It would be to your advantage to organize your cheat sheet into sections for easy reference during your phone interview. Here’s a list of topics in order to help you get started with organizing your own cheat sheet:

• Job description and keywords: Highlight key responsibilities and requirements.
• Company information: Write down important details about the company.
• Prepared responses: Summarize answers to common and behavioral interview questions.
• Questions for the interviewer: List questions you plan to ask.

The bottom line is your cheat sheet should be concise and easy to navigate. Use bullet points, short sentences, and headers to make it easier to quickly find the information you need. If you want to give your cheat sheet a test run, ask a friend or family member to conduct a practice interview with you. When practicing, pay close attention to your tone of voice to ensure you sound as natural and engaging as possible.

Remember, practice and confidence are integral to a successful job interview, so take the time to rehearse your answers to common questions and familiarize yourself with the company’s mission, offerings, and culture. With the right preparation, you’ll make a lasting impression on the interviewer, along with some forward progress on securing a great job.