Planning and preparing before you begin to send out resumes
could save you some embarrassing moments when you receive
that unexpected call.
You just never know when that phone is going to ring. Let's
say the phone rings just as you are about to sit down for
dinner, but this time it's not a pesky telemarketer -- it's
a company recruiter calling. The voice on the other end of
the phone says she is calling about a resume you sent in
six weeks ago. "What -- six weeks ago? I sent out 40
resumes in the past six weeks? Who exactly are you and what
was the job you are calling about?" You've been caught
off-guard!
The telephone "screen call" can come at any time -- day or
night. Some interviewers find evenings the best time to
catch people at home, where they will be able to talk more
candidly. That being the case, you should be on-call and
prepared to receive a telephone interview at any time.
Even though you cannot control the timing of these calls,
there are some steps that you can take to not be caught
off-guard.
1. Get organized. Set aside your materials as though you
were going to a face-to-face interview. Have a folder with
job postings or ads you have answered, along with company
information. If you have several versions of your resume,
attach the one relevant to the particular job posting. Keep
this folder in a specific place so you can get to it in
less than a minute. When the phone rings at an unexpected
moment, tell the caller to hold and then grab your folder.
2. Be prepared. This is key to any interview, but for the
telephone interview it is essential. Practice with a tape
recorder to hear the level of enthusiasm in your voice. The
key to telephone interviews is projecting an upbeat image
through the sound of your voice and the words you use.
3. Know what they are looking for. Look over the job
description to see what the company is seeking in a
candidate. If you don't have a good description, look at
other postings of similar positions to see what is being
asked for. Compare what you have to offer against what they
are looking for. Be ready to let the interviewer know what
a good match you are for the position.
4. Alert the household. Be sure everyone in your household
-- children, roommates, etc., are aware that you will be
receiving calls from recruiters and companies. The phone
should be answered in a polite, professional manner. While
you're at it, make sure your voice mail message is also
professional and upbeat.
Telephone interviews, typically conducted by a human
resources staff member or a hired recruiter, are used as
screening tools to save time and money. By asking key
questions, the interviewer determines whether or not it's
worthwhile to pursue you further as a candidate. The
screenings may consist of a few quick questions or as much
as a one-hour grilling.
Some general questions you might expect in a telephone
screening are:
1. Why are you leaving your current job?
2. What kind of salary/job are you looking for?
3. Tell me three adjectives that describe you.
4. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem
using creativity.
5. Do you have any questions for me?
If there is some particular skill that qualifies you for a
job, for example technical skills or languages, there may
be some qualifying questions about the "tools of the trade."
Getting through this screening is critical for advancing to
the next step: the face-to-face interview. This puts added
pressure on you to present yourself in a positive, focused
manner. If you attempt to wing this call, you may reach a
dead end in the process. By organizing and preparing you
will feel less stressed when these calls do come.
----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin is a celebrated author, trainer, and mentor.
Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can.
Try her practice interview and pick up a copy of her FREE
9-part "Interview Success Tips" report by visiting Carole
on the web at http://www.interviewcoach.com
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