Be prepared for the phone interview
posted in Career, Job Search, Phone Interview, Resume, iResume by amartiny
If you have an interview scheduled with a new company, it is often a phone interview. Be sure to take it just as seriously as a face-to-face interview. This is the company’s first impression of you (beyond your resume), and you want to stay calm, and focus on your mission…Getting the face-to-face.
The phone interview is often the first of two or three interviews prior to a job offer being extended. So, do not rush the process and get carried away asking about benefits, salary, etc. Again, your main objective is selling yourself and getting the next interview.
Here are some very helpful tips to keep in mind.
• Research the company on their website, and be familiar with the job description.
• Have a copy of your resume in front of you so that you are prepared.
• Be upbeat and positive. Project confidence in your voice. Do not carry on about a previous employer, boss, co-worker who you did not get along with, a job that annoyed you, how you hate to work over-time, etc. The objective is to be a positive asset to the new employer, so be sure to SMILE and express your positive attributes. No one likes a whiner!
• Stand up while you are on the phone. You will project your voice better and come across in a more alert and confident manner.
• Listen carefully to each question. Show that you understand what is being asked of you, and answer with definitive answers…no one word answers, and no long-winded dissertations.
• Get into SALES mode, and see yourself. Sell your abilities, experiences, and credentials to the recruiter or hiring manager.
• Do not ask about salary. You may tell them what your current or previous salary is if asked, but stop there. This is not the time or place for that discussion.
• Do not ask about benefits, vacation, PTO. These topics will be discussed if/when you receive an offer and can be negotiated then if necessary.
• Be prepared with a few questions for the interviewer regarding the position, the department, what the expectations will be for your performance. Show that you have researched the company and understand the position.
• At the end of the interview, ask, “What are the next steps?” Reiterate your interest in the position, and provide your availability for a follow up interview.
Good luck!
-Allison
Nice tips….. and how about handling with questions like???
Why did you leave your previous org? and why are you looking for a change? Cant blame on companies!!! how to escape these things with added flavors?
Excellent advice! Very consistent with a book I recently enjoyed – “60 Seconds and You’re Hired”, which coincidentally has many suggestions on how to handle a variety of potentially tough questions.
Thanks for the comments, Prasad. You are correct that it is often best to leave personal stories and individual conflict out of your answers, and don’t “blame” the company. You can often handle these questions with answers such as: 1. I am seeking a new organization that is better aligned with my personal and professional goals. 2. I am seeking a new challenge and feel that my last role may have been more limited than originally suggested. Make the responses about you and your longer term career goals, challenges, opportunities…keep it positive. Good luck.
Great, Jerry! Thanks.
I would also add that your responses to a phone interview should be CONCISE. You have no way to tell if the person at the other end is nodding, or nodding off.
Be concise, then ask, “Has this addressed your question or do you need more detail/”
Good luck to all in the interview process,
Marianna Savoca
Director, Career Center
Stony Brook University
I.U. class of 1995
[...] spelling and grammar). Once your resume and application get you noticed, often times, the phone interview is treated as a screening to ensure accuracy of your resume and to weed out candidates based on [...]
Thank you for the valuable information.
[...] spelling and grammar). Once your resume and application get you noticed, often times, the phone interview is treated as a screening to ensure accuracy of your resume and to weed out candidates based on [...]