How to prepare for a phone interview?

We picked 8 most important rules that constitute a secret to success in a tech interview. Read them carefully and try to remember, so you could feel confident at the most crucial moment and have a dream job you are looking for.

Rule #1

You should understand what company you are talking to.

Maybe it sounds ridiculous, but many interviewers note that sometimes candidates are not able to say what company they are interviewing for :) Therefore, make sure you asked a recruiter to tell you more about a company, team, product. You can also google this information and maybe some additional questions will pop into your head — you can ask them during an interview. You can always follow up an interviewer with a question you accidentally forgot to ask during a call.

Note that it’s very important to show your interest in a particular company and position, not only in some aspects of a vacancy — for example, the opportunity to relocate to another country. If you only mention relocation as a motivation to take the job it may sound like you are just using this job as a means to another end, and will leave as soon as something better comes along in the destination country,

Rule #2

Take it easy, no one’s going to bombard you with impossible to answer questions.

Stay calm. You were chosen from many, you’re a valuable candidate already.

Best way to stay calm is to do your homework, think about things you have done, your approach to challenges, questions you would ask yourself. Brush up algorithms (you can check below some links to the introduction to algorithms). Although most of the time you don’t need it, it could be useful in case of a coding task.

Rule #3

Know your resume.

If you put there that you have worked with a certain technology, be ready for an interviewer to ask you several questions about this experience. Be ready to explain your role in a project, tell what you have learned from it, what you have contributed and why you left. You can go beyond the questions and talk about why you have chosen a particular design or data structure, helping the interviewer to understand your train of thought.

It also makes sense to prepare a 5-minute pitch about yourself and your experience.

Rule #4

Smile

Although no one sees your smile (or they do if you have a video call) from the psychological perspective, your communicator can feel your intonation. Try to be friendly but in a natural way, it’s easy to define whether you’re faking it or you’re real with your interlocutor.

By the way, in case you’re applying for a position in a German company, you’d better keep in mind that Germans are quite straightforward and direct, but don’t be frustrated about that. That does not necessarily mean that they do not like you, so be polite and keep smiling😊

Rule #5

Be Professional

If a vacancy requires well-spoken English, this means no slang or jargon should be used in your communication. Try to pay attention to vocabulary, even to seemingly simple concepts. Your speech should be clear, precise and confident. If you are not fluent enough in English, or if you have not used your English in a while and it is a little rusty, practice speaking it to yourself or your friends before an interview just to get used to a foreign language. You can also write down the most common questions and answers or have roleplay with your friend or family member before an interview.

Rule #6

Be honest

Directly tell an interviewer what is the most interesting thing for you about a job you are applying to and what kinds of projects you’d like to work on. Don’t hesitate and ask clarifying questions, if you suddenly didn’t get the point for the first time. It is not only about providing the right answer itself but the way you have reached it matters. An interviewer might test your reasoning and analytical skills, as well as your ability to think creatively.

Rule #7

We’re all human beings

You shouldn’t worry too much if you made a mistake during an interview. Nobody’s perfect, everybody makes mistakes, so try not to let it baffle you.

Rule #8

Communicate

If you haven’t understood a question or have been stuck, ask an interviewer for help, for example, to repeat a question, or give you a hint. Everyone gets stuck, even successful candidates. And, of course, ask questions! This will express your interest in a position and provide you with necessary information about a company, potential tasks, and development prospects. Remember, you won’t help yourself by being silent.

And last few tips

• Be nice!
• Try to distance yourself from a process.
• Don’t judge yourself. Even if you don’t get the job, you should consider this as a motivation to improve your skills and move forward

Do you want to know more about tech interview and how to relocate to Germany? Download our guide and check our open job opportunities.

Who we are?

Zero to One Search is a Germany-based international recruitment agency with a focus on connecting IT professionals with tech companies. Our mission is to help tech players to find candidates in accordance with their businesses’ needs, and IT specialists to get the right jobs with interesting challenges and opportunity to relocate to Europe. The company was established in 2017 as a remote agency with a team of recruiters from all over the world.