Nailing the Phone Interview

If during your phone interview you’re juggling two small children, the dog is crying to go out into the yard, and Billy Mays can audibly be heard pitching the mini-burger pan on TV, then you’re doing it wrong. Really wrong.

When you schedule a phone interview with a company you need to take it as seriously as you would a face-to-face interview. Why? Because the company does. Phone interviews have replaced the first face-to-face interview because it’s more efficient and saves the company time and money. Not to mention it saves you time and money, so it’s a winning proposition for everyone.  So what’s the best way to handle it?

You’ll need a quiet workspace. Someplace where there will be no distractions where you can sit at a table or desk. Why a table or desk? Well, you’d be surprised how much you can detect about a person over the phone. Experienced people can tell if they’re talking to someone laying down, pacing, huddled in the corner, all manner of things. You want to sound like you’re relaxed and attentive, and the best way to do that is to sit at a desk.

Print out your resume, cover letter and references. Don’t read them off of the computer. Even navigating multiple windows can make you sound distracted on the phone. You want to be completely focused on the interviewer. You may need dates from your resume, and phone numbers of your references, but if you have them printed out in front of you then it’ll just sound better. Some may say that you should look up the company’s Web site while on the phone, but that too will cause you to sound distracted and distant. You want to stay on task, which is the interview. Keep a notepad nearby to scribble notes so you can look things up online later.

All distractions need to be eliminated. All of them. If your children won’t leave you alone in your quiet space without banging on the door, then get a sitter. Send them to your mother’s. Last resort, send them to your mother-in-law’s. But that’s a very, very last resort – no one wants to owe their mother-in-law a favor. The dog? Tie up out back with his favorite toy. Billy Mays? Well, the best thing you can do with him is turn him off, and that goes for anytime of the day, not just when you’re phone interviewing.

To secure that second face-to-face interview you want to nail the phone interview. Treat it like you would any interview, and you’ll be golden.

Powerapplications.com Relaunches With New Look and Functionality

Internet employment Web site Power Applications has been redesigned from the ground up following its acquisition by Three Stars last year. The site will now serve as a traditional job board. The site’s new design and functionality debuted in December to great success.

Users can now simply navigate to the Power Applications Web site, www.powerapplications.com, browse hundreds of open positions, and then apply for the openings that interest them directly through the site.

The revamp better aligns the site with the company’s core mission to connect able job seekers with open positions in their area. A team of employer services specialists assist businesses list their available positions on the site, and then the company’s media buyers work to expand the visibility of that listing to reach as many qualified applicants as possible.

These services are free to both job seekers and employers since all revenue is collected through third party advertising.

Paper Resumes? How Nineties

I was reading some advice blogs about looking for a job. With the economy the way it is, they have been unusually active. One comment asked the blog’s author what kind of paper would best impress the employer. Apparently, the place this person was applying specifically requested no fax, no email — paper resumes only.

This question has yet to receive an answer. Probably because no one currently looking for a job uses paper resumes. They served their purpose well once upon a time, but the world has moved past them.

If your business is still requesting paper applications, then you are creating extra work for yourself. Whereas I could school you on the environment and the unnecessary waste paper creates when you have a perfectly good electronic alternative, I won’t. I prefer to point out that requesting hard copies of resumes creates a huge stack that is unwieldy and difficult to organize.

One of the niceties of using computers is the quick, efficient organization of documents. After perusing the file on your computer, you can easily shift the unqualified candidates to one folder on your desktop, the maybes to another, and the definites to a third. Whereas this may seem like no big advantage compared to doing the same with paper applications, consider the state of the economy one more time. Your one job listing will produce triple the response you received one year ago. The stacks of paper will get quite huge.

So, even if you don’t care about the environment, going paperless is still the best idea.

Spending Your Ad Dollars Wisely

You’re down an employee and are therefore less productive than you were before. In turn, there’s a risk your profits may fall if you don’t fill that position quickly; and even then it will take you a few weeks to get a new person in and trained; and at least another few weeks to get that person up to the level of the employee you just lost. It may be just me, but this is not the time to throw a few thousand dollars into job ads. All that will do is compound your problem.

Too many small businesses think that taking an ad out in the local paper or placing a listing on an expensive job board will deliver the best candidate quickly and efficiently. But will that really deliver the results you so desperately need? Remember, the “return to profitability” clock is ticking.

An advertising agency will tell you that a broadcast message is less effective than a targeted one. Placing an ad for a local dealership on the ABC movie of the week will not net optimum results. Nor will placing an ad for the latest greatest chick flick generate great results if it’s placed in the middle of a fly fishing show.

There’s plenty of alternatives these days that allow you to root out the best possible candidates for your particular job for the least amount of money. There’s plenty of free sites and cheap local circulars that will reach the right person. It’s a lot more beneficial for you to spend an hour researching these avenues than spending weeks training a person who may not enhance your business.

Six Reasons to show a Candidate the Door…

You’ve looked at a dozen resumes for the same position.  They’re all qualified, and they’re all coming in to interview. 

First impressions are all-important. I’ve seen too many applicants who are great on paper blow their interview by making easily-avoidable mistakes.  Here are some red flags for any employers interviewing more than one candidate.  If they make these easily-avoidable mistakes, it may be time to show them the door!

1. BEING LATE:  I know they’ve heard this an infinite number of times, but it is still the most important rule!  Being late for an interview shows that a candidate is irresponsible or not serious about the job/company.  An applicant should get directions beforehand, check traffic, leave early, and if for some reason they ARE late, they should call the office/interviewer and ask to reschedule.

2. INAPPROPRIATE CLOTHING:  Also sounds like a no-brainer, right?  You’d be surprised.  Even if your work place is casual, an interviewee should dress nicely!!  No tank tops, no flip-flops, and no jeans!

3. WINGING IT:  It happens ALL the time.  Interviewees don’t even bother to look up the company they are applying to, or even worse, the position they want!  Knowing who is interviewing you makes a great impression.  Look for someone who knows some key facts about your company. This helps prove how interested they are in working for you. 

4. DANGEROUS SMALL TALK:  No politics, no religion, no hot topics.  The easiest way to turn someone off is to offend them.  Also, watch out for someone who treats you too casually.  You’re not their roommate from college, you’re a potential employer.  They should treat you with respect, and prove they are a professional who will be an asset to your company.

5. BAD-MOUTHING PAST EMPLOYERS: I have interviewed several applicants who, when asked about recent job history, have trashed the last company they worked for.  This makes a terrible impression on an interviewer!  It sounds childish and vindictive!  There is usually more to this story, more you don’t want to find out about.

6. ASSUMING YOU ALREADY HAVE THE JOB: Unless I tell an interviewee that the position is theirs, they should not assume anything!  This means not asking about salary and benefits until I bring it up first.  Be gracious!  I am looking for confidence, not cockiness!

A few more interview pet peeves!
-Not having a resume to look at!! An applicant should bring two or three copies of a resume to the interview, then even if there are several people conducting the interview, we will be able to look at their qualifications.
-To Interviewees: Brush your teeth before you leave!  Don’t eat on the way, and DO NOT CHEW GUM IN THE INTERVIEW!
-I love it when a candidate SMILES!  We know you’re nervous but try and smile at us once in a while.  We might return the favor.