12 Crucial Phone Interview Questions to Ask (2025)

Phone interviews are helpful during the initial stages of the hiring process. They provide the hiring manager, recruiters or employers an opportunity to shortlist candidates who possess the must-have skills to thrive in a position. Generally, phone screening questions should be simple, and ones that don’t require the candidates to prepare too much. Typically, complex interview questions, such as behavioral and situational questions, should be reserved for one-on-one interviews.

Phone screen interviews are essential during the early stages of the hiring process because they help employers to:

• Clarify information on candidates’ resumes
• Assess candidates’ verbal communication skills or their ability to speak in foreign languages
• Get to know about the candidates
• Provide information about the position to determine if candidates are still interested
• Determine candidates’ availability, authorization, willingness to relocate, and flexibility in working hours
• Interview remote workers

Typically, phone interviews enable recruiters to assess candidates’ skills and qualifications before sending an interview invitation to the shortlisted candidates. Below are sample phone screening questions:

Examples of phone interview questions

1. What is your motivation for choosing this career path?
2. Are you currently employed? If yes, what period of notice do you need to give to your employer before resigning?
3. What are your salary expectations? / What was your starting and final levels of compensation in your previous (current) position?
4. Are you authorized to work in [X] area?
5. Do you have any experience using software [X] in any of your previous positions?
6. The working schedule for this is [X number of days/hours]. How flexible/willing are you to stick to the schedule?
7. How soon can you start working at [ABC] company?
8. Are you willing to travel?
9. What did you do during the [X] employment gap?
10. What interests you about this job?
11. Why do you want this job?
12. What do you know about this company?

Tips to conduct a phone interview

• Send an interview invitation email to inform candidates about the date and time that the interview will take place as well as the duration of the interview, and name of the interviewer, so that they can prepare in advance.
• Prepare for the interview, come up with the questions you plan to ask to ensure the discussion flows smoothly.
• Ensure you are in a distraction-free zone. Consider getting a quiet area in the office or private room and check all your equipment beforehand to ensure they are operating effectively.
• Always ask candidates follow up questions whenever you need clarification. However, be mindful of time to ensure that the interview doesn’t take longer than expected.
• Ensure you take brief notes during the phone interview with candidates. Doing this will come in handy later when you want to compare the responses among candidates, especially if you are dealing with large groups.

Red flags: Mistakes candidates make

• Unavailability: If a candidate misses or avoids your phone call, despite having scheduled an appointment, it shows a lack of reliability or interest in the role.
• Noises or bad signal: Scheduling an appointment calls for preparation. Therefore, candidates should ensure they are in distraction-free zones, and if they experience poor signal they could opt to reschedule the interview or use other alternatives such as Skype.
• Lack of professionalism: A phone interview similar to all interviews demands professionalism. The discussion ought to maintain some degree of formality and respect.