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You’ve been looking everywhere for, not just a job, but a career, you want to do something with yourself that enables you to pay your bills, but also provides a purpose. But, that’s harder than you imagined in an economy that is only slowly making its way back.
Phone interviews aren’t like talking to a good friend (though, wouldn’t that be nice!). The conversation can be awkward unless you’ve planned accordingly, so try practicing with a friend over the phone. For a phone interview, you’ll want to demonstrate your ability to interact well over the phone without body language or other social cues to go by. Here are 6 tips for acing your phone interview.
A recent Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the ratio of unemployed workers to available jobs is still more than five to one. It should come as no surprise then that human resources professionals and hiring managers are inundated with resumes for every position they post. Most do not have time to invite all the qualified potentials in for a personal interview, making phone interviews an increasingly popular tool for narrowing the list of candidates.
If a potential employer has scheduled a phone interview with you, take it as a good sign and an opportunity to impress. You obviously possess the background and experience they’re looking for. Now you just need convince them that you should be selected for an in-person meeting. Consider these five ways to stand out – even over the phone.
In an effort to save time and narrow the playing field, more often than not, companies are conducting one or more phone interviews before bringing candidates in for an in-person meeting.
During in-person interviews you are sitting in front of someone; you have an opportunity to engage them – let your personality shine through. Your body language, smile, and ability to connect on a personal level can give you the upper hand; what about an interview over the phone?
The interviewer can’t see you – there’s no opportunity to gauge body language or make the same kind of connection. Despite the limitations associated with a phone screen, when coaching my clients on interview strategies, I teach them to make a powerful impression – powerful enough to get the real deal – an invite to the office.
The phone rings, and you’re working on a myriad of different tasks (perhaps none of them related to your job search). You pick up the line and suddenly you find yourself speaking to a potential employer that you sent your resume to 3 months ago. Even with no warning of the all-important first interview, you can sail through the call as though you’ve been patiently waiting by the phone for them to ring. Here are some tips to help you get to the next round:
Don’t just say hello: Most of us have caller ID now (who doesn’t ignore a call once in a while?), so you can usually tell if it’s a potential employer calling. Regardless of when you sent the resume, always answer your phone in a professional manner. For example, “Hello, Mike speaking”. A simple introduction when answering the phone confirms that the caller has the reached the right person and it makes you seem approachable even when caught off guard.
Know your resume: If you are in the job market, you probably have passed out enough resumes to wallpaper the Taj Mahal. In this job market, expedient responses are few and far between so make sure you have ...
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