Phone InterviewsI have scheduled a phone interview for Thursday. I have never had a phone interview before and I am not sure what to expect, I was just hoping for some advice. I have searched this board and some other websites and I haven't found much info on phone interviews. Why do companies conduct phone interviews, other than to weed out candidates? The interview is with a recruitment company or so it would appear from the emails I have received from the interviewer. I'm just trying to figure out if they aren't sure about me or if they are doing this for everyone. Or what exactly they may be trying to find out from this "interview". The reason I ask is because 1. I just relocated to this area and I have only been in my current position since October, however I have been in the field for over 6 years (technically I was in a lower position and I was promoted in January). So in my mind they could be trying to figure out why I want to leave my current job so soon. 2. I might be over qualified for the job, I don't think I am, because it sounds like the job I'm doing currently, but I am not certain. 3. It appears that the company is using a recruiting service/company to find them full time employees. I am not really familiar with this since I've been in a smaller type company so I'm not really sure what to expect, but I have heard that it could be possible that they don't know a whole lot about the details of the position just that they do the first round of screening, and match skills from a sheet, etc. Personally, I don't care for recruiting agencies, but I get the impression that this is how they hire all candidates; it isn't a "temp" job. I don't normally get very nervous for interviews, however, I don't want to come across as anything other than professional on this phone call and because I sound fairly young on the phone I don't want that to deter them from actually meeting me and giving me a chance to prove myself. I can't do much about my tone of voice other than keep it steady and professional as I normally do. If anyone has any advice for me aside from the basics, I'd really appreciate it.
Hi Carolinamovin Let's get you prepared............. Yourinterviewer may not be sitting in front of you, but a phone interviewis just as important as an in-person meeting. Learn how to prepare withour handy tips. Wishing you the Best!! MCCathy Community Moderator Monster My experience of a phone interview is to see if you are the person who your resume says you are and to see if you match what they are looking for. Basically to weed out candidates. I am not a big fan of phone interviews, I have a speech inpediment and have a hard time pronouncing some words, and being on the phone doesn't help. BUT it's better than wasting time going into a place for a 15-20 minutes screening. First off dress like it's a really interview, don't sit around in your pajamas, put on slacks and a sweater. Sit in a comfortable spot where you won't be distracted. Just be honest, just like any other interview. Typically questions will be related to your current job "Tell me what you do now" what you're looking for "What type of qualities will you bring to the job" maybe why you want to leave your current job, salary may come up at this point to weed out people that are asking way more than they'll offer. I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's probably just a first step in their process. Figure they get between 50-150 resumes (maybe less/maybe more depending on the job and market), they may wean those down to 25-100 resumes and then do phone screenings and bring in 10-25 people for full interviews and then 3-10 for seconds. These are obviously rough numbers, but the fact is, companies don't have the time and staff to bring in every person for an interview, so they narrow it down with phone screenings. Just pretend there is someone in front of you that's asking the questions, answer how you would if you were in an actual interview. Don't be eating, drinking, chewing gum, go to the bathroom before the interview and if there are people that call you often let them know you're unavailable during that time to avoid interuptions! Good luck! Thank you both for the info. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow night as I'm sure I will have more questions as I prepare for my in person interview. BTW, how long should I expect to wait to set up an in person interview if I can't convince her to schedule one while I'm on the phone with her? It took them about 2.5 weeks just to contact me for the phone interview so I figure maybe a week at the most to find out if they want me to come in. What are your thoughts? I think my only other concern right now is which types of questions she will ask at this point in the process. I don't really want to go on and on over a cell phone since I will be on my lunch break out in my car having this interview. Hopefully we will just be touching on the basics so she can go ahead and set up the real interview. I guess I'll just treat it like any other first interview and whatever will be will be. I'd still rather be face to face with someone, but this will have to do. Is there anything I need to know since this is not the company doing the interview but rather a staffing company conducting this interview on their behalf? The job is full time permanent, but I am just guessing since they are staffing a whole new facility that they just hired an outside company to do the dirty work or hiring a group of people. I just wonder if the staffing company knows enough about the industry first of all and about the company enough to know what kind of people they are looking for (aside from the kind of people who can do the job, because that isn't always the best fit for every company). Carolina, Good luck on the interview. Phone interviews are a bit unnerving the 1st time. You should be sure to have a sturdy notepad and a pen so you can make notes. If they happen to give you contact info (email or phone) that is you chance to ask more questions. It is likely that the recruiter does not have an in depth knowledge of the position. I have done many phone interviews as a hiring manager and most have been without any glitches. Sometimes there have been problems with a cell phone signal cutting in and out, and sometimes there is distracting background noise, but all in all, it works out. Just try to think of it as a step in the process to that great job. My one phone interview, I was called a week later to set up an interview. The other phone interview I was invited to come in at the end of the phone interview. The first one was done by the HR manager of the company, the other by someone involved in the hiring process. So both a bit different in your situation. If you know the company they are doing the hiring for, it can't hurt to know a bit about the company and the position. You can gear your answers better. I did a phone interview in the car, actually both listed above where in my car, the second one was driving home from the sit down interview of the first phone interview. If you'll be in your car, push your seat back a bit so you're not too cramped. If you need to have the air on that's fine, keep it low to avoid fan noise and turn off the radio! You're interview should be the basics, what you do, what you're looking for, etc. There's nothing wrong with asking for a timeline of when they'll be doing calls for first interviews. Thanks again everyone for all of the advice. I have no idea how the interview went, but the fact that it was a phone interview was not the problem. The problem was that the recruiter told me up front that she did not have any experience in the field and didn't really know much about the industry at all. She then proceeded to read the job description for me which I had in hand that I had printed out from the ad and she asked me how my skills measured up to what they are looking for. I went through my whole song and dance, but I get the impression that she had no idea what I was talking about because she asked me "well then you don't have experience in X, and I replied, yes, that is exactly what I do now, I do blah blah blah (which I had just explained to her, with solid examples). I just really don't think she could correlate what they were asking for in their terminology with what I currently do. Actually, I know for a fact that I am over qualified for this job, I could do what they describe without a problem. It is just hard to convey that to someone who isn't familiar with the industry. So that was a little defeating. I know that I came across as professional though, and I hope I get points for that. I just wish I had been talking to someone within the company like a supervisor or a director who knows what they want and will understand when I explain what I do. The other thing that upset me, which I have never in my career had a problem with until now, is that in the job description it says they are looking for someone with 3 to 5 years of experience and a Bachelor's degree is preferred. I have over 6 years of experience in this exact job, not to mention a year of experience in a job that is a management position at my current job. But I never completed my degree. I have taken classes here and there that I thought would help me in my career (which they have), but it has never been an issue for my former employer or my current. They would rather have the experience than the degree. Anyway, I'm not going to go on about my lack of college woes, and I'm not going to make excuses or give a long winded explanation. I just don't have the degree, and I don't know if I am going to get one at this point in my life. But being completely honest with the woman as I always would be I simply explained to her that I did not complete my degree and I took classes pertaining to the line of work I was in as I deemed necessary while working full time. Well all of a sudden she got really snippy and she said well I am pretty sure they want someone with a degree in this position so that will probably hurt you. I've been in this industry for a while, there are some with degrees but many who do not have one. I can move up in my own company without one, but it isn't the exact company I want to work for. That isn't the point. The point is, if they aren't even going to consider someone with all of the experience that I have and the intelligence and work ethic that I have just because I don't have a degree, then why didn't they just say so on the ad to begin with? I would have never applied had they stated a degree was required. I mean I don't apply for jobs for rocket scientists... I'm sorry now I'm just being sarcastic, but I am slightly upset by the whole thing. And I bet any amount of money if I had spoken with someone at the actual company and not a recruiter then they would look past the fact that I do not have a degree. Oh well I guess it is just their loss. At least I can move up in the company that I am in. Personally, I think the recruiter was lying, because the ad does not say a degree is required it says preferred, and I have seen other jobs from this company where it does say a Master's or Bachelors is required, which is why I skipped past those. I think you had the misfortune of being hooked up with a recruiter who is not very knowledgeable either about your field or about hiring practices in genera. If the ad says "degree preferred," but you have the kind of solid experience you do, then lack of a degree should not be a deterrent to your being submitted for this position. If the recruiter doesn't submit you, I'd send a cover letter & resume directly to the company. Once she decides on her own that she is not going to submit you for consideration, you are not obligated to her. Thanks. But why would I be obligated to her to begin with? I thought I was sending my cover letter and resume to the company. I went on the company website and looked at employment. There was a job posted that is exactly what I do now, (actually, I do more now) so I applied via their website where it allows you to apply. I really hate applying that way because they make you format everything in a plain text doc and I think that looks horrible, but I know why they do it. In any case, I don't see how I can get around the recruiters. The company is using them I imagine because they are relocating an entire office from the West coast to the East coast. I have never liked recruiters, from any time I have ever had to deal with them, but I really thought this one would be different since the company is telling her to find people. Guess not. Maybe to become a recruiter you have to go to "how to be a judgmental stuck up jerk" classes. Sorry, I'm being mean. She did tell me at the beginning of the interview that 50 more openings will be posted throughout the next month and to keep applying because I will be contacted by different recruiters. I guess that is my only chance. So, my next question is this... what should I be saying both in a cover letter or on my resume about my college experience and lack of degree? I mean I would never want to mislead anyone and I have always been upfront, even before they ask me. But at the same time I did take some courses that would help me in my field. I just don't want people to think I'm less intelligent or unqualified, because we all know that a degree does not prepare you for working in the real world. And I do plan to go back to school and get at least an associates degree, it is just that I moved here in October, and we just bought our first house and I have not yet been deemed in State. And I refuse to pay out of state tuition.
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