How to handle Telephonic Interview

The telephone interview situation is different from the normal live interview. There are two separate physical settings, which restricts communication to verbal and vocal channels only. The media is also unfamiliar to the interviewee. These are a few tips
language

Interviewers Accent: In case you have difficulty in understanding the clients accent you could ask him to repeat the question by saying:
?I beg your pardon?
? I didn't get you, could you repeat the question please?
? I'm sorry the line isn't clear, could you repeat the question please?
The best way of getting tuned to accents is by listening to the BBC or CNN on TV. Do not use the same phrase repeatedly.

Local words: The use of local language words often confuses the interviewer. While he tries to interpret the word he misses most of what you are trying to get across. Words like ?THEAK? ? AACHA? ?HAA? could have a negative impact on the interviewer impression of the interviewee.

Rate of Delivery: The rate of speaking should generally be adjusted to match that of the interviewer. In USA and UK the normal rate of speaking is much slower than that in India. Also the slower you speak the greater attention you gain.

Clarity: Speak clearly and pronounce each word properly. Do not break off half way through a word or sentence. This not only confuses the interviewer but also irritates him besides reflecting badly on your communication skill.
Telephonic etiquete

Identify yourself: Give the name as clearly as possible. Spell your name if necessary. If your name is too difficult to pronounce give a short form that you'd prefer the interviewer to use. This helps in building rapport.
Names: Be sure you get the interviewer name right. You could ask for the spelling and pronunciation if required.
Greeting: Wish the interviewer his time of the day - not your time of day..
Politeness: Being polite to the interviewer is the minimum courtesy you can extend. Wherever appropriate use the words ?Please?, ?Thank you?, ?Sorry? etc.
Small talk: Learn to engage in small talk about the weather or other things. The interviewer will start this way out of politeness and then set the pace.
Clarifications: You could paraphrase a question to get clarification if necessary. A direct way could be to say ? Sorry ?; I didn't get you, could you please explain what you mean by...
Doubts: If you are not confident about something it is better to be truthful and say that you are not sure. This is because you are likely to get cross-examined.
Thinking Time: Ruminate over the question and take your time replying. Avoid hesitating and using words like ?er? ?um? ?uh? etc. This reflects your nervousness and lack of confidence.
Call End: You could sign off by saying -?It was nice talking to you. Thank you?

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