Reply to: "Pre-Interview Chat"

Sometimes they are just fishing too as the role sometimes isn't real or they are comparing outside people to internal candidates.....if you really want the role ask them to frame the context of the chat and take some questions into it for yourself that show you are keen on the role...the more enthusiasm you show the more they'll want to talk to you again !

[dave68]

simply accept this chat. why bother to find out what its for?

I was merely curious, due to the cockeyed scheduling.

Anyway, as many have already suggested, it turned out that they'd had a few interviews already which were a waste of time all round, so with the next batch, decided to undertake prior screening. They'd forgotten to mention it to the programme office, though, hence the *rse about t*t scheduling.

[Not So Wise]

The odd thing is the order in which it was done, i.e. first set up a face to face meeting with no mention of a prior phone interview, then a few days later arrange a hitherto unmentioned phone 'chat' prior to the face to face. Seemed a bit strange.

Or they most likely interviewed a few already and discovered they were not even close to being good enough for the job/had completely different skills sets/had been 'missold' the role by agent/so forth and decided best to way to avoid wasting everyones time was pre interview remaining people first

[AnthonyQuinn]

do you lose anything???

simply accept this chat. why bother to find out what its for?

[Drewster]

Could also be that Client has seen a "decent fit" already.... and now wants to get a feel of the other candidates before going through with the "proper" interviews.

Could explain the *rse about face scheduling.

If its this then you really need to come across well on the phone.... but thats your target every time anyway so - Don't sweat it! Its just one of those things.......

FWIW I always assume the Client has "someone in mind" before they see me so I really have to stand out.... I find it helps me relax (If they already have someone in mind then there is "no pressure" on me)...
I find I am much "better" when relaxed.. rather than coming across as desperate/needy etc.
YMMV - Obviously

Good luck anyway !

[Papavar]

One of my friends recently had exactly this situation - she was told that the client wanted to interview her then afterwards was informed that she'd have a phone interview with the agency first to see if she'd 'suit the role'.

I've been in the same situation with the same agency a few years ago, I think its just the way some of them do things.

I wish the agency we used at my (previous) permi company had bothered to do it instead of submitting a load of CVs for people that didn't last 5 minutes in the interviews we held!

[lukemg]

This is sometimes a reaction to a few wasted interviews i.e. they decide early in the interview that the person is not going to be right and they have wasted a lot of time - we could have sussed that early if we had a phone chat, let's do that for the next lot.

[dave68]

.......er what's odd about it?

The odd thing is the order in which it was done, i.e. first set up a face to face meeting with no mention of a prior phone interview, then a few days later arrange a hitherto unmentioned phone 'chat' prior to the face to face. Seemed a bit strange.

Probably this has happened:

PM: "Gosh there are lots of contractors out there that look worth interviewing. I've got 10 booked for next week!"
PM's mate: "Why don't you phone-interview them first then?"
PM: "Good idea."

Probably right!

[thunderlizard]

Nothing odd. There is no Official British Standard Method of Hiring Contractors, nor should there be, and clients often just aren't that organised. Probably this has happened:

PM: "Gosh there are lots of contractors out there that look worth interviewing. I've got 10 booked for next week!"
PM's mate: "Why don't you phone-interview them first then?"
PM: "Good idea."

[Wanderer]

it just seems a bit odd for some reason

You get all sorts. Just roll with it...

[kaiser78]

I have an interview arranged next week for a PM role.

The Agent called again today and said the client now wants a "pre-interview chat" over the phone a couple of days in advance of the face to face interview.

I could understand it if they had booked phone interviews first for screening puroses, then only progressed to booking face-to-face interviews if you seemed a good fit after that.

But to pre-arrange the face to face interviews, and then spring a "pre interview chat" seems a bit odd.

Should I be suspicious? I've never encountered this before. Any ideas what's going on? As I say, it just seems a bit odd for some reason.

Ta!

Sounds like 1st interview is going to be a telephone interview, second face to face. This is pretty common practise.

[Olly]

You can use these meetings to your advantage to dig out information an agent might know about this project, past projects, or people placed with that company. Even if it will cost you a day's billing to attend, you already have the client interview set up so I'd recommend you go with a list of useful information you'd like - anything that might tip the scales in your favour when you meet the client is worth pursuing. Think of it as an investment.

Have you been drinking? This has no relevance to the OP.

[SizeZero]

You can use these meetings to your advantage to dig out information an agent might know about this project, past projects, or people placed with that company. Even if it will cost you a day's billing to attend, you already have the client interview set up so I'd recommend you go with a list of useful information you'd like - anything that might tip the scales in your favour when you meet the client is worth pursuing. Think of it as an investment.

[Fred Bloggs]

.......er what's odd about it?
I actually ask agents to set them up if they can, helps find out about the role and get a feel if it's worth going to interview.

+1.

[Olly]

.......er what's odd about it?
I actually ask agents to set them up if they can, helps find out about the role and get a feel if it's worth going to interview.