Phone Screen Preparation

Overview:

Candidates must remember that a phone screen is the first substantial contact with the client, so approaching the interview properly is imperative. 

Being properly prepared for a phone screen takes preparation, such as having your resume in front of you, reviewing the company’s website and job description, and preparing questions for the interviewer regarding the position and company.

The most obvious (and often neglected) point to remember is this: During the interview, the company representative has only ears with which to judge you, and this is something you must overcome.  Here are some helpful tips:

q  Take the call in stride – Sound positive, friendly, and collected.  Smiling always improves the timbre of your voice and will put you in control of yourself and the situation.  Speak slowly and pronounce your words clearly.

q  Beware of over-familiarity – Always refer to the interviewer by his/her last name until instructed to do otherwise.

q  Allow the company representative to do most of the talking – Its important to keep up your end of the conversation, after all this is a sales presentation, so be sure to ask a few questions of your own that will promote you as an intelligent person.  Ask the interviewer ‘what type of challenges the department is facing’, or, ‘what immediate projects you would be involved in.’ This gives you a clear picture of how to sell yourself.  Occasionally, the interviewer will not give you the opening you need to sell yourself, so questions like these are extremely critical to understand the needs of the client.

q  Beware of yes/no answers – They give no information about your abilities.

q  Be factual in your answers – You should be brief, yet thorough.

q  Speak directly into the telephone – Keep the mouthpiece about 1 inch from your mouth and do not eat, drink, or smoke while on the phone.  In addition, phones are excellent at picking up background noise, so confine yourself to a quiet room at home, or a private conference room in your office.

q  Avoid cell phones at all cost – It would be a shame to lose an interview because you lost reception or because the interviewer couldn’t understand you.  Performing an interview on a cell phone should be a LAST resort.

q  Take notes – They will be invaluable to you when preparing for a face-to-face interview.  If, for some reason the interviewer must put you on hold, immediately jot down the topic of discussion.  Then, when the manager returns to the line, helpfully recap: “We were just discussing….”  That will be appreciated and set you apart from other candidates.

q  Admire the company’s achievements – Flattery goes a long way.  Admire the achievements and you are admiring the interviewer.  Likewise, if any common areas of interest arise, comment on them – people hire people like themselves.

q  Salary/Benefits – Unless initiated by the Interviewer, money, vacation time, or benefits should not be discussed; that comes later.

**If salary comes up this is what I suggest saying…”I’ve discussed my expectation with Assurity Staffing Group, but my main concern is finding the right fit”.

BELOW ARE POTENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER:

Needs Analysis- (You will use this information so you can mirror yourself to the hiring managers needs)

You should ask these questions:

q  “What is the single most important thing you are looking for in the person you hire for this position?”

q  “What does it take to be successful in this position?”           

q  Ask questions about the company/ project/ assignment.

q  What skills and experience does the ideal candidate possess?

Solve client’s needs 

q  Use the information that the manager gives you from the needs analysis and describe how your experience/ skills match what their needs are.

q  Mold yourself into what the clients needs are.

q  Communicate to the interviewer how you can meet/ exceed their needs.

q  Confirm the need and sell your values and solutions.

          

Uncover client’s concerns and overcome those concerns (Ask these questions after you have discussed your background)

q  Is there anything that I can clarify for you about my resume or background?

q  “Are there any questions or concerns you I could answer for you?

q  (If they have a concern) “I understand your concern. Let me give you a specific example of how/ why, etc.” (give explanation). Does that make you feel more comfortable?”

The Basics:

q  Always let the client finish asking his/ her questions before responding.

q  Don’t over do it with answers that run on for 15 minutes per question….

q  Turn off Cell Phones.

q  Follow up (call me after interview)

q  Don’t talk bad about former company.

q  Have a story ready about the progression of your career and the accomplishments and things you have done in the past.

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