Hi, my name is Bre and I am a Human Resources Specialist at Wisper Internet. I enjoy my position in HR because I get to be a part of the driving force that grows the Wisper Team. I love watching Wisper grow because it makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself.
As an HR Specialist, I conduct phone interviews on a daily basis. Phone interviews are tough for interviewees. You are faced with the task of showing your personality through voice alone. Let’s not forget about the awkward pauses and interruptions. Without seeing the other person’s facial expressions and gestures, it can be difficult to know when it’s your turn to chime in. I feel like I’ve experienced every possible scenario as the interviewer, from a candidate attempting to be heard clearly over Bluetooth while driving in traffic to a tower climber candidate not mentioning their fear of heights.
My experience as an interviewer has given me insight on what to do and what not to do during a phone interview. At Wisper we want you to succeed, so I put these valuable tips together for you.
Why you do you like phone interview screenings?
I like phone interview screenings because they allow me to tell our story at Wisper. It is important to me that candidates know who we are and understand who we are striving to be in the future. Besides researching online, it’s the first tangible chance for candidates to learn if they are a good fit for our company culture. It is also an opportunity for candidates to share their stories and experiences.
Why is a phone interview important?
Resumes do get you in the door, but phone interviews are the first opportunity to discover if the candidate is a good fit for Wisper and vice versa. At Wisper is it important that candidates align with our company culture. Our company culture is based around our 5 core-values:
- Humbly Confident – We truthfully and confidently state our talents, abilities, strengths, and worthiness. At the same time, we recognize that we still have much to learn and more ways to grow.
- Committed to Serving One Another – We acknowledge that to succeed, we must work together as a team.
- Focused on Customer Experience – The customer is the most important part of our business. We recognize that our employees are our customers and believe that customer happiness is the main driving force to our success.
- Driven to Solution – We are motivated to remove obstacles that stand in our way of being successful. No challenge goes unaccepted.
- Life-Long Learners – We deliberately focus on the ongoing and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge.
What do you look for in a phone interview?
I look for the following attributes:
- Examples of teamwork and leadership
- Qualities that exemplify helping customers, how you put customers first
- A genuine fit, how a candidate matches our core values and culture
- Showcase of experience (it’s not all about a degree), tell us about your success stories
What are common phone interview questions at Wisper?
- What is the most complex or niche thing you know a lot about? Can you explain it to me in under 3 minutes?
- Tell me about the hardest “judgment call” you have ever had to make?
- When you had extra time available in previous positions, what did you do with it?
- Provide an example of a time when you went out of your way and jumped through hoops to delight a customer.
Do you have any phone interview tips and tricks?
When preparing for a phone interview, don’t forget that this is your time to shine! Please talk about yourself and your work style. I know it can feel odd, but don’t be ashamed to brag about yourself here and there during the interview. The interviewer isn’t going to know why you are a good fit for the position or Wisper unless you tell them.
What is one thing you want a future phone interview candidate to know about Wisper Internet?
I love our culture! Even with our rapid growth, we have a family-type environment. Management cares about their team and wants each person to succeed in their position. For example, if you are a hard worker but your skill set doesn’t match the position you are in, management will place you in another position or department where they feel you would be happier.
Ready for your phone interview? Visit our jobs page to apply for an open position. The HR Team and I look forward to hearing from you!