How to behave to successfully pass the first test of a recruiter, and how a telephone interview differs from other types of interviews. As soon as you began to send resumes to open vacancies, you should be ready for telephone interviews at any given time from now. Why do recruiters call, what are the features of a telephone interview and how to successfully pass it? Don’t worry, we will help you.
If a recruiter calls you, this does not mean that he wants to invite you for an interview. Usually, in the process of a telephone conversation, the hiring manager makes the final decision to invite the candidate for an interview or not.
A telephone interview allows a recruiter from several dozen applicants to choose the most suitable ones in a minimum of time, that they should meet in person - the so-called primary screening.
First of all, the interviewer is interested in how the vacancy is relevant for you, for what reason you want to change your job, and the time frame in which you could begin to assume your duties in a new place. But there are also bright features of this type of interview.
A telephone interview is a lot like multimedia hiring - when we go through a Skype interview. With only two features:
But the plan of the conversation is likely to be typical: presentation of the interlocutors, questions, and clarifications on the resume, according to your knowledge and experience, a story about the company, your questions.
So, you pick up the phone, understand that this is a recruiter - then the action plan.
If you got a call, first of all, rejoice, your resume made a good impression by something. Then quickly tune in to the conversation, which can last from a few minutes to half an hour. Adequately evaluate your space: nothing and no one should interfere with this conversation.
If for any reason, you are currently uncomfortable talking (being in the wrong place, don’t remember the job description, physically or mentally you’re not up to par, etc.), it’s better to postpone this serious conversation to another time.
At the same time, it is crucial to thank the recruiter for the response to your resume, express interest in this vacancy and agree on a convenient time for a telephone interview.
Sit straight, do not lean on your head, or better still, stand. This position of the body will give your voice additional confidence and will automatically put the body on alert. Prepare a notebook and pen in advance to make notes, and after a while, remember what you have discussed during the conversation.
And unexpected advice - smile. You cannot show your smile on the phone, but the recruiter can hear it. It is thanks to the smile that notes of goodwill and optimism will appear in your voice that will allow the interviewer to form the most positive idea about you. Make your body language brighter, and you will be brighter and emotionally.
The HR-manager evaluates the applicant's speech from two perspectives. The first perspective is the ability to convey your thoughts to the interlocutor. The second lies in terms of obtaining additional information about the personality of the candidate.
The essential things are the timbre of the voice, the ability to clearly and coherently express thoughts, the pace of the conversation (haste as well as “hanging” on thoughts obviously will not add you points), the absence of gross errors in speech.
Listening to the candidate, the recruiter simultaneously conducts a psycholinguistic analysis, determining the personality type of the candidate, his system of values, motivation, personality characteristics. The applicant does not need to try to guess and “play along” with the HR-manager. It is better to behave naturally, and this will help both sides make the right choice.
During the conversation, you have the right to find out more information about the open vacancy, the specifics of the company, its location, etc. But it would be nice to remember where you send the resume and already know the answers to most of the questions in advance. Ask recruiter questions, be active - show that the conversation is interesting to you. At this time, consider a convenient time for a meeting.
At least double mention the name of the person - the sweetest sounds in life. But simultaneously, remember it so as not to be mistaken. At the end of the conversation, thank the interlocutor for your interest in you and wish a good working day, whatever the outcome of the telephone interview.
The primary task at this stage is to reinforce the positive impression about yourself. If you show appreciable sympathy and also begin to get the impression that you’ve known each other for a long time during the conversation, be sure that the interview develops according to the best scenario for you.
