Telephone interview: we work technologically, we screen correctly. How to conduct a telephone interview

This is the initial selection stage before an interview in the office and obtaining a position. Can you make it successful? In this article we will look at an example of a telephone interview.

general information

A hiring manager prefers a telephone interview over a face-to-face interview because he this way he can communicate with many more people than in a meeting.

It can be concluded that You should start preparing for the interview in advance, preferably immediately after sending out your resume.

An approximate algorithm for a telephone interview, questions and answers:

1. Before your phone interview, write down the questions (and answers). What does the company do? What will you do directly? What will your work schedule be? What is your future salary? Is she white? And so on.
2. Ask people close to you to evaluate your speech and your voice while you are talking on the phone. The phone's sound may be distorted or there may be interference. Perhaps the voice sounds slurred or the speed of speech is fast due to excitement.
3. If a recruiter calls you and you feel uncomfortable talking, apologize. Confirm that you are interested in the position and ask when you can call back. Specify the phone number and name of the person you need to contact.
4. Talk in a room where no one can disturb you during the interview.
5. Eliminate loud noises so as not to irritate the other person. If possible turn off the Internet to eliminate the sounds of instant messaging services.
6. Vocal experts recommend talking on the phone while sitting at a table or standing, so you will speak more confidently.
7. Answer the manager clearly, to the point of the question asked..
8. Listen to the question until the end. Correctly clarify the question if necessary.
9. Ask your questions about the proposed work when you are asked to do so. Keep a list of questions in front of you.
10. Talk to the manager in a cheerful voice, even if this is already the 101st interview.
11. Practice your conversation by phone. Ask people close to you to help you with this.
12. If you can provide a landline phone for contacts, use this to avoid interference from your cellular operator.
13. At the end of the conversation Find out when to expect interview results. If you receive a refusal or a vacancy does not apply, politely thank the manager.
14. If you are invited to a meeting, write down the address, date and time of the meeting, directions and telephone number for possible questions. Find out how the interview will take place and what documents you should take with you.
15. Don't be the first to hang up at the end of the interview..
16. You should not immediately call the recruiter back to clarify anything.

Advantages and disadvantages

A telephone interview is a pre-selection process.

For the hiring manager, these are numerous benefits: no need to go around the entire region in search of the right applicant, economic benefits, efficiency of personnel selection, wide search geography.

For an experienced manager, the picture will come together in a few seconds: first impression, level of interest in the vacancy, adequacy.

You may be refused only because you were not ready for a conversation: you were confused, lethargic, insecure, spoke out of place or were unfriendly. And for you, the same few minutes will allow you to find out how suitable this vacancy is for you personally.

If you're not happy with something, don't show it with your voice. What if you can’t find anything better? It’s better to write down your phone number, position, responsibilities, work schedule, contact person, possible meeting dates, etc.

For an employer, the disadvantages of a telephone interview are:

• inability to visually verify the sincerity of the candidate;
• inability to check whether the candidate’s appearance meets the requirements of the vacancy.

One form of telephone interview is. The specialist will evaluate not only your speech, but also your external characteristics. In this case It’s better to appear before a person not in home clothes, but in an office suit.

Main stages

Standard telephone interview with a candidate consists of 2 blocks:

A telephone interview with an applicant begins with a greeting, an introduction by the manager and a brief message about the vacancy:

• assessment of the candidate according to the requirements;
• clarification and addition based on the candidate’s work experience;
• preliminary conclusion on compliance.

If the candidate is not suitable for this vacancy, he should refuse correctly, painlessly and honestly, thanking him for his attention.

Agreement on a future meeting:

• detailed presentation of the vacancy;
• answers to applicant questions;
• setting a place and date for the interview.

Selection of candidates using telephone interviews is applicable to all categories of candidates.

To select individual vacancies. For massive vacancies in any industry. For remote vacancies, so as not to pay for travel to the office for all applicants.

Telephone interview is a recruitment method that already exists. more than a dozen years. Knowing the basics of preparing for it, you can be sure that having a high-quality base in the form of professional training and work experience, you can confidently apply for the chosen vacancy.

Useful video

This video provides useful tips that will help you pass the interview successfully:

Telephone negotiations are a mandatory element of the overall personnel selection procedure, but they require taking into account many subtleties. Knowing the basic principles of interviewing, you can easily find the right employee with minimal effort and time.

Why do many HR professionals choose the telephone as a recruiting tool?

A telephone interview is one of the stages of the recruiting program, which has long been firmly established in personnel practice as a mandatory process in the selection of employees. usually precedes a live conversation, allowing in a minimum time to discuss details of interest to both parties without interrupting the main business. Eliminating the need for rescheduling is one of the main reasons for conducting telephone interviews. But the main advantage of the method is the ability to “weed out” unsuitable candidates even before the audition in the office.

Of course, telephone assessments are orders of magnitude inferior to live interviews. An HR specialist, no matter how insightful, will not be able to fully assess a person just by hearing the voice. But a call makes it possible to form an initial opinion about a person, his manners, etc., as well as obtain information of interest in advance. If from the first words it is clear that a person is not suitable for the company, it is more convenient to refuse him right away than to wait until the interview in the hope that the interlocutor was simply in a bad mood. Also, a telephone call will allow you to clarify potentially missed facts - compliance with the age/educational threshold, availability of required documents, level of desired salary.

How to work with templates correctly?

What could be easier than a telephone interview; It’s easy to compose questions, and any more or less literate person can interview you according to a planned scenario. But in practice there are many more difficulties and subtleties. So, when compiling a list, you should remember that the main task is to find out how much better a particular candidate is than competitors, and whether he is suitable for the position in principle. This simple rule is often not followed by recruiters, many of whom prefer to work using ready-made templates or “scripts.”

“Scripts” are a good idea for calling dozens and hundreds of people; in the case of a wide flow, it is absolutely necessary to “conveyorize” the process to save time. But this method is relevant only for recruiting lower-level personnel - waiters, loaders, couriers and representatives of other professions where the personal qualities of the employee have little effect on the result. If you are considering candidates for a key position, “Fordism” has no place in the job.

You should not try them on your model, relying only on the authority of the script compiler - this approach is equivalent to trying to hammer nails with a microscope, since it is applicable only to the situation in which the compiler worked. Personnel decide everything, and you should not waste time on their careful selection. But, of course, there are templates that are required for the survey, without which a telephone interview cannot be completed. Among them:

• age;
• education;
• place of residence;
• experience.

It should be understood that unsuccessful scripts will only ruin the situation. A specialist who knows his worth will be put off by the “conveyor belt” - after all, this is a sign of turnover, characteristic of “sharashkas”. However, this is far from the only pitfall that should be avoided.

Common mistakes that should not be made during an interview

Some survey items may be confusing; a classic example of such an unsuccessful “script”: “Why are you more suitable for us than others?” Of course, the topic is relevant for positions where the employee needs to convince the client, for example, the vacancy of a sales agent. But the same question, found in the questionnaire of an architect, accountant or waiter, does not speak in favor of the recruiter, who uses standard “left-wing” surveys instead of performing his official duties. The same applies to phrases like “Are you a team player?”, which have come into widespread practice thanks to the light hand of unlucky MLMers. The HR specialist invites the applicant not to play a couple of hands of poker, but to a job where such phrases sound too familiar.

There is also a general rule for everyone: do not discuss the details of the vacancy until you are sure that the candidate is fully suitable for the role of the employee. For the time being, there is no need to discuss the details - a person is usually briefly familiar with them from the source of the vacancy - advertisements, recommendations, etc. There is no need to announce the rate in advance - many indicate “negotiated payment” or “salary based on the results of the interview” in the corresponding column, and the method is completely justified.

Who knows, the applicant may turn out to be an ideal employee, whom you will want to pay more than his potential competitors, just to get such a valuable employee. But it is enough to voice the standard rate - and you will no longer know about this person, since he simply will not pay attention to the offer. The main thing here is to remember that you are matching a person, not having a friendly conversation. You must evaluate the candidate comprehensively, and the entire structure of the conversation should be based on this requirement.

Summary: standard patterns for interviewing applicants

Thus, a remote interview becomes a measure to save time and consider the candidate professionally. Accordingly, any subsequent actions must be divided into several stages.

1. Find out what a potential employee is like by learning about his skills, experience, education, etc. Most calls end at this point - more than half of unsuitable applicants are eliminated at this stage.
2. Clarify mandatory requirements and set an access threshold. Thus, the courier may require the employer to have a driver’s license and even his own car. If something in a recruit does not suit the employer, this should be clarified as early as possible.
3. Clarify the working conditions - location, schedule, approximate list of responsibilities, and only then - the salary level. The fact is that a person should always find out the cost of his labor only after he finds out what exactly he must do in order to receive the specified amount. Other people agree to lower pay if they find out that their responsibilities are actually simpler than they expected before the interview.

You should not violate the described order - for example, by describing a vacancy at the beginning of a conversation. It is enough to clarify the correspondence of the vacancy in case of a dialing error, but no more. And finally, we should not forget that these tips are just a basis, and how exactly to implement the recommendations and what type of interview should be used is up to the recruiter himself. Using this “cheat sheet”, everyone can easily find a suitable employee for any position, using other skills of a professional HR specialist.

Good afternoon, dear friend!

During the job search period, of course, we wait for calls.
Sometimes they write by email, but this happens less often. Lately, people have often been asked to call back themselves. It’s no wonder, because market conditions are in favor of the employer.

One way or another, usually the first contact is a telephone interview. Questions and answers a little later, first a few important points.

• The only communication tool when talking on the phone is voice. I recommend smiling slightly with the tips of your lips during a conversation. Exactly like that, and not out loud. Smiling with the tips of your lips gives your voice a positive emotional charge. I will write a separate article about voice control in more detail.
• The conversation is usually unplanned. If you are uncomfortable talking, apologize and suggest another time that is convenient for you. Call back yourself.
• There may be interference during a conversation - poor connection, traffic noise, etc. In this case, the conversation should also be postponed, otherwise it will turn out to be crumpled. You and your partner may miss or not hear important information.
• A telephone interview is usually shorter and more superficial than a face-to-face interview. On the other hand, it is more dynamic. I recommend keeping it printed in front of you. In case you suddenly get stuck. Long pauses in a telephone conversation are undesirable.

2. The purpose of the recruiter’s telephone interview with the applicant

1. Find out your real interest in the vacancy.
2. Make sure you have the gift of speech. I'm not kidding. As a recruiter, I dealt with candidates who were practically bypassed by this gift of God. So, don’t answer in this spirit: “I indicated this in my resume...”. Like, what don’t you understand? The recruiter may decide that you will communicate in the same style at work.
3. Clarify some specific issues. Usually filter properties. For example: your salary expectations, from your previous job, the remoteness of your residence. Sometimes the question concerns your experience and skills that are critical to the employer.

Sometimes a telephone interview partially replaces a face-to-face interview if the company is located in another city or even country. And for an in-person interview, you need a more serious reason so as not to travel in vain.

3. Your goals

1. Show your interest. First, demonstrate that you understand which company is calling you from. Unless, of course, you sent your resume there. Try to remember the companies to which you send your resume.
2. Answer questions clearly. How to answer questions at an interview is a separate topic and we will not touch on it in this article. In this sense, a telephone interview is no different from a face-to-face interview. Basic principles: friendliness, confidence, simplicity and clarity of speech. During a telephone interview, difficult questions are rarely asked and you should not have any major difficulties.
3. Ask the right questions. Find out for yourself whether the company is right for you.
4. If the answer to the previous point is positive, arrange an in-person meeting.

4. What to find out, what to say

1. Where is the company located geographically, if this is critical for you (although this is desirable
   look also when sending your resume).
2. How white is the company? Is an employment contract concluded upon hiring? White salary or grey. Usually, if all procedures comply with the labor code, they say so right away. This is a competitive advantage for the employer and the company is proud of it.
3. The ratio of the fixed and variable parts of the salary. What is the variable part paid for, how is the work evaluated, and by what criteria.
4. Ask whether your resume was reviewed by the department or not. Here the scheme may be different. Sometimes they first show it to the immediate supervisor and then call, sometimes not. It is, of course, better for you that your candidacy is pre-approved by the decision maker. It may turn out like this - you passed an interview with a recruiter, but the manager did not like your resume. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to be able to influence the procedure, but you can carefully ask the recruiter to show your resume to your immediate supervisor.
5. How many interviews will there be and with whom? In what format (tests, cases, type of interview or just a conversation). On the same day or on different ones. This will determine the depth of your preparation, since interviews with a recruiter and an interview with a manager differ in their importance.
6. Ask questions that are important to you personally. Do not be shy! You are a player, not a spectator. Be proactive from the start. But know when to stop. You shouldn’t ask too many questions yet, so as not to be considered a bore. When they invite you, then we’ll ask around and answer.
7. Be sure to contact by name. Or by first name and patronymic, depending on how the person introduced himself. The name is a conditioned reflex that maintains the attention of the interlocutor. In addition, being called by name is pleasant to most people and sets a positive tone for the conversation.

You may not have time to ask all the questions. Determine in advance which ones are more important and start with them. In conclusion, do not forget to thank for the conversation and be sure to discuss the agreements reached, if any.

5. Don't forget anything

This is the time to say that it may take a lot of time and dozens of interviews. This means that it needs management and control.

At first, I sometimes forgot to ask something during a telephone conversation or the recruiter’s question was unexpected. You start to think and meme. You slow down, in short. To prevent this from happening, you must first decide on the shore:

• With company selection criteria
• Prepare questions for the recruiter
• Prepare answers to standard questions
• Keep a record of contacts

We are specialists and we know that planning and control are important mandatory management functions)

6. Conclusion

It is easier to successfully complete a telephone interview than an in-person interview. More positivity, confidence and everything will work out. And don’t forget to smile with the tips of your lips)

Don't stress too much just yet. You just talked on the phone. An interview is a multi-step process and this is only the first step.

If there is no continuation, don't worry. It's better than leaving the race at the very finish line. And it’s not a fact that this is exactly the job you are striving for. Even if today you think this is the best option.

Let me take my leave for today. If you find the article useful, share it with your friends. The buttons are just below.

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Have a nice day and good mood!

Are you afraid of a telephone interview? You just don't know how to "cook" it. 10 simple rules will help you express yourself at your best.

1. Provide normal conditions for conversation

No matter how obvious this advice may seem, it is one of the key ones when preparing for a telephone interview. Warn your loved ones, turn off the sound on other phones and electronic devices that may interrupt your conversation with notifications.

2. Don't be afraid to move the conversation

Your conversation should take place in a calm and comfortable environment. The wrong time and place alone can ruin your interview. If possible, try to clearly agree on the time of your telephone conversation. However, if this was not possible, and the call caught you at an inconvenient moment, for example, while driving a car or at a meeting, it is better not to try to get out of it and immediately ask to reschedule the conversation. As a rule, HR people at the beginning of the conversation ask if it is convenient for you to talk now and your answer is “Will it be convenient for you if I call you back in 20 minutes?” or “Can we move our conversation 10 minutes?” would be quite acceptable in such a situation.

3. Think of short answers

A telephone interview usually lasts less than a face-to-face interview, so your answers should be even more concise. Think in advance what you will say in response to the most common questions: why do you want this job? why are you the best candidate? what are your strengths? etc. It is best to prepare 3-4 short phrases for each question. Too short answers in the style of “yes” or “no” will also be inappropriate and will push the employer to end the conversation quickly.

4. Prepare cheat sheets

Please have your resume, cover letter and job description in front of you. Also, take advantage of the fact that your interlocutor cannot see you - prepare materials that will help you answer questions. This could be a portfolio of your projects, reports on your work, or even information about the company. You'll likely be asked questions about these topics, and answering them will be much easier if you have everything at hand. At the same time, don't overload your desk with papers. Prepare only the essentials so you don’t waste time or create pauses while you rummage through piles of documents.

5. Get yourself organized

Unlike a regular interview, a telephone interview does not give you the opportunity to express yourself using body language, and the main impression will be formed by your voice. Even the most intelligent things you say will be lost if you mumble, speak unclearly or are too relaxed. To get ready and focus better before the interview, put yourself in “working form” - go to the shower, get dressed, comb your hair, sit at the table. This psychological life hack will give you confidence and help you be more focused.

6. Smile

This is another trick that will help you create a positive impression. With a smile, your voice will sound livelier and more energetic, and accordingly, it will show your interest and enthusiasm.

7. Tune in to the wavelength of your interlocutor

Try to grasp the pace and manner of speech of your potential employer from the first words of the conversation. If he speaks calmly and quietly, then you should not jabber, thereby creating psychological discomfort for the interlocutor. If the pace and sound of his speech is fast and loud, add cheerfulness to your tone. Remember that in this situation your speech is an extremely important element of success.

8. Set aside distractions

Take your phone interview seriously. Don't check your email or scroll on social networks. The interlocutor will definitely hear that you are not concentrated on the conversation. Additionally, you may not catch or misunderstand the questions. To help you concentrate better, have a piece of paper ready and take notes as you talk.

9. Don't be shy to ask about next steps.

If you feel that the interview has come to an end, but the interlocutor has not said what the next steps will be, do not hesitate to ask this question. Politely ask when you can expect results and ask how and when it would be convenient to contact him.

10. Write a thank you letter

After the conversation, send your interlocutor a letter of gratitude. In it, briefly describe again what this job means to you and why you think you would be the best fit for the company. This will reinforce the positive impression of your conversation and help you stand out from other candidates.

When looking for a job, many people use online resources. They post information about vacancies, salaries, work schedules and employee requirements. But some employers initially ask you not to send your resume by email, but to call. And many job applicants do not know how to conduct a dialogue in this case.

Sometimes a call precedes a meeting with a job candidate

Due to lack of knowledge about conducting a telephone conversation, you may not get into the desired company. An applicant may have extensive experience in the desired industry and be a highly skilled worker, but lack the ability to negotiate. Accordingly, the first impression of him will be spoiled. And he is unlikely to be invited to an interview.

How to prepare for a call

When you see the vacancy you want, don’t call right away. Prepare in advance:

• notebook;
• handle;
• sheet with information about the company;
• diplomas, resumes, certificates, etc.

Don't forget to think about the questions you will ask the employer. You can write them down on a piece of paper. A notepad and pen are a must, because you often have to write down something on the go: contact information, a list of documents for the device, etc. Mobility is an excellent and important quality.

Having found and studied information about the company, the applicant can note during the conversation its strengths, good position in the market, and positive reviews. This could be his advantage.

Don't forget about emotions. Employers note that in 80-90% of situations, a successful conversation depends on the emotional component. You should not go to extremes and show yourself to be too happy or pessimistic.

Keep calm. A trembling voice, hesitant answers, and a high timbre make a negative impression on the employer and show the interlocutor as a weak and complex person. And no one needs such employees. Remember, image is an important indicator in selection.

What to report when calling

When starting a conversation like this, say hello. This is a mandatory rule of good manners; it will indicate the applicant’s good manners. If you know the name of the interlocutor, do not forget to voice it. Check to see if the recruiter is busy and can talk to you now.

Introduce yourself personally and explain that you are calling about a job advertisement. Indicate the desired vacancy, because the employer may have several of them. It is advisable to name the source where you saw the ad.

The next stage is answering the employer’s questions. If you have no work experience, please indicate the following qualities:

• easily trained;
• interested in development and work in this industry;
• there is a great desire to master the specified profession;
• creative in solving assigned problems;
• I have greater productivity, etc.

If you have work experience, you still need to show that the applicant has the energy and desire to work hard. Don't forget to talk about your main professional skills.

Advertisements can be uninformative. They say almost nothing about the requirements for the future employee, salary level, work schedule. Be sure to ask about this.

But remember, at the beginning of a conversation asking about the level of payment is bad form. Ask this question in the middle or end of a conversation.

Sample list of questions:

• what is the work;
• are there age restrictions;
• what duties will need to be performed;
• how the salary is calculated (bonuses, bonuses, rate, %, etc.);
• where is the place of work located, etc.

You can ask whether you need to undergo a probationary period, internship, training, or induction in order to get a job. Check their duration and availability of payment.

The success of a conversation depends on mood, composure, and the ability to express thoughts. Practice will help you overcome your fear of phone calls. Communicate with your family by phone more often.

The issue of salary should be raised at the end of the conversation

What to avoid during a call

You can't lie. If there is no work experience, then you should not convince him otherwise. You shouldn’t name personal qualities that don’t exist.

You should not ask about official employment. In most cases, employers either lie or avoid answering. This can be clarified during the interview.

Don't interrupt the recruiter. Due to frequent interruptions in the conversation, he may decide that you are an ill-mannered person.

Be prepared to answer questions. The following remarks are excluded:

• “I don’t want to answer this question”;
• “This is personal”;
• “Is it really important”;
• “Why do you need such information”;
• “I don’t see the point in answering this stupid question”;
• “Why ask such a thing,” etc.

If the applicant is sure that the question is incorrect, then first he must apologize. And then inform that the requested information does not relate to the vacancy.

Avoid excessive officialdom. A person with a tense tone and strange speech does not inspire sympathy. Ask questions in a confident voice, concisely and briefly.

You need to talk only with an “empty mouth”: you cannot eat, smoke, or drink while talking.

Try to speak clear language. Forget about surzhik, jargon. It is better not to use terms and unfamiliar, foreign words. This can create an awkward situation.

Features of “search” calls

Such calls are made if a person does not have enough information about vacancies and would like to clarify something. Their goal is to interest the employer. This is necessary if you want to get an invitation to an interview or a job.

Make a plan in advance to talk with a potential employer by phone. Think about what you want to ask and in what order. A sample plan looks like this:

1. Greetings.
2. Purpose of the call.
3. Own questions.
4. Answers to recruiter queries.
5. Make an appointment.
6. Parting.

The order of the steps may vary. The main thing is to behave confidently.

Initially, find out who is responsible for processing resumes and recruiting personnel. Most often these are HR managers. Find out his full name. If you call a person by name, you can reduce the psychological distance between the interlocutors. The applicant will not waste time searching for another candidate and will be able to immediately ask about the employment opportunity of the desired employee.

Be sure to get your boss's attention. Do not agree to a conversation with another employee, this increases the likelihood of refusal.

When this stage has been successfully completed, provide short information about yourself. Please indicate your name and age. Tell us about your personal qualities, professional skills, and work experience. Highlight your strengths. Don't make the story too long so as not to bore the recruiter.

Be sure to explain your interest in the vacancy and your desire to work in this organization. The main thing is not to overdo it.

Ask if there are any vacancies now and whether there will be any in the future. Get agreement to bring or send a resume if they appear.

Immediately agree that you will call again to find out whether your resume and copies of documents have arrived. Find out when is the best time to do this.

Additionally, you can ask if the employer knows of similar companies where you can get a job. There are recruiters who monitor the labor market and can refer you to other organizations.

Types of recruiter interlocutors

You can understand what type of interlocutor the applicant is facing from the first phrases. There are such recruiters:

1. Active. He immediately takes the initiative into his own hands. Communicates animatedly and has a positive attitude. He behaves politely, which is why the conversation environment is favorable. He immediately asks interesting questions. Can represent the company. Briefly describes the working conditions. Indicates the approximate salary, work schedule, location of the company, etc. Mentions the possibility of career growth. He only needs clear answers to the questions posed from the applicant. Most often, he quickly invites you for an interview. When talking with him, it is important not to miss the moment and ask the employer about points of interest.
2. Passive. When the applicant greets and voices the purpose of the call, he does not show interest in it. There is a certain disdain and arrogance in the voice. Pre-prepared questions will be very helpful when talking with such a person. When you ask about a vacancy, you may hear in response: “Everything is stated in the advertisement.” Then you need to ask specific questions to clarify the necessary information.

Remember, if a conversation is going badly, it is better to end it. If the company is truly interested in finding qualified personnel, then the attitude towards the interlocutor will be appropriate. If the recruiter does not show much interest, think about whether such work is needed and what the position of this company is. It might be better to look for another option.

The recruiter can take an active or passive position

Conclusion

Calling about work for the first time can be scary. But you can't show fear. You need to be confident and positive. Preparation is the key to success. Create a list of necessary questions in advance, think through the answers, put a pen and a piece of paper near you.