Ask the Healthcare IT Recruiter: 7 Tips to Help You Ace Your Phone Interview

June 7, 2013 Written By Jaime Grimes

Our healthcare IT recruiters receive lots of resumes and conduct hundreds of phone interviews per year, so they’re experts at knowing what and what not to do when you’re on the phone with someone interviewing you for a job. Whether you’re considering a new career as a healthcare IT consultant or just want to change jobs in your field, our Healthcare IT Leaders recruiters and management team have seven tips to help you ace your next phone interview:

1. Make sure you have a strong phone connection. A phone interview is not the time for your cell phone to drop a call. Find a landline if possible, said Trish Bjurmark, recruiter. Or make sure your cell phone has plenty of signal bars where you plan to interview, and don’t move from that location during the interview. In other words, don’t conduct a phone interview while you’re driving.

2. Be on time. Be at the place you’re going to do the call at least five minutes in advance, and make sure it’s a quiet place, conducive to listening and conversation, said Ted Justiss, principal.

3. Have your resume in front of you, said Neika Powell, consultant advisor. The person you’re interviewing with, whether it’s a recruiter or a hiring manager, will ask specific questions about your experience from your resume, so this will help you follow along.

4. Speak clearly. Over and over, our recruiters said this the most. To help you speak clearly, Justiss recommends standing up while you’re on the phone so you have more energy and aren’t leaning over your diaphragm while you answer. You may even want to dress for an in-person interview to help you feel more formal, said Bjurmark.

5. Answer the questions asked. In technical interviews, you’ll be asked if you have very specific skills or know certain technologies. “Remember the difference between knowledge and experience,” said Dimple Kochikar, director of recruiting. Answer these technical questions candidly, but express your strengths versus dwelling on gaps in your experience or training.

6. Ask questions about the company’s culture. “It’s the best way to find out if you’re a good fit for the role and the company,” said Justin Couch, consultant advisor. He recommends asking questions such as how big the company or department is, what the department is like, if any charity volunteer opportunities are available, what the company is known for/skilled in and what makes the company different.

7. Prep with the HIT recruiter before your hiring manager call. The prep call gives you specificity about what the hiring manager is looking for, to help you shape your responses, Powell said.  It’s also the time to get your questions answered about pay rate and travel – so you aren’t spending time on those during the hiring interview.