Acing Phone Interviews
In our previous post we discussed the preparation required to be successful in a telephone interview. We are now going to complete the exercise by dealing with the interview itself.
We are assuming that you have created your research and prepared the room and now you are ready to get to work. Remember one of my favorite pieces of advice, we have been given 2 ears and 1 mouth so we can listen twice as much as we talk. Not having the person in front of you allows for a wandering mind that may easily lose concentration, pay attention!
Having got your attention about listening let’s start out with some other basic rules for the session:
- Use the interviewers formal name e.g. Mr. Jones, Miss Peters unless they suggest otherwise. Make sure you have their contact information, correct spelling of their name, title, phone number and email address.
- Other than a small glass of water in case of ‘dry mouth’ don’t eat, drink, smoke, etc. these noises can be very easily heard on the other end of the line.
- If you can stand up while you talk this will help your breathing and smiling can be heard by the recruiter. If you don’t believe me try it.
- Don’t rush you answers, think about the question, think about your answer and then speak clearly and concisely. Don’t ramble on; this is as bad in a telephone interview as it is in a face to face interview.
- Be enthusiastic, your energy will stand out. Make sure this is genuine.
- Notes to have available, these should all have been practiced in advance.
- Why you are no longer with or why you are leaving ABC Company.
- Your positioning summary (fit for the job, etc.)
- Your strengths
- Your accomplishments
- Your weakness
- Your questions
- Take notes.
- Try to get a meeting set up for the next step (This may be a challenge) but at a minimum try to understand the hiring timeline.
- Always say ‘Thank You’ and follow up with an appropriate note or email.
Subjects to avoid in the initial phone interview:
- Money/Salary
- Benefits
- What’s in it for you
- Commute
- Etc.
source: virtualjobcoach.com
click here for more salary information
In: Job Search Advice · Tagged with: Abc Company, Concentration, Correct Spelling, Dry Mouth, Ears, Genuine Notes, Glass Of Water, Initial Phone Interview, Interviewers, Pay Attention, Phone Email, Phone Interviews, Phone Number, Ramble, Recruiter, Salary Benefits, T Rush, Telephone Interview, Timeline, Wandering Mind
Preparing for the Phone Interview
You and the employer have two very different goals when you begin the telephone interview and our focus is to make this work for you.
The employer is often going to use this interview as a weeding process to get the many hundreds of applicants down to a manageable list that will be then invited to a face to face meeting. At a time when we have a larger than normal group of unemployed there is also a cost motive in reducing the face to face interview activity. When the employer first calls you to arrange the telephone screen make sure that you arrange a time that works for you and you have enough time to get organized.
The applicant has but a single goal, to get to the next step and have that face to face interview.
This first post is going to focus on Organization and Preparation. A subsequent post will focus on Practice, On the Day and Follow Up.
Preparation
- Who is calling who, what time and date and what is the name of the person who is calling from the employer?
- Research the company, make sure that you know enough about the organization to be able to ask sensible questions or comment on their product or services. Use your library’s online service to look up recent articles and other information.
- Practice the interview in the same way that you would prepare for any interview. We have an extended list of interview questions available of both the standard and behavioral varieties. For the purposes of this post I have listed below a number of the key areas you will need to be able to cover.
- Employment History – Key dates, employers, salary, jobs, etc. Use a sample job application form to get your thoughts in order.
- Your Background – What makes you tick, “Tell me about yourself”, goals, aspirations and motivation.
- The New Job – What makes this job special, what do you bring to the table, what do you know about the job/company?
- Have the following organized:
- A bullet pointed list of accomplishments and an outline for answering the question “Tell me about yourself.”
- Copies of your resume, cover letter and the job description available so you can reference them at a moment’s notice.
- A pen and paper handy for taking notes, try to avoid using a computer as the keyboard sound can be distracting.
- A landline for taking the call, reception is usually better than a cell phone and turn off any call waiting or other features that may be distracting.
- A list of questions to ask the interviewer.
source: virtualjobcoach.com
click here for more salary information
In: Job Search Advice · Tagged with: Answering The Question, Aspirations, Employer Research, Employment History, Focus, Information Practice, Interview Questions, Job Application Form, Key Areas, Key Dates, Motivation, Motive, New Job, Phone Interview, Recent Articles, Salary, Sample Job Application, Sample Job Application Form, Telephone Interview, Time And Date
Should I Go To Human Resources To Protest An Evaluation I Believe Is Unfair?
It’s difficult to answer the question without knowing how human resources works in your company, your relationship with the manager, and the nature and use of the appraisals. But here are a few things to consider.
It is probably within your rights to approach human resources with your concerns about a performance evaluation you feel is unfair. However, whether this will result in good outcomes or not is another question. It is true that human resources should be interested and concerned if you feel you have been evaluated unfairly, but it doesn’t always work out.
Probably your best step is to try to deal with your concerns directly with the manager or supervisor who has evaluated you. Make sure you have indicated your disagreement on any paperwork (evaluation forms and documentation). If you can’t make any progress with your manager, then it’s fair to inform him or her that if the two of you can’t resolve the issue between you, that you will approach human resources for clarification of the process and your options. Don’t phrase that as a threat.
If you approach human resources, it’s better to ask for clarification rather than launch a full scale accusatory rant about your manager. If HR sees you as reasonable in approach, they are more likely to consider your concerns.
It is good to remember that many human resource professionals are committed to the welfare of employees, but that their prime role is to serve the overall good of the company, and they are bound by formal and informal policies and procedures, and internal politics. Also, since they aren’t as close to you and your performance as a manager or supervisor, they will tend to be hesitant to intervene too directly.
Finally, if you believe that your evaluation is negatively affected by managerial actions that are illegal (discrimination of various types, sexual harrassment), then it may be better to approach HR earlier in the process. HR tends to look at potentially illegal managerial decisions more seriously than differences of opinion that have no legal implications.
source: performance-appraisals.org
click here for more salary information
In: On The Job Advice · Tagged with: Appraisals, Clarification, Disagreement, Documentation, Evaluation Forms, Human Resource Professionals, Human Resources, Illegal Discrimination, Internal Politics, Managerial Actions, Paperwork, Performance Evaluation, Phrase, Policies And Procedures, Prime Role, Rant, Relationship, Sexual Harrassment, Supervisor, Welfare
