The Telephone Interview: Importance of Preparation

It was recently announced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor that the unemployment rate has risen to 7.6 percent and the numbers of unemployed people to 11.6 million in January 2009, not taking into account the multitude of under-employed workers. Recruiters and other human resource professionals are becoming increasingly inundated with the numbers of resumes and applications from those looking to be fortunate enough for consideration of the few open positions a company may have.

As so many companies are now outsourcing human resource functions, downsizing their own workforce, or the hiring department is often at the headquarters rather than the employment site, telephone interviewing is becoming more widely used to identify and recruit potential candidates for these open positions. Incurred expenses are minimized greatly when much of the preliminary work can be accomplished via the telephone.

The initial phone call is generally used as part of a pre-screening process where a few questions are asked to determine if the applicant is a "qualified candidate." A second phone interview often becomes the in-depth discovery of your skills and abilities as an attempt to further narrow down the cache of eager jobseekers before the invitation of a face-to-face interview is delivered.

When you are active in the job market, placing your resume on employment websites, applying for open positions, sending letters of interest as you market your skills to offer yourself as the solution for a company's specific needs, or simply networking on a daily basis, it is of the utmost importance that you are not caught off-guard when the telephone rings. It might just be a recruiter or the HR Director from a company asking you if you are available to talk for a few minutes.

Although a polished cover letter and resume may have prompted the employer to call you, it is in those first few minutes on the phone with the screener or interviewer which may determine just how far you progress in the interviewing process.

The Jobseeker Motto: Be Prepared

Preparation for a phone interview is actually not much different than that of the face-to-face interview. Each can make you incredibly nervous. You must be able to speak clearly and concisely about your strengths and your challenges, as well as answer standard types of interview questions. Making a list of these things will act as a visual reminder to yourself and will give you the opportunity to remain focused when you might be feeling a bit nervous.

By keeping your resume posted on the wall or in a folder by each phone in your home, you will also be able to quickly recall your background and experience when asked for specifics, and be able to highlight those accomplishments as you tell your story to the interviewer. Make sure you keep paper and pen in the folder so you can take notes.

Often times, interviews are being conducted from home, in a car, or even at a coffee shop! Interviewers and interviewees alike must be mindful of a few other things to respect the time that each other is giving to the process and to preserve the professional image of both the candidate AND the employer!

First, if you have been caught at an inconvenient time, ask if you may call back and suggest a couple of alternatives. This also gives you an opportunity to make sure that the television or stereo is turned off, that your friend or spouse take the dog and the kids to the park to play, and you have a quiet, peaceful, calm environment when you call back.

If you have multiple phone lines or call-waiting, make absolutely certain that you will not be interrupted by other calls by turning off the ringers to the other telephones, or deactivating the call-waiting feature on your phone. When it comes to using your cell phone, the last thing you want to be asking is, "Can you hear me now?" Nothing is more annoying than to try to have a conversation, let alone an interview, through static noise, bad connections, or calls dropping every couple of minutes.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Those who have been given the gift of gab may seem to have an advantage during a phone interview, but when nervous, talking too much can be just as damaging to the image presented as someone who is too quiet.

By enlisting the help of a friend or relative to help you practice your interviewing skills can be very helpful. You will become more comfortable with your answers. If you have a way to record the practice sessions, you will be able to hear any filler words you may use-"ands", "ums", "uhs", etc.-and you can identify where you use them the most often and take steps to eliminate them from your vocabulary by practicing.

When Talking on the Phone

SMILE! When you smile, the tone and quality of your voice changes and you present yourself more positively.

BREATHE! Take a few seconds to think about your answer and give a short, thoughtful answer. Speak clearly, and enunciate your words. Don't rush through your answer.

MIND YOUR MANNERS! Remember what your parents taught you. You shouldn't be smacking your gum, chewing with your mouth open or slurping your drink. In fact, you shouldn't be chewing gum, or eating your dinner at all during the interview! However, it is perfectly acceptable if you have a glass of water nearby, in case you need it.

And when it comes to manners, take care not to interrupt the interviewer in your eagerness to answer.

When All is Said and Done

After the phone interview is over, take a few minutes for yourself to write down questions you've been asked, and the answers you gave. Do a quick self-assessment of what went well and what you would like to improve for the next interview. If you are unsure of a better way, ask someone you know and trust who has experience with conducting interviews for advice and possible alternatives. Be open to feedback and actively listen.

Remember to follow up immediately with a thank you note, perhaps highlighting one skill or experience which makes you a good candidate for the position, which will remind the interviewer of your qualifications and interest in the position. In today's electronic world, it is becoming perfectly acceptable to send this thank you via e-mail.

A Final Thought

Whether an interview takes place over the telephone or face-to-face, taking those few important steps to make sure you present yourself professionally will often make the difference between you and the hundreds of other people applying for the same job. Preparation is the key.

And though you may not be the candidate chosen to move forward in the process or hired for the position, use every opportunity in the job search process to continue to hone your interviewing and job-seeking skills to show the world exactly what a polished professional you are.

Source

www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm