Phone Interview: Questions, Answers, and Prep Tips

Phone interviews are a standard first step in many hiring funnels. It’s a quick way to comb through the applicant pool without committing too much internal resources. So that they get a preliminary assessment of your skills, personality, and overall aptitude for the job. Plus, it’s an inevitable step for those planning to relocate to another city or country.
While it can be tricky to know how to answer phone interview questions on the hoof, you can always get prepared in advance and practice some of the common ones.
Overview of Typical Phone Interview Questions
The main purpose of a phone interview is to pre-screen candidates for the role. To do so, recruiters usually go through a standard roster of questions about your background, qualifications, and personality.
Common types of phone screen questions include:
- Ice-breakers. A few general questions, prompting an introduction and a discussion about your interest in the role (e.g., What are your biggest career highlights? Why do you want to join us?
