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Dear Joanna,
I never liked talking on the phone to friends or family. I prefer the face to face or through texting or virtual zoom meetings. It’s so much easier to communicate this way! However, I have applied for an office clerk position, and am scheduled for a pre-screening telephone interview on the phone! I’m so nervous to chat with the interviewer. How do I handle this type of interview?
Signed: Chatter Fear
Dear Chatter,
The job coaches who help our neurodivergent youth who participate in our supported employment programs agree that the telephone interviews can definitely be intimidating! Although a rare interview technique these days, it’s still used by employers as a first step in the hiring process since it’s a quick way to pre-screen and decide whether or not to move to the in person or virtual job interview.
However, you still need to prepare for this conversation as you would with any job interview. The phone call could be a lot easier for you. Here are some tips from recruiters and this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jee20EkysTo.
- Research the company and review the job description
- Make sure to confirm a date and time for the phone interview with the employer. And double check that you have a working phone line.
- Find a quiet location without any noise or other distractions like music, the TV, crowds of people. Do not call in public areas like restaurants or cafes. Have a glass of water just in case your mouth goes dry but don’t eat or drink while talking on the phone. Shut off all your other phones other than the one that is used for the interview.
- Bring a pen, paper, laptop, a copy of your resume, the job description and any notes that you have taken in your research. Take notes during the interview that you can refer back to later on (especially if you are invited for the in person interview).
- Ask a friend or relative and/or your job coach to help you rehearse for the interview. They’ll give you feedback on how you across on the phone. You can record yourself so you can listen to see if you are speaking too quickly or too quietly in order to improve.
- Request accommodations in advance – before the telephone interview. Discuss this with the job coach from your employment program. If you would like the job coach to attend the interview, you may or may not need to advise the interviewer. But if you require an afternoon time slot for the interview or if you need a special phone with higher volume, discuss this with the interviewer in advance.
- Write out the responses to the most commonly asked phone interview questions (like a script): “Why do you want to work for us”, “What are your salary expectations”, “Tell me about your experiences, your education, and your skills that will help you with the job”, “What do you know about our company”, “What are your short term and long term goals”, “On a scale of 1 – 10, how would you rank your skill level with (fill in the blank).
- Prepare questions to ask the employer. But remember – this is not the time for a discussion about the details of the job like salary, training and start dates. If you progress to the next stage, you will have a chance to understand the company better.
- Be professional. Answer the phone professionally – “Good morning, Joanna Samuels speaking” is an example. Address the interviewer as Miss, Mrs., or Mr. unless invited to use his or her first name. Be polite. Be enthusiastic. But don’t start chatting like you are talking to a friend. Listen carefully is important.
- The interviewer can hear it through the phone.
Good luck with your interview!
To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email Joanna Samuels, Reena’s Employment Resource Supervisor at jsamuels@reena.org