True story. I had a head hunter send me on an interview at a company over an hour away. After gas and tolls it was a $30 trip. I wasn't excited about the commute, or possibly having to move, but after a few months of unemployment, I was open to everything. She didn't have a job description she could share with me, but she felt this was a good fit. Anyway, when I get to the place, the guy asks me a few questions related to my experience, and says, "I don't think you have the experience we are looking for." and I think he was 100% right. My head hunter screwed up. And it cost me. Really...$30 is a lot for someone who was on a fixed income.
Today, it seems like employers are starting the process with a phone interview, which is both good and bad.
Good aspects of a phone interview
- You don't have to get all dressed up. I still haven't had to run out to buy a new interview suit. This had saved me at least a couple of hundred dollars, which is a blessing when you are counting your pennies.
- You don't have to spend money to commute to the interview.
If the job isn't a good match, the interview only cost you time. If it is a good match, you saved at least $10 on commuting costs for this introductory interview and you won't mind spending "good money" on the next set of interviews with the upper echelon, which are the interviews you are really interested in anyway.
Bad aspects of a phone interview
- You lose the sense of excitement that goes with going on an real interview.
I find it difficult to be excited as I take the call in my bathrobe. Unlike the face-to-face interview, the 30 minute phone interview doesn't consume my day. I do it and I move on with my daily unemployment activities. - Face to face interaction is so much more powerful than a voice on the phone.
I personally have a terrible phone voice. I sound like a 10 year old. In the business world, that's not necessarily a good thing. If you saw me in person, you might think a little differently about me. But how do you explain this on the phone? - Phone interviews requires a different set of communication skills. Just from reading my 3 points above, I know I need to work on my phone interview skills, in terms of what I sound like and how I approach the phone interview itself.
My ultimate goal (as is everyone else's) is to get to the next interview...the real interview. And you only have to mess up a few of these interviews to know that you need to change your approach to them.
Here are my top 5 Lesson's Learned for Phone Interviews
(I may add more in the future, but here are the five I could come up with):
1)Find a good spot for the interview.
I've learned from experience that a busy Starbucks, or my friend's car while we are driving with her 2 year old daughter, or my bed are not good interview environments. While these are good locations for a casual conversation, they absolutely terrible for an interview.
A quiet room, at a desk or table, with your resume in front of you (and if possible the job description) is the best. I also have a pad to take notes (a luxury you don't get in a face-to-face interview).
2)Land Line is better than the cell phone.
Cell phone service seems to drop out when you need it the most. And what do you do when the call drops and the number that shows in the caller id is the company's main number, not the person's direct line? I'll tell you from experience. You just have to wait for the call back.
Stack the cards in your favor with a clear call from a land line. If you don't have one, this (unfortunately) is the time to invest.
3)It is better to stand up, walk around during the interview.
I guess it makes sense. That's how sales people work the phones. And on a phone interview, you are trying to make the biggest sale of all...your next interview. It changes the way you sound. I've tried this on my last interview, and it worked. I think I sounded more dynamic, more engaged. I was literally thinking on my feet.
4)Be prepared.
Yes, this sounds obvious. But somehow with a phone interview I seemed to forget that it was more than a casual call. Researching the company, having a clear understanding of the job description and how this applies to your experience is incredibly important. You really need to be on your game as much or even more on these interviews.
5)Don't forget the "Thank You."
The phone interview feels really casual, but it is an interview. You have to remember to say "Thank you." I use my notepad to take notes about the job. One of the questions is "What do you think is the biggest challenge for your business or for this position." When I am trying to secure the next interview, I try to address this with my skills in my Thank You letter.
Well those are my tips. I hope others will share and help me add to this list.
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