March 2009
THE ART OF TURNING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW INTO AN INVITATION TO MEET IN PERSON
BY PATRICIA NAPIER- FITZPATRICK
Telephone interiews are becoming more widely used by employers to screen candidates for basic qualifications,and to see if there are any red flags, before inviting them in for an in-house interview. Telephone interviews can be challenging because it is difficult to be certain of the interviewer's reaction to you, since you can't see his facial expressions or read his body language. Nor can he see your expressions or professional appearance. But you can overcome these visual clues to a certain degree, and get asked to come in for a face-to-face interview.
First of all, I recommend that you have a resume with a head shot of you on it to use specifically for telephone interviews. You don't need to be smiling in your picture, but you do need to have a pleasant expression on your face. This will make you seem more real to the interviewer when he is looking at your resume and speaking with you on the telephone. Then, I suggest that you prepare for the interview by doing what I recommend to my clients.
1. Confirm all aspects of the phone interview. Before the call, confirm all arrangements, such as the date, time and whom you will be speaking to.
2. Prepare for the phone interview. Treat the phone interview as you would a face-to-face interview.
- Research the job and the company so that you are prepared to discuss the organization and your role.
- Prepare a list of your accomplishments and specific skills and how they make you suitable for the company and qualfied for the job.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask your interviewer about the job and the company. Always have questions to ask you interviewer; otherwise, he will think you are not really interested.
- Rehearse for your interview so you will have an idea of what you will say in response to likely questions. If possible have someone ask you questions, and record your answers so you will see how they sound to you. Your voice accounts for 38% of a first impression when someone meets you for the first time in person. However, since you won't be meeting with your interviewer the first time in person, the way your voice sounds will increase in importance. Recording yourself will give you a chance to evaluate your voice quality and speech.
3. Plan to have your interview in a calm, quiet place where there are no distractions.
4. Dress for the interview. Simply by dressing professionally, you will feel and sound more professional.
5. Maintain professional body language. Lounging on the sofa while interviewing is not likely to put you in a professional frame of mind, and this will come across in your voice.
6. Turn off call waiting on your phone and use a landline, not a cell phone, if possible.
7. Have a pen and paper handy to take notes during the interview. Don't let this distract you, however, from what your interviewer is saying. You should be concentrating carefully on what he is saying.
8. Have your resume, list of accomplishments and specific skills, as well as your list of questions in front of you.
9. As soon as you answer the telephone, your interview has begun. Introduce yourself clearly and directly: "Ted Smith speaking."
10. Use the person's title during the interview (Mr. or Ms. and their last name). You should only use a first name if the person asks you to do so.
11. Concentrate on your communication skills and know how you sound.
- During the interview, you will need to sound as professional as you would if you were meeting in person.
- Don't chew gum, eat or drink anything while you are on the phone.
- Breathe deeply and relax.
- Smile. It changes your speech and tone of your voice. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener.
- Speak slowly and enuciate clearly.
- Take your time. It is perfectly acceptable to take a moment to think about your answer.
- Give short, concise answers. Don't speak in run on sentences that will not allow the interviewer to interject or ask more questions.
- Keep your conversation upbeat, but formal and polite.
12. If you think of a question or comment while the interviewer is speaking, write it down, so you will remember it later. During the interview, if the interviewer answers a question on your list before you have a chance to ask it, cross it off your list. Do make sure however that you have at least a couple of questions to ask when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions--not doing so makes you seem uninterested.
13. Don't forget to close. An interview is about selling yourself. Your goal for a phone interview is to be asked to come in for an in-person interview. So, before the call ends, be sure you know the next step in the process, and offer to provide any additional information.
14. Remember to send a thank-you note after every telephone intereview, just as you would for a face-to-face interview.
Prepare for your next telephone interview by scheduling a REHEARSAL INTERVIEW with Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick.A REHEARSAL INTERVIEW by telephone is possible wherever you live.
For details, e-mail pfitzpatrick8@nyc.rr.com.
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