The Telephone Interview
Why Companies Subject Themselves - and You - to the Telephone Interview Process

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Telephone interviews can be one of the most uncomfortable pieces of the job-seeking puzzle. Most employers use them as a regular part of the hiring process, primarily to reduce costs and time considerations. Without them, companies would overburden themselves with face-to-face interviews of candidates who could have been disqualified from the process much earlier on.

Worrying about being disqualified is the major reason for the discomfort you experience during the process. It would be great if every hiring manager or human resources person on the other end of the phone were looking for reasons to hire you, instead of reasons to drop you from the process. Sadly, that isn't the case. Depending on the nature of the person conducting the interview, these telephone conferences can become extremely uncomfortable.

Different Reasons for Telephone Interviews

The "screening call" from Human Resources. Quite often, the HR department needs to learn more about you before forwarding your credentials (with their notes) to the hiring authority. Although the initial contact can be quite unassuming, this HR person is most likely trying to "short-list" a stack of prospects.

The "Ad Response from a hiring manager. When a manager with an open position runs an ad, which might receive several hundred responses, he or she often has to conduct brief telephone interviews on the top ten or more resumes. Quite frequently, he or she will simply pick up the phone and conduct these sessions -- most lasting 10-15 minutes -- at their convenience.

The "In-depth" telephone interview. Generally, once a prospect is of potential interest to a company (either already screened by the HR department or by a recruiter), the hiring authority will want to conduct a more intensive session dealing with the past experience and skills of the candidate. Telephone interviews for science-related positions tend to be especially thorough and lengthy.

The "recruiter" interview. After being recruited for a position, you will have an in-depth telephone conversation with this outside consultant. It can be specific to a given project or allow you an opportunity to discuss your aspirations and goals for you career in general.

The "committee" telephone interview. Sometimes several hiring authorities or department staff will get together on the interviewing process, so that they can share their conclusions afterwards. This rarely happens when the company is still early in the process and most often occurs when there are too many qualified candidates for the face-to-face interview. Once again, the goal is to disqualify.

8 Tips to Help You Improve Your Odds

Is there anything that can be done to make the process, if not more pleasant, at least more productive? Something that you can do to achieve success during the process? Remember that this process is the same as a normal interview, except in hyperspeed -- and without the element of in-person communication. Here are some ideas to help you sharpen your telephone interview skills:

1) Remember that the person on the other end of the phone may be just as uncomfortable as you are. Concentrate less on your feelings of inadequacy and more on how to make the other person feel at ease. Most people do not like the telephone interview process - remember that it works both ways.

2) Smile over the phone. Believe it or not, smiling while you talk will help you sound more friendly and open. Many telephone marketers have a mirror on their desk so that they can always keep this in mind!

3) During the telephone interview, you are not judged by the same criteria used in an in-person interview. For example, eye contact can be an excellent barometer when meeting face to face; however, on the telephone, you'll be judged by a more subtle set of factors such as the sound of your voice, your level of friendliness and enthusiasm.

4) The ability to speak succinctly about your past experience and accomplishments is critical. Many scientific professionals launch into long, drawn-out answers to telephone interview questions. Because they do not have the sense of sight working for them, they are quite unable to tell if the person on the other side of the line has gone to sleep!

5) Many people find that the most uncomfortable scenario in a telephone interview is the occasional "dead air" of silence during the conversation. Prepare a list of questions about the company and the opportunity, and refer to it when caught in one of those dead spots. Although good communication is theoretically up to both of you, dead air is typically your responsibility to fill.

6) Although you are always judged on your ability to listen well, nowhere in the recruiting process do listening skills become more important than in the telephone interview. You'll find that your nerves will sometimes make this very difficult. Close off all thoughts about whatever is going on around you and concentrate on the words and voice of the interviewer.

7) Because so much of your success in this situation is determined by your comfort in the surroundings, make certain that you get yourself situated properly. Perhaps plan the call for a time when the kids have gone to bed. Or, if the caller takes you by surprise, you should ask for five minutes to get organized, get his or her phone number, then call back.

8) Don't ever talk about issues related to potential compensation, company benefits, problems at your current employer, etc., during the initial phone interview. This is solid advice for any first-interview situation. It always amazes us when an experienced veteran launches into a diatribe about bad management at their company, or asks the interest-killing line "What does the job pay?"

It Will Matter to You

Conducting a successful telephone interview is something that matters throughout your career. Human Resources and hiring authorities alike find that, despite how much they may dislike this process, it is a necessary tool.

Is that your phone ringing?