Telephone Interview - Expectations and Preparation Tips

You have an appealing resume that is posted on the Web. Your circle of friends, family and others in your network are working on your behalf to get the word out that you are looking for a job. You have sent your resume to targeted companies that you want to work for. And now you are waiting for the phone calls. Before that call comes you should know what to expect and how to prepare for the phone interview.

Many Recruiters use the telephone interview to initiate the interview process. I prefer to use it as a screening tool to decide whether or not I want to pursue a face-to-face interview with the candidate. At a minimum I need to know if you have a clear understanding of the position, why you feel your background and experience would be a match for the position that I am trying to fill, and how you are going to add value to the organisation. I also want to know the level of interest the candidatehas in the position. During the phone interview I am also toned into the candidate's verbal communication; clarity, articulation and phone etiquette. Having thoroughly reviewed the resume I will have a couple of questions about information on the resume. My phone interviews normally take 10-20 minutes. I have heard of phone interviews lasting 45 minutes to 1 hour.

A phone interview can benefit you as well. You do not have to dress up and travel anywhere. No worries about the eye-to-eye contact, handshake and posture.

There are two types of phone interviews - expected and unexpected. Some Recruiters call to schedule a phone interview for the near future. But generally speaking, Recruiters will conduct the phone interview when they call. You should expect to engage in the interview when you receive that first call.

Those are the expectations. Let's talk about how to prepare.
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• Make a list of positions you applied for. A good practice is to create an Excel spreadsheet that contains the date you applied, the name of the position, company name and brief description of duties, responsibilites and job requirements. I have interviewed candidates who could not remember which positions they applied to. They tell me, "I have applied to so many positions..." That would indicate the level of interest that the candidate has in my position. You can also use this phone log. <

<Company Name:
Contact Person:
Position Applied for:
Date Applied:
Position Requirements:
My Key Qualifications:
Company Name:
Contact Person:
Position Applied for:
Date Applied:
Position Requirements:
My Key Qualifications:

• Write down your "Wow" statement. This is a 60-second introduction. which should include your skills, why you are interested in the position and how your experience and background can add value to the organisation. Rehearse your introduction so it doesn't sound like you are reading but sounds natural and sincere.
• Have a copy of your resume handy. Your resume is your "talking points". It will keep you on track as you discuss your background and help you answer questions about your past experience.
• Have a short list of accomplishments available for review. Specify and quantify your accomplishments (e.g. 'increased sales by 35%" or "reduced overheads by 27%").
• Prepare and write down your questions.
• Have a notepad and pen that works close by. Take notes so you can be better prepared for your first face-to-face interview. It is not a good sign of preparedness when you have to place the phone down so you can find a pen or find one that works.
• If your home phone number is listed on your resume coach your roommate, spouse, children and any other members of your household on how to answer the phone and take a message if you are not home. And remember to give you the message. I have had candidates tell me that they never knew I had called. Once I called a candidate who was leaving with her parents. One of the parents answered the phone and asked me how much the position paid, if there were benefits, when the position started, etc. A spouse of a candidate told me that if the salary was less than what the candidate was making the candidate was not interested.
• Think about your home's answering machine or cell phone message. A trend I noticed is voicemails/answering machines that treat incoming callers to a snippet of music from the resident's favorite singer. As a Recruiter, I am a bit annoyed if I have to listen to a song go on too long before I can leave a message.

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Interview and Job Hunting Mistakes

Sometimes I'm asked, "How did I do?" or "What can I do better?" These are good and legitimate questions to ask of your interviewer. But you should brace yourself for a candor response. If you are not open minded and willing to change you will sabotage future interviews and job search activities.

Here are some of the most common interviewing and job hunting mistakes that can prevent you from landing your next job and progressing up the career ladder.
1. Treating the receptionist rudely. Since the first person you meet on an interview is usually a receptionist, this encounter represents the first impression you'll make. Don't mistake low rank for low input. Often that receptionist's job is to usher you into your interview. The receptionist has the power to pave your way positively or negatively before you even set eyes on the interviewer. The interviewer may also solicit the receptionist's opinion of you after you leave.

2. Poor handshake. The three-second handshake that starts the interview is your first opportunity to create a great impression. But all too often an interview is blown right from the start by an ineffective handshake. Once you've delivered a poor handshake, it's nearly impossible to recover your efforts to build rapport. Here are some examples:

• The Limp Hand (or "dead fish"): Gives the impression of disinterest or weakness
• The Tips of the Fingers: Shows lack of ability to engage.
• The Arm Pump: Sincerity is questionable, much like an overly aggressive salesman.

Even if you're a seasoned professional, don't assume you have avoided these pitfalls. Your handshake may be telling more about you than you know. Ask for honest critiques from several friends who aren't afraid to tell you the truth.

3. Having a bad attitude. Interviewing while still angry at a former employer. Being, acting, or thinking negative. The problem with negative people is that they seldom realize how terribly negative they really are. They may have good business skills, but they stay unemployed a long time and can't figure out why.

4. Can't articulate your own strengths and weaknesses. Only you can recognize your most valuable strengths and most hurtful weaknesses. Be able to specify your major strengths. Your weaknesses, if such must come up, should only be turned around to positives.

5. Talk, Talk, Talk. Rambling, interrupting the interviewer and answering to a simple question with a fifteen-minute reply - all of these can be avoided if you've thought through and practiced what you want to communicate. Good answers are to the point and usually shorter.

6. Cut the puffy stuff. I know that you want to promote yourself. But too much puff is a huge turnoff to employers. The key to presenting yourself as accomplished yet modest is to introduce all self-promoting topics with an air of humble gratitude, even mild bewilderment.

7. Failure to match communication styles. It's almost impossible to make a good first impression if you can't communicate effectively with an interviewer. But you can easily change that situation by mirroring the way the interviewer treats you. For instance:

• If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt to loosen him/her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike.
• If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his/her interests. Often the items on display in the office can offer a clue.
• If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.

8. Not asking questions - and asking too many. Use your research to develop a set of questions that will tell you whether this is the job and the company for you. This will help you limit and focus your questions. But don't overpower the interviewer with questions about details that really won't count in the long run.

9. Thinking "something will come along." Waiting for something to happen. As a rule, good things don't "just happen." Successful people make them happen. Effort usually equals results. As a rule, the harder you work at a job search, the sooner it ends.

10. Thinking someone else will find me a job: a recruiter, a counselor, my neighbor, my employer, my spouse, my pastor--anyone. Even with counseling and support, this is really a "do-it-yourself" project.

11. Thinking they're more marketable than they are. Declining job offers that pay less than the last job or are somehow inferior. It's often best to accept a weaker offer and leverage up from there.

12. Taking rejection personally. The best way to cope with rejection is to have so many balls in the air that one loss doesn't matter much. Having your entire future riding on one potential offer is clearly a red flag.

13. Acting desperate. You may feel desperate. Just don't let them see you sweat.

14. Shooting too high (or too low). It's essential to know where you're marketable. You learn that through networking, and by asking others where they think you're competitive. Ask college professors, experts in the field, and especially those in jobs similar to the ones you want.

15. Looking for "a job" rather than for a good fit where you'll be happy. Sometimes it's necessary to take the first job that comes along. Most of the time, it's not. Whenever possible, hold out for the right fit.

16. Launching a job campaign before you know who you are and what you want to do. (The cart before the horse.) This is like building a custom home without a blueprint. Usually, the result is a short-term fix. Then you're back in the job market.

17. Asking for "a job" instead of asking for advice, ideas, and referrals. Business contacts-especially strangers--are generally willing to point you in the right direction, but they dislike being asked directly for a job, because they're uncomfortable turning you down.

18. Not preparing for interviews. Your competitors will be prepared. They will have rehearsed the answers to difficult interview questions--sometimes even on videotape. Why shouldn't you? Also, don't interview half-heartedly. Go for the job offer. You can always turn it down later.

19. Hard-selling. Coming on too strong. Pushing people to give you names. Sometimes called NFL networking. Hard selling creates bad feelings about you and is actually counter-productive.

Final Thoughts. Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview, strong interview skills will win you consideration for the job. You already know that you won't earn an interview unless your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Similarly, you should know that polishing your interview skills can mean the difference between getting the job offer -- and being a runner-up.

Start your job search with a resume that creates a stellar first impression, then back those facts up with your extraordinary interview skills. You will have made yourself a better candidate by avoiding these pitfalls. And no one will have to talk about you as the candidate who "almost" got the job.

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