Successful
Telephone Interviews
Volume
I, Issue I
If you
are seeking a new career opportunity, chances are you will
be asked to engage in a telephone interview – a screening
tool favored by most employers. Telephone interviews allow
hiring managers to explore a candidate’s work history
and abilities as well as evaluate the candidate’s enthusiasm
and interest level before committing to a face-to-face meeting,
thus saving companies time and money.
At this
stage, your mission is to sell yourself sufficiently to be
invited in for a personal interview. By following the guidelines
below, you will learn how to create a proper first impression,
thereby greatly increasing your chances of reaching your goal.
Schedule
a specific time.
Suggest
that you will make the call and arrange a specific time for
the call to occur; you will be more prepared and more comfortable.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted by
possible disturbances (e.g., your boss, family members, friends,
pets, TV sets, stereos, etc.) Locating a phone next to a desk
or table will be most helpful since you will need several
materials in front of you. If you are participating in a phone
interview at home, the kitchen is a preferred location –
counter space for materials, minimal distractions and room
to walk around allowing you to release nervous energy.
Be
prepared for a complete interview.
Job candidates
often make a big mistake: They treat their first telephone
interview with a prospective employer as a minor formality.
Don’t be fooled. Companies look for reasons not to bring
people in for interviews. If you want to succeed, you must
prepare for the initial “phone screen” as carefully
as you will prepare later for the face-to-face interview.
In order
to “sell” your skills and abilities effectively,
you should keep the following items next to your phone: your
resume, a list of your accomplishments, probing questions
about the company, a notepad, possible interview dates and
times and a glass of water.
Be prepared
(even rehearsed) to answer the following questions:
1. Why
are you interested in a career change?
2.
What are you looking for in your next position?
3.
Why are you interested in this position?
4.
What is your experience related to this position?
5.
What are your short and long-term goals?
6.
What can you tell me about our company? And, last but not
least,
7.
Tell me about yourself.
Questions
for the hiring manager could include the following:
1. What
are you looking for in the “ideal candidate?”
2.
What are the critical factors for success on the job?
3.
What are your company’s short and long-term goals?
4.
Why is the position open?
By asking
questions during the interview, you subtly start taking control
of the conversation.
If you
sense the interviewer relinquishing control, continue with
your line of questions. Interject short responses intermittently
to acknowledge the interviewer’s comments (e.g., “That’s
interesting,” “I see,” “Great idea,”
etc.). Conclude responses with “check-back” phrases
such as, “Does that answer your question?” “Is
that what you’re looking for?”
Project
a winning image.
In a
face-to-face interview, your appearance and body language
can help reinforce the impression you are trying to create.
Over the phone, however, their impression of you will be based
on your voice and your answers. Confidence and strong communication
skills are a must. However, you do have an edge – you
have your home field advantage, familiar surroundings with
your notes in front of you.
Listen
to each question carefully and respond enthusiastically with
concise, fact-filled sentences; responses should be limited
to 90 seconds. Describe your ability to impact the company
by using specific dollar amounts and percentages to explain
your past accomplishments.
Close
for an interview.
As you
proceed, try to get a feel for the chemistry or rapport that
has been established. If you feel the interviewer is impressed
with you, and you are interested in pursuing the opportunity,
do not hesitate to close the conversation by pushing for a
face-to-face meeting:
“(Interviewer’s
name), based on the information you have given me, I am very
interested in pursuing this opportunity and would like to
schedule a time for us to meet in person. I’m available
Tuesday through Friday over the next three weeks.”
If the
interviewer agrees that the process should continue but cannot
commit to a specific schedule, suggest that both parties should
coordinate their respective schedules thru the company’s
search consultant.
If you
are not interested in the position, don’t burn your
bridges. Your misconceptions may cause you to lose out on
a great opportunity. Express your concerns with the consultant
– he or she may be able to clarify the information due
to his or her intimate knowledge of the client.
By following
the Sanford Rose Associates guidelines for telephone interviewing,
you will come across as a candidate who should be invited
in for a personal interview.
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