Recruitalicious

I’ve got a story for just about everything at work; my first employee relations issue as an HR Representative, my first foray into the world of passive candidate cold calling, and my most annoying encounters with job seekers. The latter is probably a larger topic of conversation among recruiters than you believe. I think that those that I might classify as annoying just don’t realize that they are being annoying. So, I have a little advice for those on the job hunt. You would think that much of this is a “no brainer”. In fact, this is stuff that we encounter every day and maybe stuff that you don’t think about.

1. If I left you a message to schedule an interview or discuss a position and you’re calling me back; if you don’t reach me, please leave a message. DO NOT repeatedly call me and not leave a message. I have caller i.d. and can see that you called.
   Psst- If you engage in the above behavior you’re heading down the road to being a stalker. Blocking your number and calling doesn’t work either. I still know it’s you.

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In today’s job market, more and more organizations are conducting phone interviews to screen candidates before they get to the face-to-face interview. This delivers better qualified candidates to hiring managers and cuts travel costs for bringing candidates on site. I have been doing phone interviews for the last three years and find it amazing what can happen during a phone interview. Here are some “do’s and don’ts” based on my experience.

DO
• …ask the recruiter to contact you back at a more convenient time that will work for you, if you are not prepared.
• …make sure that you are using a land line or cell phone that has a great connection.
• …find a quiet environment free from background noise to conduct the interview.
• …keep a copy of your resume in front of you with a pen and paper.
• …listen to the questions that are being asked and take a second before answering.
• …ask the recruiter to repeat the question if you don’t understand it. You want to communicate effectively and truthfully.
• …have notes jotted down on your great past achievements.
• …smile while you are talking. This will present a much more positive image of you to the person on the other end of the conversation.

DON’T
• …eat, drink or smoke during the call
• …babble. Answer the questions but don’t tell your life story.
• …put the person that you are speaking with on hold to answer the other line.
• …order fast food at a drive thru. This is one of the best that I have ever had. The person actually put me on hold to order their food. Very rude.
• …interrupt the person asking questions. Wait until they are finished speaking.
• …bad mouth your past employers. This is very inappropriate and makes me wonder what you will say about our company down the road.
• …ask about salary at this time. We are still deciding if you are even qualified for the position.
• …ask “How did I do?” at the end of the interview. The best question to ask is “What is the next step?”

Most phone interviews last about an hour, and a successful phone screen could lead to a face-to-face interview, so do your best to prepare yourself and move on to the next step!

Photo credit: bitzcelt