Are you prepared for an employment telephone screening? Many people are caught off guard when an employer or their representative calls to gather more information. Candidates say they feel flustered, particularly if they are in the middle of doing something else. The phone call requires them to quickly and unexpectedly change “mental gears” to be focused for the questions at hand.
Companies utilize the phone screening process to narrow down the number of candidates, and to pre-qualify those who will be invited for personal interview. Someone in the human resources department usually does this part of the process, or, more frequently these days, an outsourced third party.
The screening call is designed to be brief, with a number of specific questions that each candidate must respond to. All candidates will be required to answer the same set of questions.
If you are asked a question that refers to information provided in your resume, do not respond with “It’s right there in my resume.” The phone screener may not be interviewing you from your resume, only from the questionnaire at hand.
Because of the nature of telephone screening, you should not expect to have much opportunity to build a rapport with the person on the other end. They are performing an evaluative task and they will have a designated amount of time for each person with whom they speak. You will generally not have the opportunity to ask your own questions at this time, so do not get frustrated if the person sticks to the agenda at hand.
In addition to gathering your responses to pre-designated questions, the phone screener will be evaluating your verbal and interpersonal communication skills. This is essential as more and more roles require customer contact and the ability to work effectively in a team environment. The quality of your verbal response (confident, articulate, expressing interest or energy) will be considered in tandem with the content of your response. Remember to smile during the phone interview, as this too can be sensed by the party at the other end.
Another purpose of the phone screen can be to pre-qualify candidates for potential salary compatibility. This can be very difficult and awkward for the candidate who has not yet had the opportunity to sell his or her value. However, from the employer’s point of view, if the range of salary you are seeking is not within the general ballpark of their budget, then interviewing in person will be seen as a waste of time for you both.
The telephone screen might be your only shot at earning a personal interview with the company. This adds to the pressure of doing as best you can. To ensure that your telephone interview is as successful as it can be, try utilizing these guidelines:
1)A copy of your resume should lie next to each telephone in your home, for your easy reference when you get a screening call.
2) If you are called at a bad time, don’t be afraid to let the screener know this, and ask if you can schedule another mutually convenient time. Better yet, if it is a bad time, let your answering machine or voicemail pick up the call to begin with.
3) Listen carefully to the questions being asked. If you are not clear about what the person is looking for, ask them to repeat or clarify the question. Asking for clarifications is a positive sign of a good communicator.
4) Consciously speak more slowly than usual. When we are nervous or excited, we tend to talk a little faster than normal. Take the time to articulate your words, speaking thoughtfully and confidently.
5) Don’t get uncomfortable with momentary silence in the conversation. It is better to pause and have a solid answer than to rush your response to fill in the silent gap.
6) At the close of the conversation, thank them for calling, and inquire what the next steps in the process will be. Express to the person that you would very much like the opportunity for a personal interview.
