The phone rings just as you are about to sit down for dinner, but this time it's not a pesky telemarketer – it's a company recruiter calling. You've been caught off-guard!
The telephone "screen call" can come at any time – day or
night. Some interviewers find evenings the best time to catch people
at home, where they will be able to talk more candidly. Therefore,
you should be on-call and prepared to receive a telephone
interview at any time.
Telephone interviews, typically conducted by a human resources
staff member or a hired recruiter, are used as screening tools.
By asking key questions, the interviewer determines whether or
not it is worthwhile to pursue you further as a candidate. The
screenings may consist of a few quick questions or as much as a
one-hour grilling.
Some general questions you might expect in a telephone screening
are:
1. Why are you leaving your current job?
2. What kind of salary/job are you looking for?
3. Tell me three adjectives that describe you.
4. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem using
creativity.
5. Do you have any questions for me?
If there is some particular skill that qualifies you for a job,
for example technical skills or languages, there may be some
qualifying questions about the "tools of the trade."
Even though you cannot control the timing of these calls, there
are some steps that you can take to not be caught off-guard.
1. Get organized. Set aside your materials as though you were
going to a face-to-face interview. Have a folder with job
postings or ads you have answered, along with company
information. If you have several versions of your resume, attach
the one relevant to the particular job posting. Keep this folder
in a specific place so you can get to it in less than a minute.
Tell the caller to hold and then grab your folder.
2. Be prepared. This is key to any interview, but for the
telephone interview it is essential. Practice with a tape
recorder to hear the level of enthusiasm in your voice. The key
to telephone interviews is projecting an upbeat image through the
sound of your voice and the words you use.
3. Know what they are looking for. Look over the job description
to see what the company is seeking in a candidate. If you don't
have a good description, look at other postings of similar
positions to see what is being asked for. Compare what you have
to offer against what they are looking for. Be ready to let the
interviewer know what a good match you are for the position.
4. Alert the household. Be sure everyone in your household –
children, roommates, etc., are aware that you will be receiving
calls from recruiters and companies. The phone should be answered
in a polite, professional manner. While you're at it, make sure
your voice mail message is also professional and upbeat.
Getting through this screening is critical for advancing to the
next step: the face-to-face interview. This puts added pressure
on you to present yourself in a positive, focused manner. If you
attempt to wing this call, you may reach a dead end in the
process. By organizing and preparing you will feel less stress
when these calls do come.
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