Reply to: Telephone Interviews

[cojak]

[Burdock]

[tino]

Thanks for the valuable advice folks, got the gig

[TheFaQQer]

I very rarely do face-to-face - I live in the countryside, so taking time out to travel to a customer for an interview isn't really worth my time.

If you are on your mobile, make sure that it's charged fully - I tend to make sure that it's plugged in while I'm doing the interview.

Find somewhere quiet - if you're at work, then if need be, go and sit in your car for the interview, so you don't get disturbed. I prefer to do it at home, in my office.

If you need to have documents / manuals handy, keep them open at key pages. As preparation, I tend to scribble a few notes on different pages and have them sat in front of me, if I need them.

Make sure you have a copy of your CV handy - my most recent interviews (three in the past couple of weeks, all job offers) tended to be a walkthrough of my CV. They wanted to know the relevant (and not relevant) parts, so gloss over the bits that aren't (e.g. "I spent 18 months working on a CRM implementation, but you're more interested in the year I spent doing XYZ before that...")

Best of luck,

Faqqer

[Churchill]

I always find myself walking around the room on telephone interviews...


don't know why.

It's psychological - it places you in a position of power and does enable you to come across more confidantly over t'phone!

Also aids in breathing etc.

[ratewhore]

I always find myself walking around the room on telephone interviews...


don't know why.

[cojak]

Have you got a website?

You can walk them through that - prepare special pages, include presentations.

It's always worked for me...

[tino]

Well guys - all arranged for 10.00am on Monday.

Wish me luck

Ill find out if im the man on Monday afternoon

[tino]

Cheers folks, lots of good advice here - ill take it all on board.

I've done this role several times in the last couple of years though generally on a troubleshooting / get the plans telling the truth type of scenario so hopefully I would hope I have enough knowledge to carry me through this

Still no mention on when it is though so ill let you all know how I get on.


Thanks again folks


ciao

[lukemg]

Got one of these today as well. 2nd interview and it's with someone from HR. I have arranged a meeting room at current client with a proper conference phone. From teleconf experience they are much better than using a normal handset.
Not sure what to expect but will have my CV + jobspec in front of me. Very difficult to check understanding and no feedback is the hardest thing. Good advice about humour, play it strictly business.

[Vito]

Get a speaker phone and get some experienced pals in the room...make sure there is some backround noise (i.e. you are working in a busy office because you wouldn't possibly take time off from your client to speak to another one) to justify the fact that you will mute the phone when he speaks...then get your mates to give you the answers...sorted!

To be honest, I find phone interviews a bit off-putting but have always got the job from them...so...5 serious tips:

1. Be courteous...too easy to speak over someone on the phone because you are worried about pauses...don't

2. Smile throughout (too cheesy to do in a face-to-face)...it makes you sound upbeat and conscious

3. Pace the floor whilst talking...gives your voice a vibrant energy (don't walk too quick though because puffing and panting is not so clever)

4. Stay clear of humour...face-to-face its fine, over the phone its impossible to guage them

5. Put a suit on...we are conditioned to doing interviews with a suit on...subconciously it makes us more professional and gives us confidence...may sound silly, but do it...

Good luck...i remember you thinking you weren't gonna get this...we're all rooting for you

[RSoles]

I've done a couple of 'phone interviews lately and so far I've spoken to two guys in canteens and one in a stairwell.
None of these guys got the job.
If they can't plan ahead for an interview (an interview for God's sake!)
what are they going to be like on the project?

RS

[tim123]

The worst thing about telephone interviews is having a w*nker at the other end who insists upon using his speaker phone, even though there is only him in the room.

This cuts the audio in and out and you are continually asking them to repeat what they have said, which looks bag (IMO). I don't know if this is worse because the receiving end is a mobile, but I do wish that people would learn not to conduct interviews this way.

tim

[RSoles]

Telephone interviews

1) large empty room, floor littered with notes. Avoids the giveaway thumbing through manuals (or clicketty-clack of a keyboard on Google ) noises prior to answer.

2) get someone who knows what to say to do the interview for you.

- Hang on... I'm not interviewing you tomorrow am I?
Ah no, Italy...OK

RS

[tino]

what the rates like over there?

I want this one too much to get cocky over it - but ill keep myself grounded alright

re: rates - PMs aregetting 400 per day (im a project planner so a bit less than that lol) but italian residents basic salary is around 1000 euro per month so the cost of living is a good bit cheaper