Let's Talk About It

One of the 21st century’s top recruiting trends relies on a technology dating back more than 100 years: the telephone.

Hiring Perspective. If you’re involved in hiring, you probably already know that phone interviews can be an especially speedy way to screen applicants. A 15- or 20-minute conversation is often enough to tell you whether a particular candidate merits additional consideration. You will find some tips for conducting those calls as effectively as possible—starting before you pick up the phone.

Job Seekers Perspective. Recruiters and HR specialists increasingly use telephone interviews before scheduling face-to-face meetings with candidates. But if you’re a serious job candidate, don’t make the mistake of viewing a phone interview as just the dress rehearsal before the real show. For time-strapped managers, these sessions mark a turning point in the hiring process: deciding whether a particular candidate merits additional consideration. Bomb on the phone and you’re probably out of the race. For that reason, making a great first impression during a phone interview is at least as important as doing so in person. Typically, you and the manager will make an appointment to talk, and the interviewer will call you then. Below are some tips for acing the phone interview.

Know your mission. As leadership consultant and author Stephen Covey says, “Begin with the end in mind.”

• If you’re an HR rep or recruiter, your objective for the phone interview is, of course, determining whether a particular candidate should advance to the next level: a face-to-face meeting. Approach the entire experience with that goal in mind.

• If you’re a candidate, your desired outcome is, of course, being invited in for a face-to-face conversation. Whatever your goal, keep it in mind through the experience.

As the HR rep or recruiter, prepare concise, direct questions. It’s never easy for candidates to field lengthy, convoluted or multi-part questions in an interview—but it’s especially challenging on the phone. If you ask something in a rambling, unclear way, you’ll probably get a rambling, unclear response. Ultimately, you may invest more time clarifying your question than the candidate does in answering it.

So, if necessary, start by providing some background information that will put your line of inquiry in context. But keep the questions themselves short and straightforward—one or two sentences spelling out exactly what you want to know. After you’ve asked, stop talking so that the candidate can respond. Many won’t answer until they’re absolutely sure that you’re done talking--which, with no visual cues, is harder to gauge on the phone than in person.

If you have question requiring complex answers—such as elaborate scenarios that you’d like the candidate to explore, or perhaps detailed descriptions for process improvements--you may want to save those for the in-person interview. Again, use the phone session to figure out whether the candidate should proceed to that next step.

Prepare as a job seeker. Just as you would for a face-to-face interview, do research on the company and the position. Be ready to answer the standard job interview questions. Post your resume nearby for easy reference, along with a short list of skills and accomplishments. Keep pen and paper handy for jotting down notes or questions. And, as always, have a few questions of your own ready for the interviewer. (One caveat: Being prepared doesn’t mean sounding rehearsed. Make sure your side of the conversation doesn’t sound like you’re reading from a script.)

Find a quiet place. These days, hiring managers and candidates may well find themselves making or taking a job-interview call from home. If that’s the case for you, take steps beforehand to minimize noise, distractions and interruptions. Try to schedule interview calls for times when your kids won’t be running in and out, your dog won’t be barking, and nobody will be vacuuming, practicing the violin, watching an action movie or using power tools nearby.

If possible, use a landline. As sophisticated as they are, cell phones are still subject to signal loss, interference and powering down at the worst possible times. So use a regular phone for interviews whenever possible. If you must make or take the call on a cell phone, check the battery level and signal in advance.

Focus on the interview. The other party can’t see you—but he or she can still hear you. So during the interview: Silence electronic devices. Mute your computer. Turn off cell phones and mobile e-mail devices. And avoid putting the other party on hold, even briefly, to take another call. Doing so creates awkwardness, disrupts the conversational flow and may send the wrong message about your priorities—and your manners. (Besides, that’s what voice mail is for.)

• Avoid multi-tasking. Resist the temptation to check e-mail or browse the Web while conducting telephone interviews. Don’t shuffle papers, open your mail or tidy up your desk.

• Don’t drink or dine. If you’re eating lunch or slurping coffee during a phone interview, it’s just not going to sound good on the other end of the line. (However, you may want to keep a glass of water handy in case your throat gets dry).

• Avoid doing anything that you wouldn’t do in person. If you wouldn’t give yourself a manicure, chew gum or smoke a cigarette during a face-to-face interview, don’t do it on the phone, either. If you need to cough or sneeze, hit the mute button or at least cover the receiver—and, of course, say “excuse me.” (And we shouldn’t even have to mention that you shouldn’t flush the toilet during a phone interview—but according to a CareerBuilder.com survey of HR reps, that’s actually happened. One word: Don’t.)

Speak concisely. Keep your comments brief and relevant. People “tune out” much faster on the phone than in person, and you won’t have visual cues to alert you if the other person’s attention starts to wander. Hold both questions and answers to a few sentences. Then stop talking so that the other person can respond.

As a job seeker avoid hesitations such as “uh” and “um” and verbal tics such as “like” and “you know.” If you hear the interviewer saying “Pardon me?” or “I didn’t catch that,” this may indicate that you need raise your volume a bit as well.

Slow down. Busy people tend to talk quickly. If you hear the other party saying “Pardon me?” or “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch that,” this may indicate that you need to slow down or, as elementary-school teachers sometimes say, “e-nun-ci-ate.”

Speak professionally. While a phone call may feel more relaxed than a face-to-face meeting, it’s still a formal interview. Don’t let yourself lapse into casual conversation or slang.

Smile. It may sound silly, but if you smile while speaking on the phone, the person on the other end will hear the warmth and confidence in your voice.

Closing statement for the HR rep or recruiter. At the end of the call, a candidate who’s seriously interested in the job will ask you about setting up an in-person interview.

If you’re ready to move forward, that’s a great time to schedule a face-to-face meeting. If not, or if you need to speak with other candidates before proceeding, simply tell the candidate you’ll be in touch. Before hanging up, remind the candidate about any additional information that you need or explain any other next steps.

Whatever your decision, don’t leave job applicants hanging. Let them know as quickly as possible whether you’re inviting them in to continue talking--or simply wishing them luck as they continue searching.

Job seekers: circle back to your goal. At the end of the call, reiterate your interest in the job and the company. Then ask about scheduling an in-person meeting. If you don’t have an interview date before you hang up, ask the interviewer to spell out the next steps.

Follow up. Just as you would for a traditional interview, send the interviewer a personal thank-you note, either on paper or by e-mail. Thank the person for taking time to speak with you, provide any additional information that might support your candidacy and close on a positive, forward-looking note. With luck, your next conversation will be a face-to-face one—and that will bring you one step closer to landing the job.

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