10 Phone Interview Questions and Example Answers
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10 Phone Interview Questions and Example Answers

Standing out in the job search process begins with a powerful resume and ends with an exceptional phone interview. During a phone interview, you should remember to stay positive and listen to understand. Your job is to provide answers that are simple enough for quick conversation but detailed enough to convey your interest and qualifications.

Although interviewers ask a variety of questions, it is important to focus on the most common ones before your next phone interview . Most phone interview questions aim to learn more about you and use your responses to determine if you’re a good fit for the role.

Here are a few starter tips to ace your next phone interview:

  • Practice your answers to the phone interview questions we’ve listed below.?
  • Study the job description.?
  • Practice active listening, which is listening intently to understand your interviewer and not just responding.
  • Maintain a conversational tone during your interview.?
  • Answer questions using the STAR interview method .?
  • Be prepared to discuss your career history.

Getting ready for a phone interview means preparing your responses to the questions below and communicating succinctly. We have included sample answers for each question, but encourage you to tailor each response to your background.?

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. “Walk me through your resume.”
  3. “How did you hear about this role?”
  4. “Why do you want to work for this company?”
  5. “Why do you want this job?”
  6. “What skills can you bring to the company?”
  7. “What are your greatest strengths?”
  8. “What do you consider to be your weaknesses?”
  9. “Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge at work?”
  10. “Share an example of when you demonstrated leadership abilities?”


1: ‘Tell Me About Yourself.’

You need to be able to quickly communicate who you are and what personality traits and personal attributes make you the best person for the job. What makes you different from the other interviewees?

Remember to share a quick 30-second response that includes:

  • Your career history
  • Personality traits
  • What makes you unique?
  • Why you may be a good fit for this position??

Example Response: “I’ve worked in sales for over 10 years. I thrive in challenging situations and fast-paced environments, and I have doubled the size of our sales team in the past 3 years in my current position.”?

In a LinkedIn Learning course, career advisor Brie Reynolds says , “By framing your answers in terms of a situation you were in, the action you took, and the result you got, you'll give employers a deeper understanding about what you actually do when you're working.”

Reynolds goes on to explain the approach, which is intended to give you an advantage over other candidates. “You're giving the employer extra details and visuals that they'd otherwise miss if you gave a standard answer. And those details will definitely make you stand out from other candidates and put you in the best position to land the job.”

Woman in her home sitting near a window with her laptop open, having a phone interview via cell phone.


2: ‘Walk Me Through Your Resume.’

Your interviewer wants to know your career progression. Walk through each position and your career progression and ensure that information listed is accurate and succinct. Stick to a few key points per job role and include any information related to large projects or initiatives you piloted.?

Example Response: “My most recent role was at Techfusion Corporation where I spent the last 10 years in the sales department. I started as a sales representative and in my third year, I transitioned into a managerial role. I now lead a team of 20 salespeople and oversee the service of about 100 accounts.”?

3: ‘How Did You Hear About This Role?’

A great way to answer this question is by mentioning who you know at the company. If you don’t have direct connections, tell the hiring manager whether you sought this role via the company’s website or found it on a job board.?

Example Response: I saw a listing posted after using the LinkedIn search bar with the search phrase “Engineering Jobs” and the location “Los Angeles, CA.”

4: ‘Why Do You Want To Work For This Company?’

Why do you want to work for this company as compared to others in the same industry? What products do you use from the company? Answering this question takes research and knowledge about the company, and what drew you to them in the first place.??

Example Response: “I love the mission of the organization and the type of clients that you serve. I spent five of the last 10 years at a nonprofit serving similar clients in the tech space. I believe my skills and established relationships in the industry could be a benefit for the organization moving forward.”?

5: ‘Why Do You Want This Job?’

Share why you want this role. Your interview should be filled with a deep understanding of the organization and the targeted role. Why do your personality and experience match the description and needs of the organization itself? Now is the time to show your passion for the position and how you can contribute to the company.?

Example Response: “I am passionate about bringing education to the masses. I believe that the mission of your organization, to provide open access learning to students in third-world countries, is a noble one and fits well with my values.”?

Man sitting in a cafe drinking coffee, looking at a laptop, and having a conversation on a cell phone. His notebooks and writing utensils are nearby.


6: ‘What Skills Can You Bring to the Company?’

Successfully answering this question requires highlighting skills listed in the job description, plus providing examples of your hard and soft skills. Try not to get too in-depth with this question. Choose skills that are in demand and relevant to the position.?

Example Response: “I’m very skilled in C++ and Java programming. I love to multi-task and don’t mind juggling the creation of many JavaScript programs at once. I also am developing my own platform for hosting websites, which I hope to integrate into a larger software program.”?

7: ‘What Are Your Greatest Strengths?’

Prepare a nontraditional answer for this classic question. Why are you ready to handle the tough obstacles of this role? Do you excel under pressure? Are you able to multitask and lead others during a crisis? Are you a deep thinker who notices complex patterns or ways of accomplishing a task with less effort and resources? Try to share quantifiable information.

Example Response: “I’m an extremely hard worker and can deliver on promises while handling multiple priorities. In past positions, I routinely handled 20 client accounts while keeping up with day-to-day responsibilities of bringing in revenue.”

8: ‘What Do You Consider to be Your Weaknesses?’

This question may produce some level of worry or anxiety. Your interviewer wants to see you recognize areas needing growth and positively frame them. Be sure to discuss your weaknesses and how you plan to address or compensate for them with a related strength.?

Example Response: “I sometimes come across harshly with my feedback, but I am working on constructively sharing feedback and highlighting positives along with the areas that need improvement.”?

9: ‘Tell Me About a Time You Overcame a Challenge at Work.’

This is a behavioral or situational question. Use the STAR interview method to help you pick the best situation to explain, the task or challenge you needed to overcome, and what the results were that you and your team noticed afterward.

The STAR method stands for:?

  • Situation?
  • Task?
  • Action
  • Results?

Choose an event in one of your jobs where you encountered a major obstacle. Quantify or describe how you overcome this obstacle in terms that your interviewer can understand. Keep the response to this question under two minutes.?

Example Response: “While working as a regional sales team manager, I was tasked with finding appropriate tools to streamline the sales process. After leading an impromptu brainstorming session, we found three tools to test out. After selecting one, we saw an increase of 16% in closed deals.”

10: ‘Share an Example of When You Demonstrated Leadership Abilities.’

Leadership requires the ability to inspire and motivate others to reach a common goal. You need to articulate and discuss how you lead and whether you can do so in your target role. Interviewers usually hire interviewees who are go-getters and show some form of self-motivation and leadership skills.?

Example Response: “I mentored the newer sales leads when they were hired to help them get up-to-speed and share valuable information I had learned over the years. This helped them adapt to the company and grow in their positions.”

There are a few useful tips that can move you ahead of the competition during your next phone interview. Firstly, you should be prepared with well-versed responses to the questions. You should also have knowledge of the company and its values.?

Tejal Wagadia , a LinkedIn Top Voice: Job Search & Careers, recounts how her interview preparation led to great results : “Years ago when I went to interview at a company, I did all the research I could on the organization and casually mentioned how they were a different company in the 90s. See, most people didn't know this tidbit and that impressed the interviewer.”

Prepare by:

  • Learning as much as you can about the organization and the industry you’ll work in?
  • Having a set of questions to ask regarding the position

Image of a note saying, "ask the right questions"?, on a green background with a cup of coffee on the left and a darkened cell phone on the right.


Secondly, you should double check the time of any invitations that a recruiter or hiring manager sends and ensure that it is correctly listed on your calendar. You should confirm the time, time zone, and your contact number in an email.

Lastly, remember to stay professional during a phone interview. This means you should:?

  • Remain calm and avoid talking over your interviewer.
  • Avoid interrupting your interviewer as they are speaking.?
  • Conduct your interview in a quiet location free of loud music, people or distracting sounds.


Top Takeaways

How should you prepare for a phone interview?

  • Prepare 30-second answers regarding your work history, personality, and general qualifications for a position.
  • Keep the STAR method in mind while you think of stories to tell that best demonstrate your skills and highlight your experience.
  • Research the company and the position to appear knowledgeable.
  • Pay attention to the interviewer’s questions and provide time for them to speak to avoid unintentionally interrupting.

(Reporting by NPD, Editing by Timothy Mably )

Maisar Jahan

QC Supervisor at bigbasket.com

1 年

I sm intresting .plz muje part time job chahiye my contect nomber 8742961521

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Valeska Petek

Mentora de Carreira & Comunica??o | ?? Clientes em 10+ países | Plano de Carreira | Currículo | Entrevista | Networking | LinkedIn Creator

2 年

I especially like the suggestion to prepare "30-second answers" regarding the work history. As a Recruiter, I'd rather have an objective answer which allows me to ask for details, than having a long one in which I might even need to gently interrupt the candidate so we could adjust the focus of the conversation. Great article! ??

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