ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Powerful Phone Interviews
Phone interviews are de rigueur with many organizations. Companies conduct phone interviews for a number of reasons. It's a way to screen out the dead wood. It gives the next interviewer baseline information from which to work. It saves money. So, how do you prep for a powerful phone interview? And how is it different from a face-to-face interview? Recently, three of my clients aced their phone interviews. Here's what we learned works. Prepping for the phone interview: If you need to call from work or from a phone booth or a cell phone, tell the screener/interviewer what the circumstances are. It's better to explain ahead of time than to suddenly have to stop midway through because of noise or an interruption. Stand up. You project stronger energy when you stand. Or even better, walk around. Remember, the interviewer has only your words and the sound of your voice with which to judge you. You will come across more upbeat and enthusiastic if you stand. Even for a phone interview, you need to do your homework. The interviewer will be asking, "Why do you want to work at XYZ Company?" and "What do you know about us?" Be prepared to answer classic questions, such as: "Tell me about a difficult situation you handled well," "What are your areas of development?" or an all-time favorite: "Why should we hire you?" If you need help in formulating answers to these questions, see the suggested reading section below. Keep your responses brief, 1 - 3 sentences maximum. Choose your words carefully, and be focused. Answer the question. Do not go off on a tangent. This is even more important in the phone interview stage, where the interviewer will appreciate your succinctness. Have water and throat lozenges handy. If you get dry mouth (don't you hate that), these can be lifesavers. How is a phone interview different from a face-to-face interview? You can use crib notes. And I would. Just in case you get the jitters or have a senior moment, have your responses written out (in bullet form). It's better than any security blanket. The timbre and inflection of your voice is critical. Modulate your voice to avoid sounding monotone. When I was a recruiter and conducted phone interviews, I could pick up immediately by the tone of the person's voice whether they had the requisite drive for the job. A phone interview is brief, sometimes 20 minutes or less. It is oftentimes a screening rather than an interview. There won't be a lot of follow-up questions based upon your responses. You won't get to connect with the interviewer. It may feel formulaic. The interviewer asks a question, and you respond. This is normal. You will know immediately if you have done well. They will tell you they are passing you on. If you haven't done well, you will get a vague response. Ask when you should follow-up. Finally, like a face-to-face interview, always send a thank-you note. A handwritten note is best. Sending an e-mail is acceptable, but less personal. Thank the interviewer for her time. Say you enjoyed the conversation and look forward to taking the next step. Indicate you will follow up within the appropriate time frame. A successful phone interview is a wonderful prep for the in-person gig. You've learned what your top lines are. You've done your research. You've made it to the next step. And your confidence level is up. So, when you get the chance for a phone interview, embrace the opportunity. It's practice for the main event. Dale Kurow, M.S., is an author and a career and executive coach in NYC. Dale works with clients across the U.S. and internationally, helping them to become better managers, figure out their next career moves and thrive despite office politics. Visit Dale's web site at http://www.dalekurow.com/newsletter to sign-up for her free monthly ezine "Career Essentials," chocked full of useful career tips and strategies you can use immediately.
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Interview Skills That Attract Offers An interviewer's mission is to assess your qualifications compared to the other candidates interviewed. Asking you questions is their way of accomplishing that mission. Preparing meaningful responses in advance is your way of impressing the interviewer. Jobseekers! Look For Smoke, Not Fire "If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always received," said some wise person. This is certainly true when it comes to job-hunting, especially during a "sucky" economy. How many times have you applied to a job on Monster.com? Now ask yourself, "How many other people have applied for the same position?" The numbers are discouraging I assure you. Should this keep you from applying to jobs online? By no means, job boards are a necessary part of the process. However, if you limit your jobsearch to seeking only those jobs that you are qualified for then you are making a mistake. Am I suggesting that you do a "shotgun" effect with your resume and apply to as many jobs as you can hoping that by some miraculous twist of fate you catch a recruiter's eye? No... and yes, in a way. Dont Quit Your Day Job! Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute, Part 1 of 2 Are you desperately trying to find a telecommute job so that you can quit your current one? Hold on! Your job just might have the potential to be done from home. How People Really Explore New Careers: What Does A Real Career Search Look Like? The traditional model of career choice suggests a linear pattern. Get to know yourself. Learn your kills and talents. Explore careers that seem to best utilize your talents and skills. Today, both research and experience suggest that real career change doesn't happen this way. Tips To Survive A Layoff The following eight tips will help make sure that recover from a layoff sooner than you think. Have You Been Fired? Laid Off? No? You Will Be! It's true. Things have changed. You need to know the 3 Keys to Taking Control in this wildly-changing job world. Job Interviews -- How to Follow Up Effectively Getting a job is not just about your performance in an interview. The post-interview follow up you do has a critical role in a successful job hunt. Here's how to do it effectively. 18 Career Enhancement Caveats Core value investing in your career Your Job Search Is A Marketing Campaign (Part 2) Here's a continuation of my article from a few months back on how the successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign. 3 Creative Job Search Tactics It's a fact: the best jobs attract loads of competition. So it pays to do whatever you can to stand out as a persistent, creative candidate, one that any sane employer would love to hire. Finding Employees For Insurance Industry Jobs Finding the right employee for any job opening can be a challenge to say the least, and this is no truer than in the insurance industry. With considerations ranging from experience and education to their personal skills, the decisions faced by recruiters and employers can be of critical importance. What to Ask During the Interview Don't just sit there and bob your head, waiting to answer the next question - be prepared to ask your own questions and make the interviewer know that you care! Seven Success Tips For Recent Graduates Entering the Professional World 1) Build a Relationship With Your Boss Whiners Need Not Apply Sometime last summer I decided to host a pity party and invite all my friends. Well, not all my friends, exactly. Only those whose livelihoods might have, like mine, been suffering from the downward slide of the economy. To make the guest list, invitees would have to possess the ability to grumble, gripe, groan, fuss, snarl, scream, fret, rant and complain -- preferably all at the same time. I wanted world-class whiners at my party. Optimists need not apply. Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One? Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're new to business or a seasoned expert, one of the best ways to get ahead in business is to find a mentor. And some highly successful people even have more than one. Get Beyond Your Tasks Ever hear the story of the two masons working side by side at a building site? They're doing the same work under pretty much the same conditions. Then, one day a stranger comes along, approaches one of the men and asks him, "What are you doing?" "I don't know and I don't care," replies the man, his voice brimming with irritation. All I do is slap this crummy mortar on these crummy bricks and pile them up in a crummy line. That's what I'm doing." Mystery Shopping for Fun and Profit How would you like to get paid to go shopping? That's right! Get paid to shop for clothes, eat in restaurants, watch movies, play golf, travel, and so on. Learn Some Useful Feng Shui Career Tips As it does with every main life aspect, feng shui also provides tips and guidelines to help you improving your career. If your career is not moving on in the way you wish, that is due to a lack of balance and harmony within your environment and the elements that affect it. Feng shui career tips intend to help you reach that harmony, but besides of following these specific tips, you should try to follow feng shui guidelines for all your life areas, since your life should be balanced as a whole as well. How to Get Paid More Without Being Pretty or Good Looking Guess what. The results are out they are ugly. Pretty people do get paid more money. Do You Have a Hotsy-Totsy Resume? I begin this article with a bit of slang description. What do I mean by a "hotsy totsy" resume? I mean one that does the following for you, the job seeker and a possible employer.
|
|
|
|
|
