3 answers
Tahreem
Student
Nicholasville, Kentucky
1
Question
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How can I demonstrate the skills I show in person interviews with over the phone interviews?
Interview help
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3 answers
Liam Rielly
Data Center Technician
180
Answers
Manassas, Virginia
Updated
Liam’s Answer
Honestly you can't demonstrate your skills over a phone or zoom interview. Also you can't really demonstrate your skills on an in person interview either. The skills you can demonstrate in an interview are your soft skills, reasoning, and being able to explain your experiences. For a lot of places they want to see what you look like on paper (your resume, degrees, licenses, certifications), what you look like in person (persona, appearance, vibe?), how you talk (engaging, intellectual/ or not), and how you can explain what you do. Keep all of this in mind but focus on explaining what you can do.
If you have been working in a professional environment for more than six months it is likely you have been exposed to enough work based knowledge where someone else working in that field can tell if you have done that job or not.
Example: I worked in a warehouse for three months. In that time I took a box from a conveyor belt and placed it in a stack. If I go into a job interview I really can't say much about warehouse operations, regulations, daily tasks, or management structures. Had I been an full time employee that had been there for years, I would be able to say a lot more about went on there other than "I stacked boxes".
Focus on this part of the interview, focus on what you can say about how you work and what you can do. Take your best knowledge and experience and make that your forward quality in any interview.
Let's say its the opposite. Let's say you have no experience in that field but are really interested in getting it. Take the similar experiences you have to working in that field and place them forward. Relate your experience to the job you want and explain why you are best fit for it.
Back to the example, but this time I am going for a foreman position in a warehouse: "I worked in a warehouse for three months but don't know much about the position but I am willing to learn" versus "I have worked in many environments where I have handled material, done inventory, reported directly to management, adhered to strict safety rules, and worked with teams to ensure customer satisfaction. I think I will be a fit for this position based on that.".
Again, you will do this either in person or over the phone. Look at my example above and see how without experience or knowledge the second example sounds better and will work in person or over the phone. Pavan mentioned the STAR method. This will be the format for how you answer these questions. If you don't have an experience the STAR method is really useless.
"I had boxes coming in from the conveyor from manufacturing and I needed to sort them for shipping. I could get over 400 boxes stacked in a shift to ensure timely delivery. The second team had to work extra to keep up with my sorting. This got the attention of management because shipping increased by 20% that month resulting in more sales from that warehouse."
That would be a quick STAR method example. Try to follow that for a format but also pay attention to details surrounding what you did, I feel like you will be able to explain your skills no matter where you are.
If you have been working in a professional environment for more than six months it is likely you have been exposed to enough work based knowledge where someone else working in that field can tell if you have done that job or not.
Example: I worked in a warehouse for three months. In that time I took a box from a conveyor belt and placed it in a stack. If I go into a job interview I really can't say much about warehouse operations, regulations, daily tasks, or management structures. Had I been an full time employee that had been there for years, I would be able to say a lot more about went on there other than "I stacked boxes".
Focus on this part of the interview, focus on what you can say about how you work and what you can do. Take your best knowledge and experience and make that your forward quality in any interview.
Let's say its the opposite. Let's say you have no experience in that field but are really interested in getting it. Take the similar experiences you have to working in that field and place them forward. Relate your experience to the job you want and explain why you are best fit for it.
Back to the example, but this time I am going for a foreman position in a warehouse: "I worked in a warehouse for three months but don't know much about the position but I am willing to learn" versus "I have worked in many environments where I have handled material, done inventory, reported directly to management, adhered to strict safety rules, and worked with teams to ensure customer satisfaction. I think I will be a fit for this position based on that.".
Again, you will do this either in person or over the phone. Look at my example above and see how without experience or knowledge the second example sounds better and will work in person or over the phone. Pavan mentioned the STAR method. This will be the format for how you answer these questions. If you don't have an experience the STAR method is really useless.
"I had boxes coming in from the conveyor from manufacturing and I needed to sort them for shipping. I could get over 400 boxes stacked in a shift to ensure timely delivery. The second team had to work extra to keep up with my sorting. This got the attention of management because shipping increased by 20% that month resulting in more sales from that warehouse."
That would be a quick STAR method example. Try to follow that for a format but also pay attention to details surrounding what you did, I feel like you will be able to explain your skills no matter where you are.
Misha D'Andrea
Learning + Development
66
Answers
New York, NY
Updated
Misha’s Answer
Hi Tahreem! Here are some thoughts offered via Cloudera new hires: David and Hani
- Communicating in a collaborative context is important
- Breaking the problem down into pieces to enable focus and discussion on the aspects of your answer
- Articulate the pros and cons of using a specific approach
Prepare by reviewing key concepts and terminology
Create some practice problems using AI and talking through them yourself
- Communicating in a collaborative context is important
- Breaking the problem down into pieces to enable focus and discussion on the aspects of your answer
- Articulate the pros and cons of using a specific approach
Misha recommends the following next steps:
Pavan Khiani
Product Manager
1
Answer
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Updated
Pavan’s Answer
To translate your in-person charisma over the phone, you have to lean heavily into the use of "open-book" nature of the format to your advantage. Start by standing up and smiling while you speak, which physically alters your vocal cords to project more warmth, energy, and confidence through the line. Because you lack visual cues like head nods, demonstrate active listening by using verbal cues (e.g., *"Absolutely"* or *"That's a great question"*), and use a strict structure like the STAR method to keep your answers concise and prevent rambling. Finally, take advantage of the medium by taping your resume, the job description, and key talking points at eye level on the wall in front of you, allowing you to sound flawlessly organized and prepared without the interviewer ever knowing you are looking at a cheat sheet.
Thanks, can't wait to put this advice into action!
Tahreem