What are the most common questions a recruiter will ask for a phone interview?

The Phone Interview screen is usually the initial pass of a potential hire after the Resume has been reviewed. The good news is the initial Resume screen brought out many of the basic qualifications this Employer was looking for. The Phone Screen, is usually handled by someone in the HR Department who is handling setting up the more formal interviews for the hiring Manager. The Screener will first go through your Resume that what you wrote down seems to match how you answer the general questions. Your job is to know your resume inside and out and provide relevant examples of why you wrote down what you did. Ultimately though, your real task is to get beyond the screen and in front of hiring Manager. Best advice I can give is to be knowledgeable at what the prospective Company does, know a bit about what the job is your are applying for, and sound charismatic and interested over the phone. The screener will want to see that you are eager and excited for opportunity.

Preparation is always the key to being successful on an interview. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Do your homework on the company and find out all about them. Try to find an update book about interview questions so you can see what type of questions they might potentially ask and they should also give you good answers to provide.

If you have any friends or know of anyone that works in human resources or management and is responsible in interviewing job candidates get their expertise and ask what type of questions do they typically ask and what are answers they like to hear. Good luck.

Typically in a screening interview, they are trying to get a sense of whether you have the general qualifications for the job. A common screening interview will start with an introduction, brief description of the job and the recruiter asking you to walk him/her through your resume. It's always a good idea to have a copy of the job description alongside your resume so that you can tie your skills and experience directly to the attributes and qualifications they are looking for. Another good exercise is to write a list of specific projects from your work experience that demonstrate your abilities and how they fit into the new role. Although it seems like a lot of work for a screening call, this will be your first step in preparing for the interview(s) that should follow if all goes well! All that being said, there can be a lot of variation between the recruiters that you get - some may have very good knowledge about the job and what the hiring manager is looking for, but many do not. So it's best to be as prepared as possible so you can get past this initial stage. At a minimum, have some good questions about the job and the company and the characteristics they are looking for so you can at least come across as curious and eager. Lastly, be as personable and courteous as possible, you never know when a little extra effort to be nice could weigh in your favor! Best of luck!

Phone screens are very basic. Definitely be prepared to walk through your resume and be able to explain your work experience. The most common question is "so can you tell me about yourself?". Keep this answer about your work experience and express interest in the job and company. As mentioned above, be prepared for anything. I was asked a behavioral question which is typically asked by the hiring manager. It's impossible to know what will be asked so just pick 10+ common questions and practice, practice, practice.

I would also check Glassdoor and read comments other have made, sometimes people tell what questions were asked.