WHAT TO DO WHEN THE RECRUITER CALLS

Like most of us who are looking for a job, we tend to concentrate on writing a good resume, brushing up on our interviewing techniques and polishing our job search skills.  We spend endless hours sitting at the computer looking for on-line job postings, doing job research at corporate career sites, reading the want ads, and networking our job contacts.  This is all good;  these are the things one needs to do to be successful with a job search and ultimately finding employment.
 

However, "the devil is in the details" as the saying goes.  You may have the best qualifications in the world, the most professional looking resume and a brand new suit for your job interview.  But if you don’t conduct yourself professionally and courteously during a telephone interview, you may never get a chance to put on that brand new suit and polish up your resume for that perfect job.  Why?    Because you didn’t pay close attention to the simple but extremely important telephone interview!
 

As a Recruiter, I have experienced just about everything a job interviewer can experience during a telephone or employment interview.  I once talked to a three year old who answered the phone and told me about the "fun spaghetti" he ate for dinner.  We talked for about 15 minutes before a parent finally took the phone.  I have had interested candidates ask me if they could call me back because they had to cut the grass and I have called people who have had way too many Martinis before and after dinner…and just about everything in between.  Most of these people could use some job hunting advice, and my guess is, many of them are still looking for a job.
 

We don’t have the time to cover everything you should and shouldn’t do when you are looking for employment, but hopefully you get the idea.  Let’s discuss some of the things you SHOULD do and how you can prepare for that all important telephone interview.  First of all, be sure you have the phone covered.  By that I mean you MUST have either Voice Mail (a service provided by most telephone companies) or an answer machine that you can purchase very inexpensively these days.  However, do not purchase and install a prerecorded message from a famous Movie Star or Broadcaster.  This is no time to be cute or original. Use your own voice, speak slowly and be professional….whatever you do, please don't let small children record a message or even answer the phone for that matter, while you are conducting your job search.
 

When the caller identifies himself or herself as a Recruiter, you NEED to take the call!!  Other than your house being on fire, I can’t think of a reason why you should not take that call at that very moment.  Drop everything, have a signal to family members to be quiet, put the dog outside, turn off the TV and if possible go to a quiet, private area.  If you decide not to take the call, for whatever reason, you must realize that the Recruiter most likely will NOT call you back.  
 

So what should you do during the telephone interview itself?  First of all let the Interviewer conduct the interview.  He or she has to find out certain things about you.  This is not the time for you to be extremely talkative.  Answer the questions completely, honestly and with enthusiasm, but be brief.  There will be a time for you to ask questions at the end of the interview.   That being said, here are some other things you SHOULD DO:

• Do be polite
• Do be businesslike, but show your personality
• Do have your resume handy
• Do take notes
• Do have some generic questions ready about the employment opportunity
• Do try to talk on a land line if at all possible
• Do be clear and concise and quantify accomplishments with numbers
• Do show interest, but you do not want to come across as being desperate
• Do ask what the next step will be and make sure you get the caller’s information

What are the specific things you SHOULDN’T do during a telephone interview:
• Don’t drink or eat during the interview
• Don’t interrupt the caller....this will not help your employment chances
• Don’t respond to a question by saying “As I stated on my resume….”
• Don’t curse, no matter how light
• Don’t smoke….yes people can tell
• Don’t say negative things about your previous employer, boss or co-workers
• Don’t bring up any personal health issues or your age or race
• Don’t ask questions about salary and benefits, but do respond if the question is asked of you
• Don’t say you are interested but you need to discuss it with your spouse
• Don’t say you are interested if you have absolutely no interest in the job or the location
 

Finally, relax and be yourself.  Try to incorporate some of the points in this article, and if possible, get in a little practice, be prepared and be professional and you’ll do just fine.  For more on the telephone interview, you can go to about.com.
Good Luck!
 

Dick Jordan
Recruiter
Staff Resources, Inc
803/366-0500