| The initial phone interview has become a fairly recent | | | | reason, if you do not have a lot of time, focus on |
| development in the job interview process. Its only goal | | | | resume and job skill questions and delay prepping for |
| is to reduce the list of candidates to a working number | | | | behavioral, case or other interview questions until after |
| for future interviews. As a candidate yourself, your | | | | the phone interview.c. If you are in a time crunch or |
| only goal for the initial phone interview is to survive the | | | | concerned you may forget something, put this |
| cut. Here, are some tips to help you make that | | | | information in large font on note cards or paper and |
| possible: | | | | paste them on a wall in your house. During the |
| 1. Control the time and place of the interview.a. | | | | interview, if you get stumped, you can read this |
| Generally, you can expect to get either a phone call or | | | | information. You are pasting the notes on the walls so |
| email concerning the initial phone call request. I | | | | you don’t make noise rustling through some papers. |
| personally prefer to shift my contacts through email or | | | | This will help ensure you do not give a way the fact |
| try to return the phone call thru email if they provide it. | | | | that you are reading from a sheet. |
| My reasons for this are:i. You can return the phone call | | | | 3. Be ready to state a few basic facts about the |
| or email at a time when you are not distracted by | | | | company and your interest in the position.a. Again, they |
| other work duties or in a rush during lunch or a break.ii. | | | | are looking for high level answers here so you do not |
| You are given an opportunity to briefly research the | | | | have to be too specific. Be direct in your answers and |
| company and locate the job description. This will give | | | | give enough information to show them that (1) you |
| you more confidence when responding to the email or | | | | have some knowledge about the company, (2) you |
| making the return phone call.iii. Sometimes the | | | | know how this position fits into your career plan and |
| interviewer may try to have an on-the-spot phone | | | | (3) you are interested in the position. |
| interview. If you have not prepared beforehand, you | | | | 4. Be positive and upbeat throughout the phone |
| may be caught-off guard. As long as you return the | | | | interview.a. Make an extra effort to be warm and |
| phone calls and emails within 48 hours, you should be | | | | friendly during the interview and also, make it clear you |
| fine. Any longer than this however, you risk getting | | | | want the position.b. Your goal is to try to make friends |
| yourself cut out of the interview process.b. If possible | | | | with this contact. Your success in this effort may |
| try to have the interview at a quiet place at home or a | | | | make the difference in you getting the position later |
| quite place at the office. An empty presentation room | | | | and can only help you if you make a good impression. |
| or the cafeteria seating area during off hours could be | | | | 5. Provide any requests for additional information |
| a good fit.i. Caveat: If you have not advertised that you | | | | immediately.a. If they ask for transcripts, references, |
| are looking for another job at work, try to have these | | | | writing samples, etc, be sure to try to get these sent in |
| interviews off site. | | | | as soon as possible. If you foresee a delay, make the |
| 2. Must be ready to answer resume questions and job | | | | contact aware of this from the start. |
| skill questions.a. Your goal is only to avoid stating | | | | 6. Write down the name of the interviewer and their |
| anything that would put you out of the running for the | | | | contact information.a. If they schedule you for another |
| interview. To help meet this objective, have a list of all | | | | interview, be sure to get the names of those |
| the job skills mentioned in the job description with a | | | | interviewers and their contact information. |
| number of bullets for each one that show how your | | | | The initial phone interview should run very smoothly if |
| background has met that skill. Also, be able to answer | | | | you follow these phone interview tips. Just remember |
| basic follow-up questions concerning your resume.b. | | | | that this is only one stage in the process and as soon |
| Since the initial phone interview is usually conducted by | | | | as the initial phone interview is done, start preparing for |
| an HR representative or administrative assistant, the | | | | the next phone interview by looking into behavioral |
| questions are unlikely to get very specific. For this | | | | questions and case interview questions. |