From Job Seeker to Job Finder: Part II

The telephone as a job-seeking tool is still the second-most important communication link to your next job, after face-to-face encounters. However, in this Computer Age it’s easy to get stuck in the mode of browsing the web thinking all you need is your iPad. I’ve found that regardless of whether you’re a bench scientist watching the ads in Science or a salesperson looking at executive job sites, your eventual success will have a lot more to do with your interpersonal contacts than with your ability to craft an online version of your resume.

Introductory Phone Calls
Recruiters, H/R staff, and even the occasional hiring manager, will start out after “finding” your resume or online profile by making a phone call to check on your availability and get some initial impressions. These calls can come at the most inconvenient times.
One of the keys to taking a cold call is to remember that you control the time. Because you need a certain degree of focus that is hard to find at the spur of the moment, my number 1 rule of job-related incoming cold calls is not to take the call if it comes in at a bad time. Take control and call back or request a later appointment. Your recruiter or H/R staffer will be happy to catch you at a time of your convenience.

Use the time in between to learn what you can about the caller via LinkedIn or Google. Before then, get out a note pad and a copy of your CV. Be at your best when the call comes in—focused but relaxed.

Calls from the Hiring Manager
If you’ve submitted an online application or have networked into an opportunity, the employer might be calling to profile you for that role specifically. They’ve decided that your CV appears to match up with items on their must-have list; as a result you warrant an initial discussion. Don’t be offended by brisk efficiency as this may be one of many similar calls this person has planned for that afternoon. These calls have a tight focus centered on a few position specs, so expect to be asked about how your background fits those specifics. Your goal is to make sure that you stay in the process by succinctly answering questions and keeping the responses down to the timeline you’ve agreed to in advance.

The “Panel” Telephone Interview
Panel phone interviews are the ultimate telephone introduction call from an employer; they’ve found you so interesting that they invite a few of their colleagues to talk to you at the same time. Even in the best of circumstances, panel interviews are tough, but it’s even harder to do it well over the phone, with keyboards clicking, muffled voices, and no visual feedback to indicate how you’re perceived. Hopefully, you’ll go into the interview with a bit of knowledge about each participant. You’ll have reviewed their experience and background and at least know who you will be speaking to.

This prearranged call will come from a conference room, where the interviewers will be gathered around a speakerphone. So whatever you do, don’t use a speakerphone yourself.

Headphones are great on calls like these in order to maximize your ability to hear callers who are sitting further from the speakerphone. For a meeting like this, your little Bluetooth ear device or the cheapie earphones that came with your phone will not be sufficient. You want a pair of larger headphones that cover your ears. Everyone at the table will be introduced. Have your own 30-second backgrounder ready to roll.

Without visual clues, you’ll be unable to tell how your answers are received. This lack of feedback can be disconcerting, but put it out of your mind. Stay positive. If you don’t get an immediate comment, do not assume your answer fell flat.

Gaps will occur in the conversation, and that’s OK. Those in the conference room may be deciding who will ask the next question, or they may have the speakerphone muted as they discuss something amongst themselves. Gaps are fine. The worst thing you can do is to fill them in with talk. Sit patiently and wait for the next question.

My worst nightmare is a panel call conducted on a phone line with lag time, where people start talking over each other and then stop when they hear someone else speaking. All you can do in this circumstance is to grin and bear it.

Because this call was requested in advance—panel interviews will never be sprung on you by surprise—they’ll expect you to have a few good questions lined up. Don’t disappoint.

In an era of ubiquitous phones professional-level telephone skills are in short supply. A little work invested in developing this important skill set will help you make that important cut between screening calls and real, in-person interviews. Whether it’s a prearranged panel interview with several people on the line—or an informal, seat-of-the-pants ring-up from a hiring manager, you’ll do fine.