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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