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More Companies Using Job Interview
Phone Screening
By Carole Martin
Planning and preparing before you begin to send out resumes could save you
some embarrassing moments when you receive that unexpected call.
You just never know when that phone is going to ring. Let's say 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. The voice on the
other end of the phone says she is calling about a resume you sent in six
weeks ago. 'What -- six weeks ago? I sent out 40 resumes in the past six
weeks? Who exactly are you and what was the job you are calling about?'
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. That being the case, you should be
on-call and prepared to receive a telephone interview at any time.
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. When the phone
rings at an unexpected moment, 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.
Telephone interviews, typically conducted by a human resources staff member
or a hired recruiter, are used as screening tools to save time and money. By
asking key questions, the interviewer determines whether or not it's
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:
Why are you leaving your current job?
What kind of salary/job are you looking for?
Tell me three adjectives that describe you.
Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem using creativity.
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.'
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 stressed when these calls do come.
--------------------------------
Carole Martin is a celebrated
author, trainer, and an interview coach. Her books, 'Interview Fitness
Training Workbook' and 'Boost Your Interview IQ' (McGraw Hill) have sold
thousands of copies world-wide. Receive Carole's FREE 9-week job interview
e-course by visiting her web site at:
http://www.interviewcoach.com or
http://www.interviewfitnesstraining.com.
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