Hi Everyone, this week’s show topic on my BlogTalkRadio Show, Career Talk with Holly Bunn, included how to rock your phone interview. Below are a few bullets and golden nuggets from Saturday’s online radio show.
Prepare for Your Phone Interview:
- Research the company – go beyond the company website and set up a Google alert to email news, sign up for newsletters and follow their blogs; look for current events that could affect your potential job.
- Like/Follow the company’s social media pages (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instgram, Blogs, etc.) to get updates.
- Calculate your asking salary (refer to Episode 9) because you will get asked the salary question during the first interview and preparation is key to landing your optimal salary.
- Prepare CAR stories that create value – at least three. Challenge, Action, Result stories. Create stories that demonstrate your ability to do the job you are applying for…..
- Have pen and paper handy to take notes during the phone interview.
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How to Get to the Second Interview
- Ask thoughtful questions that only a hiring manager can answer. Stay away from questions that can be answered within the job posting.
- What is expected of the successful candidate within the first 90 days of the job?
- Tell me about the team I’d be working on/with.
- Send a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview. Include 2-3 bullet points on why you are a good fit for the position. Be genuine and purposeful in your note. No empty or cliché thank you notes.
- Find and connect with the recruiter/interviewer on LinkedIn with a tailored connection request message.
10 Phone Interview Rules to Follow
- Smile – People can hear you smiling and feel the positive energy.
- Sit up straight or stand during the interview. Sitting up also creates positive energy. Do not lie down or slouch on the couch for the call.
- Tell the truth – no lies, they will eventually catch up to you.
- Dress the part – Yes, get fully dressed as if it’s an in person interview. It plays a role in your attitude.
- No background noise – Find a quiet place without distractions.
- No dropped calls – Use a landline, if possible, to reduce the chances of a dropped call. Have a fully charged phone if cordless or mobile.
- No eating, drinking, or smoking while on the call. Do not chew gum or eat candy. Remember, you can’t undo burping.
- Do not use the bathroom while on the phone – this seems obvious, but people have done it. Please use the bathroom before the call.
- Do not bad mouth your former/current employer or manager.
- Do not take your phone interview at your current job. If you must take the call during working hours, schedule it at lunch time or during a break. Even more, schedule the call before or after working hours. Sit in your car or some other quiet place that is not your place of employment.
Ending thought: The key to acing the phone interview is attitude and preparation. Present your best self during the interview and be optimistic. Optimism (or the lack thereof) comes out in your voice tone and word choice.
In case you missed the show, click here now to listen to the entire episode: How to Rock Your Phone Interview.
Want more job search and career tips? Join my mailing list: http://bit.ly/msresumehelptips
Career Talk with Holly Bunn Online Radio Show, Saturdays at 12:30pm ET. Click to learn more: http://bit.ly/msresumehelpradio
Holly Bunn is a resume writer, career coach, and motivational speaker with more than 15 years of experience in Human Resources, recruiting, and technology. Her clients have secured interviews with Fortune 100 companies. She is sought after as a subject matter expert on LinkedIn and has delivered workshops and speeches to hundreds of job seekers. For more information on career coaching or resume help, contact Holly at (305) 791-6965 or holly@msresumehelp.com.
Ms Resume Help 
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