Phone interviews for public sector jobs

A public sector phone interview is either a short screening call, where someone from recruitment or the hiring manager checks the basics before inviting you to a full interview, or a full scored interview held by phone, with a panel asking set questions and marking your answers against the person specification. The invitation should tell you which. Prepare for a scored phone interview exactly as you would for a panel in a room, and prepare for a screening call by having your facts to hand.

Where phone interviews turn up

Full interviews in the NHS, councils and schools are mostly held face to face or on video. Phone interviews are more common in a few places:

• high-volume recruitment, such as contact centre and call handling roles, where the phone manner is part of what is being assessed
• casual, relief and bank registers, where a short call replaces a formal interview
• recruitment agencies and outsourced recruitment teams screening applicants for public sector clients
• informal conversations before you apply, which some managers welcome and some adverts invite
• second-choice formats when a candidate cannot attend in person or has no reliable internet connection

For jobs like NHS 111 call handlers or police control room staff, expect at least part of the assessment to test how you sound and listen on a call, since that is the job.

Screening calls

A screening call is usually short and is not scored against the full person specification. The caller wants to confirm a few points before spending a panel’s time on you:

• that you meet the essential criteria, such as a qualification, registration or driving licence
• your right to work in the UK and whether you need sponsorship
• your availability, notice period and any shift or location limits
• that you understand the pay and hours on the advert

Have the advert, your application and your diary open. If asked about salary, the public sector usually sets pay on a fixed scale, so the question is often whether you accept the advertised band or grade. The guide to salaries on job adverts explains how to read the figure. Answer the eligibility questions accurately. A wrong answer about right to work or registration will be found at the checks stage and can lead to the offer being withdrawn.

Full interviews on the phone

A scored phone interview follows the same structure as any public sector panel. The panel members usually sit together on a speakerphone or join a conference call. Each asks set questions in turn, and they score your answers separately before agreeing a mark.

In the Civil Service, questions follow Success Profiles, so expect behaviour questions (such as Working Together or Delivering at Pace) and sometimes strengths questions. NHS panels assess values against the NHS Constitution alongside the job criteria. Councils and schools tend to use competency questions based on the person specification.

The format makes some things harder. You cannot see nods or puzzled looks, so you have no signal that an answer is going on too long. Panel members may sound flat because they are writing notes. Silence after you finish usually means they are still writing, which is normal. Keep each example to a clear beginning, middle and end, using the STAR method, and stop when you have given the result.

Preparing the room and the phone

Small practical problems are more likely on a phone interview than in a building, so set things up beforehand.

• Use a landline or a mobile with a strong signal in a quiet room, and charge the phone fully.
• Turn off call waiting and notifications if you can, and silence other devices.
• Avoid speakerphone and Bluetooth headsets that cut out. A wired headset is often clearer.
• Have a glass of water, a pen and paper, and a printed copy of the person specification and your application.
• Keep short notes of your examples where you can see them. No one can see you reading, but reading answers word for word sounds stilted, so use prompts only.

If the call drops, ring back on the number in the invitation straight away, or wait a minute for them to call you. Most panels will carry on from where you stopped. Note the name and number of the recruitment contact before the day so you can reach someone if the panel does not call at the agreed time.

How to come across well with no camera

The panel has only your voice to go on, and standing up or sitting upright helps you sound more alert. Speak a little slower than in normal conversation and pause between sections of an answer, because the panel cannot read your expression to follow the shape of it.

If you missed part of a question, ask for it to be repeated. Panels expect this, and it is better than answering the wrong question. If a question has several parts, it is fine to say you will take them in turn. At the end you will usually be asked if you have any questions; the guide to questions to ask at interview lists ones that work for public sector jobs.

Adjustments and the guaranteed interview scheme

A phone interview can be a barrier if you are deaf or hard of hearing, have a speech condition or process spoken questions more slowly. Employers must consider reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates. Options include switching to video with captions, a face-to-face interview, having the questions in writing during the call, or extra time. Ask as early as you can. Many Disability Confident employers, including Civil Service departments, guarantee or offer an interview to disabled applicants who opt in and meet the minimum criteria, and the format of that interview can still be adjusted. The reasonable adjustments guide sets out what to ask for and how.

If you are invited to a further stage after a phone interview, it is usually a face-to-face or video panel, a presentation or an assessment day. The panel interview guide covers what changes when the panel is in front of you.