Hi guys!

So, I just graduated and am working for a TV channel. I applied for PhD Communication in America. I just got an email from one of my top-choice universities (which was also sent to 5 other people), saying that they are "seriously considering" my application and several of their faculty members would like to interview me in the next week or so. Now, I am on the other side of the world, so I understand the phone interview ... what I want to know is that is this normal??? What does it mean??? How important is it? What do they ask??? And how should I prepare for it??? This is sooooooo important to me that now I am freaking out! Any kind of information will be VERY helpful!!! So, HELP PLEASE!!

first of all, i would say take a deep breath and CALM DOWN! secondly, i would prepare for a phone interview in the same way you would prepare for any other. of course a phone interview is normal if you are the other side of the world to your interviewers. it will be as important as a face to face interview so take it seriously. prepare for questions such as 'why do you want to do a phd?', 'why do want to do this phd in particular?' and 'why do you want to do your phd here?'. obviously the will also ask you about the project itself so make sure you understand what the project will involve.

Thanks a lot Smoobles ... I'm calming down ... :) But I have so many questions in my head! I've been reading the other threads and its been really helpful but I still wonder that if they sent the email to 5 people including me, does that mean I'm competing with the other 4 for one spot?? And one of the faculty members that I contacted before applying was really helpful and friendly ... I'm thinking that should I email her and ask her what I can expect ... as she is in the same school but not part of the program that I got a call for ... or will that be stupid?? Also, I wasn't asked to submit a proposal or project idea ... I just have, and gave them a general area that I was interested in researching in ... I also have no idea who could be my supervisor, not to mention I graduated last June! Does any of this go against me? Thank you sooooo much!!

I have done a phone interview for a funded PhD before, although this was for a UK institution (I also live in the UK - couldn't be there in person due to work commitments). In terms of the questions they ask it is exactly the same as a face-to-face interview. In some ways I think a phone interview can help the applicant as the panel can't pick up on signs of nerves in terms of body language. All of the questions I got were pretty standard: why do you want to do a PhD, How would you go about carrying out the research, where do you see your career going etc, etc, etc.

Just be calm and i'm sure you'll do well!

Telephone interviews aren't that unusual, and shouldn't be that stressful. However it helps to be prepared and to take it slowly.

You will most likely be interviewed by a group of people at the other end who will most likely be sitting around a conference call telephone. Beware that an international call may also introduce a tiny time lag to the mix, so speak clearly and, while trying not to speak over anyone, don't hesitate. Make yourself comfortable at home or at work in the quietest room you can find, and maybe doodle some bullet points down under the questions you can expect to be asked. I would also expect the university to tell you who is going to be carrying out the interview at the same time that they write or call to tell you when it's scheduled for. So hit the institution's web site and read their bios and publication lists. Don't swot up on everything they've ever done, it's not to ingratiate yourself with them but to try and understand what questions they might be asking you.

The first institution I applied to for a phd is in Ireland. They offered a telephone interview since I was based in Britain, but I realised I had already planned to be in that city on the same day, and until the last moment I expected to be able to attend the interview in person. A day or two before I realised that the interviewers would be making the call from a remoter campus than I expected, but with a non-refundable flight on Ryanair booked I had no choice but to hot foot it off the plane and locate the quietest corner of the airport to do the interview in! It was less than ideal, since they were using a rather poor conference phone and I was being interrupted every few minutes as flights were called over the tannoy :-)

Best of luck. Just do everything you can before hand to make it go smoothly, and remember that at least this way you won't have to worry about what to wear!

My post-doc was a phone interview, which with time differences etc, involved a very early start for me! But it was the best interview I'd ever done! I'm pretty confident with interviews (though normally unsuccessful!) but I had time to prepare myself, had some bullet points of things I wanted to mention or include in my answers etc. The most important thing is to sound confident and enthusiastic, as they can't use body language to tell this. Smile while you talk! :-)

Wow. Thank you guys ... this is so much help!!:-) I almost wish that I was caught off-guard by an interviewer, since I think I do much better at impromptu interviews, when I haven't been thinking and re-thinking about what I could say or shouldn't. I feel it builds up nerves when you know exactly when it happens, and in the other case I could do like a general prep for it. When I got the email I thought that maybe they could call me at any time ... that is before I read the other threads here. Stupid, I know ... but its my first time! Out of curiosity though, how many interviews have you guys been through to get a PhD? I have a feeling that this is the only university that gave me a call or will, among the others I applied to ... because my academics are not that strong but this one was really high on diversity. As far as nerves are concerned ... you guys have helped loads and I think I will handle it just fine since enthusiastic I am, so bloody, that I want this more than anything! And James girls always love dressing up! at least that's what I think! :-)

Dear All
I have found lots of questions that interviewer may ask during phone interview but I am very interested in type of questions that UK universities supervisors may ask. I am going to have phone interview next week since I have applied for a PhD studentship in Roslin institute, University of Edinburgh. Would you please tell me about the questions that they would ask me?

Hadi - that's totally dependent on your subject. If it helps, for non-phone interview, mine asked me to outline my thesis, then I had questions about my specific proposal, current thinking in the field and possible approaches to research. Without knowing your proposal, it's difficult to say, but prepare for it the same way you would any other interview. The advantage of a phone interview (in my experience) is that you can jot down points to most likely questions, as others here suggest.
Good luck!

Don't dwell on the other people copied in on your email...I found out immediately prior to my interview that there were 6 shortlisted candidates being interviewed: REALLY unhelpful piece of information (which, stupidly, I discovered by asking the receptionist.) Concentrate on your own preparation, and give it your best. And take the call standing up, with copies of all the paperwork that has been submitted to your interviewers set out in front of you. I beat the odds at 6/1, so good luck to you.

Hi...I had 2 phone interviews for PhDs a couple of weeks ago...One was an out of the blue phone call, whilst the other was pre organised. The questions they asked were as any other interview...why do you want to do your PhD?...What would you like to do once you finish your PhD?...some questions about my background etc (I was doing a masters...and they asked where I was in that)...what is important is that you are honest (e.g. I have submitted my masters' thesis, but am still waiting for a viva) and be ready to show that you are interested in the post...I have been given both PhDs (and have chosen one), so I must have done something right...When I went to visit my supervisor she said that one thing that impressed her was that I asked questions which showed I researched the situation (my supervisor works in a department so the website shows she is part of this department which does not do any actual research, but is seconded to another department...and I asked how things will work out)...it is imp to have everything next to you (CVs, cover letters etc...to know what you sent them)...together with a pen and paper, to jot down notes etc...all in all, I really enjoyed my phone interviews...it was one of my first experiences and I was scared...converse normally, but be respectful and allow them to talk (I have a habit of talking over people...so I tried to curb this)...Oh and have a glass of water ready next to you just in case (saw this written somewhere whilst preparing)...

Wish you the best of luck...Hopefully we will both start our PhD together to support each other :D

Hi,

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.

Tks again and pls keep posting.

======= Date Modified 11 Aug 2011 12:50:06 =======
Hi

This topic help me a lot in developing my project. I will contribute more when I finished it.

The way employers set up interviews are just the same as they do with face to face ones. Managers and recruiters are hired to make phone interviews to screen candidates from a pool of applicants for employment.

Spending time on reviewing all regular questions raised during the phone interview is of great importance and then be well prepared for your answers. Beside, set up the plan for a phone talk saying about your background and skills.

Practice on 33 Phone interview questions at :http://interviewquestionsandanswers.biz/phone-interview-questions