Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips
TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUND Telephone interviews are quite common in today's job market.
They are offered for a variety of reasons including cost savings,
screening of candidates and out-of-town applicants. To successfully
navigate the phone interview, it is important to have a solid game
plan in place for preparation. The following 8 quick tips will help prepare yourself for a
successful call. 8 QUICK TELEPHONE INTERVIEW PREPARATION TIPS 1. DO SOME RESEARCH
Try to find out who will be interviewing you. Will there be multiple
people on the call? If possible get their names and titles. Become
familiar with these before the call and you will have one less thing
to worry about during the call. Try and get some background on the
interviewer. Any insight you can gain about him/her will allow you
to better tailor your responses to make the best possible impression. 2. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS
Make a list of your accomplishments, goals and strengths. On another
list write out your weaknesses and what you are doing to overcome
them. On a third sheet write down why you are interested in the
company. Think carefully about all of these items as they often come
up in interviews. 3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Never forget that a telephone interview is still an interview. Take
time to practice interview questions with friends or family. Ask
them to provide honest feedback so you can improve your responses.
Mock interview questions can easily be found on the internet or the
bookstore. If you get stuck on a question, sample answers to these
questions are often provided as well. 4. DO A SOUND CHECK
During the mock interview, have your friend ask you questions both
over the phone and in person. Make sure that he/she listens not only
for content, but also tone, rate and clarity of your speech. If
possible, record yourself speaking. Are you speaking slowly and
clearly? Can you easily be heard? Is your voice portraying you as a
confident and enthusiastic candidate? If not continue to practice
until you are comfortable. 5. FIND YOUR LOCATION
Stake out a quite space to occupy during your interview. Ideally,
there should be a comfortable place to sit as well as a table to lay
out your papers. Try and find a low-traffic spot where members of
the household are un-likely to disturb you. 6. ORGANIZE YOUR PAPERS
Have a copy of your resume and cover letter close at hand. Take out
those lists you made while organizing your thoughts. In addition
keep any notes related to the company that you feel may be helpful
during the call. Spread these items out across your table so they are
easy to access. Only keep what is truly necessary. Too much paper
can be a distraction. 7. GATHER YOUR WRITING TOOLS
Place a notepad and several pens or pencils on the table. These will
be helpful in writing down notes, questions and most importantly,
your interviewer's names. 8. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
As the appointed hour draws near, make sure that the television and
the radio are turned off. Exit your email and turn off your computer
screen. If possible, disable your call-waiting. Let your family or
roommates know about the timing of the interview so they do not
accidentally disturb you. Place a do not disturb sign on your door as
a gentle reminder. CONCLUSION
By following these 8 basic tips, you are making a great impression and
on your way to the onsite interview. Remember, the phone interview
is very important and you should plan and prepare for it carefully. This article can be read online directly at:
http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/telephone-interview-preparation.html Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
Helping You Find More Jobs Faster Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers. Permission is granted to use reproduce this article but credit must be given to the author and also a direct link to http://www.WorkTree.com The article content cannot be altered.
Related News
Green Jobs Transition Must Accelerate - Policy Innovations
Green Jobs Transition Must AcceleratePolicy Innovations, NY -7 hours agoThe report forecasts that millions of cleaner careers could be generated by 2030, with as many as 20 million new jobs in the energy alternatives sector ... |
Bye-bye to career employment for Baby Boomer men - Examiner.com
Apprentices start building a career - Bradford Telegraph Argus
Apprentices start building a careerBradford Telegraph Argus, UK -10 hours agoMohammed, 18, and Shaun, 19, were both recruited by Lovell from Accent Community Partnerships, which delivers construction-based training and employment... |
Health Care Marketing Industry Day to offer employment opportunities - Hattiesburg American
Arbitrability of USERRA Claims: Battle on the Home Front - Law.com (subscription)
Shifting Careers In Hard Times, Lawyers Advise Cautious Steps - New York Times
City Expands Job Training For Public Housing Residents - NY1
New committee working on five-year plan to improve job prospects - Kawartha Media Group
The Grades recruitment event: White men in braces need not apply... - Independent
Springboards for life in careers elsewhere - Financial Times
Springboards for life in careers elsewhereFinancial Times, UK -4 hours agoAlthough the small state offers only restricted employment choices for graduates the average expected wage in the oil-rich country is the second highest in ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Create a Great Electronic Resume
After creating the perfect resume, you then need to
distribute it. You'll likely be sending some professionally
printed hard copies, especially to "A list" companies or
organizations you've set your sights on. But just as likely,
you'll be distributing other copies electronically.
You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression
There is no easy way to define exactly what editors, publishers, PR managers, non-profit directors, advertising executives, and other industry professionals want from writers.
The Changing Values Landscape of the U.S. and How It Impacts Midlife Job Searchers, Part Two
The values landscape of our nation is changing, and with it your personal values landscape is changing as well. What does this mean and what does it have to do with midlife?
How To Become a Mortgage Broker
The mortgage industry accounted for $1,815,949,279,000 in loan transactions in 2004. That's one trillion, eight hundred and fifteen billion, nine hundred and forty-nine million, two hundred and seventy nine thousand dollars... in one year!
Troubleshooting Your Job Search
OK. You've posted your resume online. You've sent out a dozen copies answering classified ads. You've told everyone in your network that you're looking for a job.
Age Discrimination is Alive and Unwelcome Here!
Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days. Why is this so?
Blogging for Candidates 101: Nuts and Bolts
A "blog" is simply an internet (web) log. Blogs are created for personal or professional use. They may promote a product or service, or merely serve as a personal online journal. There are currently just over four million blogs today, with a new blog born every seven seconds.
Defining Success Your Way!
In my career advising practice, I often find that my clients are not clear about what success means for them. Our society defines success primarily around three elements: power, money and fame. Many of you reading this may be saying, "wait a minute ?those elements are not the most important things to me." Success is often intangible. It's certainly unique to each person. Have you considered how you will know when you are successful?
How To Deal With A Difficult Boss
Most people at some point in their lives have to deal with a difficult boss. Difficult supervisors vary in personality from being a little pushy or rude, all the way to being downright abusive. Many people feel that an abusive boss has control of their personal life outside of work by lowering their self-esteem and making them live in constant fear. The role of a supervisor sometimes attracts certain controlling-type personalities because they crave the power it gives them and because they lack such control in their own personal lives. A supervisor has complete control over your most basic human needs-your ability to put food on the table and a roof over your head. These are powerful motivating factors that allow a difficult supervisor to control people out of fear of losing these basic needs. We may not be able to always correct their behavior, but we should never have to live in fear and let our difficult boss control our lives.
Job Interviews: Six Steps to Acing a Telephone Interview
Telephone interviews are becoming more popular these days. Whether that's good or bad depends on how you handle them!
How to Walk Away from an Opportunity thats Wrong for You
Q. I just finished a job interview. Everything went well. But I can't get excited about the job. The people were nice but frankly, I got bored.
Considering a Career Change?
Are you thinking about a career change? Many people do this because of specific problems or difficulties. Others want to make such a change because of some growing, generalized dissatisfaction. A career change is becoming more common. A few decades ago this kind of change was considered inappropriate. People were thought to be "job-hoppers" when they moved from job to job. People with this behavior were thought to be unstable and without loyalty. But now, changing your job or changing your career is generally considered to be a normal way to advance in work.
How To Get A Job Fast
In today's unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with any company would seem to be a thing of the past. Large company layoffs, golden handshakes, mergers, leveraged buyouts, company acquisitions and similar business moves have left people of all ages out of a job they need to live.
Six of the Best for a Winning Resume
1. Be Complete
Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created
While traveling in northern California last October, I happened to tune into a local newscast. The newscaster was telling his co-anchor that the speaker at that morning's Rotary Club meeting had to cut his presentation short because he was being flown down to Disneyland to carve elaborate Halloween pumpkins for the park festivities. The newscaster wrapped up the story with the familiar quip, "Nice work if you can get it." He got the first part right. For a creative kid-at-heart, being a professional pumpkin carver is a dream come true. It was his serendipitous "if you can get it" thinking that missed the mark. The fact is, people rarely "get" great work; they create it!
Despite all the emphasis on growth in the "job sector" I am continually amazed at just how many fascinating alternatives there are to the whole 9-to-5 schtick. And just as traditional job seekers can't wait around for "Mr. Job" to knock on the door, people who want to do satisfying work ? and call their own shots ? need to be proactive as well. Francis Bacon defined a wise man as one who "makes more opportunities than he finds." Here's a couple of other wise entrepreneurs who made it by going for it.
Sports-lover Don Shoenewald was just 18 when he went to the Philadelphia Eagles management wearing a homemade Eagle costume and asking for a mascot job. They weren't interested. Undaunted, Shoenewald kept showing up at Eagles football games. Pretty soon the fans adopted him as the unofficial (meaning, "unpaid") mascot. Thirteen paid team mascot jobs, four mascot character creations (including ones for the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks), and 18 years later, Shoenewald started Mascot Mania, the only professional training school for mascots in the world.
Despite what your high school guidance counselor might have told you, showing up invited in a bird costume isn't the only route to self-employment. For Dan Zawacki it all began when he was working as a sales rep for Honeywell and decided to give away 120 live lobsters as gifts to his customers. Dan was so bowled over by the response that he decided to open a small side business shipping live lobsters complete with pot, crackers, butter and bibs to crustacean-lovers from coast-to-coast. That is until his boss heard him pitching Lobster Gram, Inc. on a local radio station and promptly fired him.
In the beginning, Dan worked out of his bedroom, storing his lobsters in a used tank in his father's garage. His first year he netted only $4,000. Ten years later, his company sells about 9,000 lobster packages a year for $99 plus shipping. All and all, not a bad tale.
If you dream of making the transition from employee to self-bosser, the first thing you need to do is belief that you can. Then, the next time you see some entrepreneur doing what they love, try thinking: "Nice work ? now, all I have to do is get it!
The 10 Second Window of Opportunity, Resume Hour Glass
Do you know that a hiring manager just spends 10 second with your resume before deciding to forward or junk it? Ten seconds is all you got, to impress that person to get to the next step of the hiring process - "interviews". I have seen many folks who can easily market themselves in person but they are poor at condensing them in a piece of electronic paper. This article helps you focus on beating the "Resume Hour Glass".
Get Beyond Your Tasks
Ever hear the story of the two masons working side by side at a building site? They're doing the same work under pretty much the same conditions. Then, one day a stranger comes along, approaches one of the men and asks him, "What are you doing?" "I don't know and I don't care," replies the man, his voice brimming with irritation. All I do is slap this crummy mortar on these crummy bricks and pile them up in a crummy line. That's what I'm doing."
Always Have a Current Resume
What is the biggest mistake people make with resumes?
Doing What You Love
What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm sure you were asked this question at least once when you were a youngster. When asked the question, did you have an answer at the ready, or did you need a few minutes to think about it? We all had dreams of becoming something great, like a fireman, a teacher, or a rock star, just to name a few. Well, how did you do? Maybe you never aspired to be what you set out to be or said that you would become. But then again, things change. The older we get, our tastes change, our view of the world changes, even our goals change.
Job Dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction is a driving force behind individuals seeking employment elsewhere. When evaluating your employment it is important to distinguish between the work you do and your workplace.
|
