Your call is important to us!

Photo credit : Ambro

Our first interactions with a search consultant or a hiring/ business manager in a company is through a phone conversation. Many of these conversations are the usual connecting or following up or discussing specific details, but often these conversations also tend to be part of the formal interview/ selection process.

And because its a phone conversation many of us tend to under-estimate it and do not accord it the seriousness and important it is due. We assume that we are good at phone conversations, that we do not have to dress formally, travel to the company's office, etc. and therefore we will be able to wing it comfortably.

But we could actually mess up the conversation and blow up our chances of moving to the next stage. A good phone interview can make all the difference between moving to the next round or losing out an opportunity of joining your dream company.

Here are a few tips on how you could ensure that your phone interview is a success :

1. Scheduling :
- ensure that you schedule the phone interview at a time when you know that it would not clash with any other appointments
- try schedule it when you are at home or in office and not while you are on the road, especially if you are driving
- ideally you could try do the phone interview over a land line so that there are no issues of dropped calls, poor signals, voice quality, etc.

2. Background preparation :
- the advantage of a phone interview is that you can refer to documents or websites while speaking on the phone
- use this advantage to keep background data on the company, the interviewer and your own resume accessible so that you could refer to them when you are on the call

3. Right ambience :
- if you are at home during the call, try find a quiet corner where you will not be disturbed by family member, pets, visitors, etc.
- switch off the television & stereo; mute the phone so that other calls don't disturb you during the interview; switch off call-waiting on your phone for the duration of the interview
- ensure that someone will answer the door during the call; if you are alone it is advisable to switch off the bell or to leave a note at your door asking people to return later

4. Conduct :
- it is acceptable to take some time before responding; this allows you to think through your response and refer to data if required
- keep your responses crisp and articulate clearly (doing a practice call with a friend/ mentor is advisable; you'll be surprised how we sound to people when we are trying to speak formally on the phone; this also helps us become aware of the 'aahs' and 'hmms' in our conversations)
- some people prefer pacing while speaking on the phone; but if you are seated at a table you could refer to websites and documents during the call
- body language makes a difference even in a phone interview; smiling during the conversation actually translates into a positive state of mind and better interactions

5. Follow-up :
- after a phone interview it is a good practice to send an email to the interviewer thanking them and also checking with them if they would like any additional follow-up information from your end.

Phone interviews are a critical part of the selection process and I hope these few tips go a long way in your acing the interview!

Do you have any questions related to this topic? Or do you have any suggestions/ ideas you would like to contribute? Add your comment to this post or write in to me at ckguruprasad@gmail.com.