7 Signs Your Phone Interview Didn’t Go Well

Bagging a phone interview is always an exciting and potentially life-changing event. After all, you’ve spent hours preparing for it. But what if the interview doesn’t go as planned? What if you’re left with that nagging feeling that you blew it?

Just like face-to-face interviews, there is no sure way to know whether your phone interview went well or not. Even so, evaluating your performance is not impossible. There are some telltale signs you can look for that indicate whether or not you bombed your phone interview. 

This article will explore different signs that your phone interview didn’t go as planned.

When are Phone Interviews Done? 

A recent study found that nearly half of all employers (47%) use phone interviews as the first step in the interview process. They use it to reduce the pool of candidates before asking them in for a face-to-face meeting.

Getting through a phone interview requires a different skill set than a face-to-face interview. For instance, the interviewer mainly relies on your tone, communication skills, and attitude to gauge whether you’re the right fit for the job. 

That said, if you relied on face-interview skills to get through a phone interview, you might be feeling a little uneasy right now! 

What Are The Signs Your Phone Interview Went Poorly?

Acing a phone interview is all about leaving a good impression. Interestingly, a survey revealed that almost 67% of phone interviewees performed poorly during the interview. This is probably why companies use them when considering multiple candidates and are looking to weed out some of them.

If you are anxious about your recent phone interview, here are some signs that your phone interview didn’t go well: 

1. They Didn’t Ask Any Questions About Your Experience Or Skills

If the interviewer didn’t ask any questions about your skills or experience, it’s usually a sign that they’re not interested in you for the role. 

Most phone interviews will start with basic questions about your experience and qualifications. They are a great opportunity for the interviewer to know more about the candidate and their relevant skills. If the interviewer didn’t ask any questions about your skills or expertise, they’re likely not interested in you. 

They probably went through your resume and didn’t think you were a great fit for the role. So why call you for the interview? Most of the time, they just conduct the interview as required by the company or as a formality.

2. The Interviewer Seemed Disinterested In What You Had To Say

Was the interviewer yawning a lot or going into zombie mode during the interview? Did they miss most of what you were saying and kept asking you to repeat your answers? This is certainly not a good sign. 

Sometimes you can clearly get the impression that the interviewer isn’t listening to what you are saying. However, it’s important to note that this could be caused by a poor connection, too much background noise, or distractions on their end.

Even though it’s not always easy to read the interviewer’s body language over the phone, if you pay close attention, you can read the vibe. Sadly if you felt this way, you’re probably right, and your phone interview didn’t go well.

3. The Questions Were Vague Or Off-Topic

A phone interview should be relevant to the role that you’re interviewing for. If the interviewer asked questions that were vague or irrelevant to the role, it’s never a good sign. 

Why would they ask you irrelevant questions? The only possible explanation is that they are not interested in you and this phone interview is just a formality. A recent study found that almost two-thirds of hiring managers (64%) say they’ve asked candidates off-topic questions in a phone interview. This is shocking!

However, off-topic questions can also signify that the interviewer is really interested in you, and they’re just testing to see how you navigate unexpected scenarios. 

4. They Cut The Interview Shorter Than Expected

Let’s say the interview was supposed to last 20 minutes, but it got cut off at 12 minutes. This could be a sign that the interviewer is not interested in you, and your phone interview didn’t go well. That brief conversation is probably not enough for the interviewer to assess you in detail.  

Chances are that the interviewer abruptly ended the interview because they weren’t impressed with what they heard.  

5. You Didn’t Have A Chance To Ask Any Questions  

An interview is not only an opportunity to demonstrate you are the best person for the job, but it’s also a chance for you to show that you are interested in the role and the company. 

So,  it’s important that you prepare some questions to ask the interviewer. They don’t have to be too deep—just something about the role and the company to show that you’ve done your research. Most of the time, if you fail to ask questions about the position or the company, the hiring manager might assume that you’re not interested. 

If the interviewer didn’t give you a chance to ask questions, this could be an indication that they aren’t considering you for the role. It could, however, also mean that the interview took too long, and they had to cut out that section to save on time. In this case, if the reason you didn’t ask questions is that the interviewer kept asking follow-up questions, you may have aced it. 

6. There Was No Mention Of A Job Offer Or Next Steps

Typically, after a phone interview, the hiring manager will either offer you the job or let you know the next steps. If there was no mention of this, it’s likely that the interviewer wasn’t impressed with your performance. 

There are instances where the interviewer leaves out this part because they were too busy or exhausted, depending on how many people they interviewed. However, if this happened after a long conversation, it’s likely that your phone interview didn’t go well.

7. The Interviewer Interrupted You A Lot

Being cut short can be a sign of impatience or disinterest in what you’re saying. 

If you felt that the interviewer was interrupting you a lot, it’s likely because they weren’t impressed with your answers. It could also be that they were exhausted and irritable after multiple interviews. This may seem inconsiderate, but it often happens. 

If it also felt as though you had a lot of back and forth with the interviewer as they constantly interrupted you, something is definitely wrong. This is especially true if the interviewer seems rude or aggressive.  

Don’t Worry…You’ve Still Got This!

If you experienced any of these signs during your phone interview, likely, the interviewer wasn’t impressed with your performance. However, don’t be discouraged! There are still many ways to improve your chances of getting the job. You just have to work on your communication skills. 

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