Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited

Return to career-consulting-limited.com
Managing
People
Managing Your Career
CV Examples
Coaching
Cover Letter Examples
Pre-Employment Tests


More Companies Using Job Interview Phone Screening


Planning and preparing before you begin to send out resumes could save you some embarrassing moments when you receive that unexpected call.

You just never know when that phone is going to ring. Let's say the phone rings just as you are about to sit down for dinner, but this time it's not a pesky telemarketer -- it's a company recruiter calling. The voice on the other end of the phone says she is calling about a resume you sent in six weeks ago. 'What -- six weeks ago? I sent out 40 resumes in the past six weeks? Who exactly are you and what was the job you are calling about?' You've been caught off-guard!

The telephone 'screen call' can come at any time -- day or night. Some interviewers find evenings the best time to catch people at home, where they will be able to talk more candidly. That being the case, you should be on-call and prepared to receive a telephone interview at any time.

Even though you cannot control the timing of these calls, there are some steps that you can take to not be caught off-guard.

1. Get organized.

Set aside your materials as though you were going to a face-to-face interview. Have a folder with job postings or ads you have answered, along with company information. If you have several versions of your resume, attach the one relevant to the particular job posting. Keep this folder in a specific place so you can get to it in less than a minute. When the phone rings at an unexpected moment, tell the caller to hold and then grab your folder.

2. Be prepared.

This is key to any interview, but for the telephone interview it is essential. Practice with a tape recorder to hear the level of enthusiasm in your voice. The key to telephone interviews is projecting an upbeat image through the sound of your voice and the words you use.

3. Know what they are looking for.

Look over the job description to see what the company is seeking in a candidate. If you don't have a good description, look at other postings of similar positions to see what is being asked for. Compare what you have to offer against what they are looking for. Be ready to let the interviewer know what a good match you are for the position.

4. Alert the household.

Be sure everyone in your household -- children, roommates, etc., are aware that you will be receiving calls from recruiters and companies. The phone should be answered in a polite, professional manner. While you're at it, make sure your voice mail message is also professional and upbeat.

Telephone interviews, typically conducted by a human resources staff member or a hired recruiter, are used as screening tools to save time and money. By asking key questions, the interviewer determines whether or not it's worthwhile to pursue you further as a candidate. The screenings may consist of a few quick questions or as much as a one-hour grilling.

Some general questions you might expect in a telephone screening are:

  • Why are you leaving your current job?

  • What kind of salary/job are you looking for?

  • Tell me three adjectives that describe you.

  • Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem using creativity.

  • Do you have any questions for me?

    If there is some particular skill that qualifies you for a job, for example technical skills or languages, there may be some qualifying questions about the 'tools of the trade.'

    Getting through this screening is critical for advancing to the next step: the face-to-face interview. This puts added pressure on you to present yourself in a positive, focused manner. If you attempt to wing this call, you may reach a dead end in the process. By organizing and preparing you will feel less stressed when these calls do come.

    About The Author

    Carole Martin is a celebrated author, trainer, and an interview coach. Her books, 'Interview Fitness Training Workbook' and 'Boost Your Interview IQ' (McGraw Hill) have sold thousands of copies world-wide. Receive Carole's FREE job interview tips by visiting her web site at: http://www.interviewcoach.com


    MORE RESOURCES:


    Careers | Career Opportunities  West Virginia University

    Corporate  Lowe's





    Jobs  City of Rochester (.gov)


    Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University

    Careers  Catholic University Communications


    Recruitment  St John's University News






    Careers at VA  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs

    City of Tampa Careers  City of Tampa

    Job Seekers  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign


    Careers  BASF


    Nursing jobs  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs


    Jobs at BCA  Minnesota Department of Public Safety

    Careers | Human Resources  The Seattle U Newsroom - News, stories and more



    Careers  Washington State University


    Employment Services  American Mathematical Society





    Working for ICE  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom


    UF Health Careers  UF Health - University of Florida Health




    Careers at Prairie View A&M University  Prairie View A&M University

    Job Search Results  UnitedHealth Group

    UN COMMON CAREERS  VCU Health

    Career Opportunities  Gilead Sciences


    Careers  S&P Global

    Careers  Medline






    Job Opportunities  Bellevue School District

    How to Apply  FEMA

    Work at Syracuse University  Syracuse University


    Careers  Micron

    Careers at Discovery Education  Discovery Education





    Join our team  FHI 360

    Careers  KPMG



    Careers  Boys & Girls Clubs of America

    Careers  The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation

    Careers at Air Liquide  Air Liquide

    Internship Opportunities | Careers  Boston Consulting Group


    Search & apply for jobs  Boehringer Ingelheim


    Careers in  A&O Shearman

    Students and graduates  JPMorgan Chase

    Work At Chess.com  Chess.com

    Careers  Oregon WildBlog

    Green Jobs  King County

    Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024  University of North Dakota






    The Best Jobs in America in 2024  U.S News & World Report Money

    Mental health at work  World Health Organization


    20 Careers With the Most Job Security Right Now  U.S News & World Report Money




    JobFeed  NSW Department of Education

    Why Employees Quit  HBR.org Daily



    Two unis walking the career path alongside graduates  The Australian Financial Review

  • Need More Information?
    Site Home | Site Map | Links | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
    © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011

    tumblr visit counter