telephone interview

One of the best way to screen your interview candidates is to do a telephone interview. It does save time, especially if you have a large number of applicants for the job. The the method is to raise the prerequisite level, for example, if the prerequisite was, a working experience of 5 years, raise it to 10 years and call them for the interview.

You can gather a lot of information on the phone interview. Judgement can be made on the attitude of the candidates, their customer's orientation or their telephone courtesy.... read the Feed for more..

The Telephone Interview - 10 Tips For Making a Good Impression

Author: Michelle Dumas

They liked the cover letter, they were impressed by your resume, but before you get that oh-so-coveted face-to-face meeting, you\'ve still one more test to pass: the telephone interview. So making a good impression is paramount.

Telephone interviews present their own unique challenges; people act differently on the phone, your posture, facial expressions, clothing, etc. cannot be seen by the party on the other line so the tendency is to relax-become more informal. Sometimes, people are more difficult to understand over the telephone; so dialect, accent, local vernacular can work against you. Then there are outside factors like traffic noise, the clicking of a keyboard, and other voices. All of these elements can work against you when you\'re interviewing over the phone. So before you begin, take note of these 10 tips for making a great impression:

1. In the days before the interview, formulate questions and make a list. Then, during the interview, keep them in front of you. As you address each one, tick it off your list. Add new questions as they occur.

2. Gather your resume and other documents so that you can refer to them during the interview. Highlighting key information and dates may also help-we know you\'ve seen your own resume 100 times, but nerves can make even the best of us become flustered. So make it as easy for yourself as you can.

3. Go to the toilet before the interview begins. The call of nature is the last thing you want to be thinking about during this crucial conversation.

4. Hold the interview in a quiet place where you won\'t be disturbed; preferably one with a table at which you can sit and take notes. Background noises and interruptions can be both distracting and leave a bad impression with the interviewer. Never hold a telephone interview outside where wind and traffic noise can interfere; and avoid holding it during working hours unless you can ensure quiet and uninterrupted time.

5. Take notes. Note-taking serves two purposes; it keeps you on track with the conversation and provides information which will help you strengthen your face-to-face interview. Take the notes by hand; don\'t be tempted to use the keyboard-the sound of keys clacking can be distracting.

6. Listen carefully and speak clearly. Keep your responses concise, don\'t ramble, and avoid using local vernacular or slang. Say something once; avoid repeating yourself. Don\'t interrupt the interviewer and don\'t feel rushed to fill pauses with sound. If you need a moment to think out your response, say so and then be quiet. Avoid making 'thinking' noises.

7. Smile when you speak. Even though they can\'t see you, the interviewer will perceive you in a better light if you are smiling while you talk.

8. Maintain a professional attitude. It is easy to slip into casual conversation mode when you\'re on the telephone, but don\'t be tempted. A telephone interview should be held with the same level of professionalism as a face-to-face interview. This is not a friendly chat; this is an audition.

9. Stay aware of the time; don\'t let this be the telephone interview that never ends. When you\'re done, establish what will happen next and thank your interviewer by name.

10. If you forget something, don\'t phone back. It may be tempting, but it\'s usually not a good idea. The best thing to do is to make a note of what you\'ve forgotten so that you can address it if/when you get that face-to-face interview or in the follow-up thank you note that you send to the interviewer (always send a thank you note within the next 24 hours after your telephone interview).

A telephone interview is the last stepping stone between you and that coveted face-to-face where we know you will shine. By using these 10 tips, you are armed and ready to make a great impression.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/the-telephone-interview-10-tips-for-making-a-good-impression-1052351.html

About the Author

As one of the leading authorities on resume writing and job searching, Michelle Dumas is the founder of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Since 1996, Michelle and her team have empowered thousands of professionals worldwide with results-generating resumes, cover letters, and job search strategies. Michelle is also the author of the popular 'Secrets of a Successful Job Search: 7 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want in Half the Time' program.