Monday, July 16, 2007
How to Ace Those Tricky Telephone Interviews
Not too long ago my nephew, the attorney, finally received his law degree. Shortly thereafter, one of my all-time favorite clients decided he wanted to return to Cleveland and resigned his position as Senior Corporate Counsel of a large medical center. That same week my neighbor, the Vice President of Marketing, was re-engineered out of work and my old buddy the Chief Information Officer called to tell me that his professionally-prepared resume "really worked!" My neighbors, relatives, and pals had all been granted interviews.
They had been coached in the most minute details of image and interviewing. Their shirts and ties were perfect for their suits which, purchased at one of those high-end mall clothiers, required quite an investment. They had mastered the fine art of the handshake and their body language was perfected to the point that they barely had to speak. (Interesting visual!) They got a good night's sleep and even consumed a good breakfast. However, it was between the English muffin and the second gulp of coffee that a strange thing happened. While adorned in their bathrobes, the phone rang and interview began! Why was this happening and what was a perfectly "decked-out" candidate to do?
Combine these facts with the element of surprise because one never knows when the interviewer will appear, and it is no small wonder that candidates are nothing less than terrified of losing a long-awaited opportunity. Here are some tips several of which appear in Knock 'em Dead, The Ultimate Job Seeker's Handbook, Martin Yate.
1. Develop a peaceful area to receive a phone call and have both current resumes and your collection of company dossiers at your fingertips. It is imperative that you don't appear hearing-impaired. If the dog is barking or the baby is squealing you will send the wrong message. You wouldn't believe the amount of executives who feature the Grateful Dead during a phone interview.
2. Configure a Signature Statement. This is a one or two sentence summary of who you are and what you bring to the table. You might also want to include the type of opportunity you are seeking as a tag line to the signature statement, tailored to the company that has called you, of course.
3. Allow the company representative to guide the conversation but make sure you come across as a formidable contributor. Whatever you do avoid one or two word answers, use specific examples from your experience to substantiate a point and have some questions of your own for the interviewer that demonstrates your knowledge of his company. Under no circumstances should you introduce the subject of money and if asked, simply state that the compensation you require totally depends on the nature of the position and growth potential.
4. Take Notes. Be sure to get the name and title of the company representative and any current projects or activity. If the company representative mentions a colleague's name be sure to secure the correct spelling and title. Knowledge is power and this information may be used to your advantage in future conversations.
5. Lock It Up! Traditionally one can identify the end of an interview by when the candidate is asked if there are any questions. If the company representative has not extended an invitation this is the time to take the initiative to ask for an interview.
They had been coached in the most minute details of image and interviewing. Their shirts and ties were perfect for their suits which, purchased at one of those high-end mall clothiers, required quite an investment. They had mastered the fine art of the handshake and their body language was perfected to the point that they barely had to speak. (Interesting visual!) They got a good night's sleep and even consumed a good breakfast. However, it was between the English muffin and the second gulp of coffee that a strange thing happened. While adorned in their bathrobes, the phone rang and interview began! Why was this happening and what was a perfectly "decked-out" candidate to do?
Combine these facts with the element of surprise because one never knows when the interviewer will appear, and it is no small wonder that candidates are nothing less than terrified of losing a long-awaited opportunity. Here are some tips several of which appear in Knock 'em Dead, The Ultimate Job Seeker's Handbook, Martin Yate.
1. Develop a peaceful area to receive a phone call and have both current resumes and your collection of company dossiers at your fingertips. It is imperative that you don't appear hearing-impaired. If the dog is barking or the baby is squealing you will send the wrong message. You wouldn't believe the amount of executives who feature the Grateful Dead during a phone interview.
2. Configure a Signature Statement. This is a one or two sentence summary of who you are and what you bring to the table. You might also want to include the type of opportunity you are seeking as a tag line to the signature statement, tailored to the company that has called you, of course.
3. Allow the company representative to guide the conversation but make sure you come across as a formidable contributor. Whatever you do avoid one or two word answers, use specific examples from your experience to substantiate a point and have some questions of your own for the interviewer that demonstrates your knowledge of his company. Under no circumstances should you introduce the subject of money and if asked, simply state that the compensation you require totally depends on the nature of the position and growth potential.
4. Take Notes. Be sure to get the name and title of the company representative and any current projects or activity. If the company representative mentions a colleague's name be sure to secure the correct spelling and title. Knowledge is power and this information may be used to your advantage in future conversations.
5. Lock It Up! Traditionally one can identify the end of an interview by when the candidate is asked if there are any questions. If the company representative has not extended an invitation this is the time to take the initiative to ask for an interview.
