Interview Preparation Tips:
- Approach your interview with the right frame of mind and attitude, which is to interview to WIN (i.e. receive an offer) If you don’t receive an offer you don’t have any options, decision or choices to make- they’ve been made for you.
- Learn as much about the company and position as you possibly can during the interview process.
- Don’t be too aggressive and jump right into the interview, remember you’re the interviewee not the interviewer, let them set the pace of the interview.
- Relax and allow yourself to answer the interviewer’s questions, always use examples to support your answers/responses.
“Confidence projects over the phone! Build a small amount of rapport and find something in common, the recruiter will set the agenda and then the candidate needs to answer succinctly! Always interject a few comments like: what a great question, or did I answer your question? Regardless if the client or prospective candidate asks. Smile, and it will show through the phone!” says, Sharon Tsao, CMO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Phone Interview:
It may seem that participating in a phone interview can help to relieve the pressure that is built up in the interview process, but this is not always true. Phone interviews are looked upon as an informal means by which a candidate can get a job or advance to a second level of assessment. Unfortunately, some candidates make some of their most critical mistakes when dealing with the questions asked in a phone interview.
First of all, it is important to deeply understand the increasing popularity of this type of interview. Some of the main factors that make phone interviews really appealing for employers include:
- Time. This is one of the biggest factors because phone interviews save the time of the interviewer as well as the person who is being interviewed.
- Phone interviews also help interviewers judge a potential candidate before actually inviting him or her into the office for an in-person interview. It serves as a great screening technique for many employers because they can concentrate on your phone presence, hear your smile and energy, and listen to your articulation of the answer to the question.
- It helps clarify any confusion regarding the position and its requirements before a formal interview.
- It allows the interviewee to discuss the position and inquire about the additional career information.
The drawback of this kind of interview is that although it caters to the immediate needs of the employers, it sometimes is not as good for the interviewee. At times, such interviews can even be really bad for the candidates. Poor network signal and unfavorable or noisy surroundings at the candidate’s end can also cause problems during a phone interview.
Some great phone interview tips include:
- Make sure you are prepared 15 minutes before the phone interview, have water, your resume, list of questions, job description and SMILE ready for the call.
- If you are asked to call the employer, then be 2 minutes early, never be late. You can only control yourself to make a good impression.
- Be sure to connect via a land line so the conversation is crisp and clear. In most cases the employer will usually call you, be flexible if they are a few minutes late.
- Standing up during the phone interview allows your voice to carry more, you feel more confident, allows you to think more clearly.
- It’s beneficial to stand in front of a mirror during a phone interview too.
- Close for next steps at the end of the call and make sure you ask if they are going to recommend you for the next step!