Times have definitely changed, and the interviewing process has followed suit. Gone are the days where you were able to wow potential employers with your handshake and a smile. More often, your first opportunity to get in the door of a new job comes not from an initial face-to-face interview, but rather via a phone call. Here are some tips to help you knock their socks off and get you to the next steps in the hiring process.
- Use a land line if at all possible. If not, then make sure your cell phone is charged so that you do not drop the interviewer’s call. Nothing kisses a job goodbye more than a hang up, so be prepared.
- Make sure to eliminate all distractions. Place yourself in a quiet environment so that the interviewer can hear you and you aren’t disturbed either. Go as far as turning off your call waiting if you have it. This will take away the urge for you to check out who’s ringing you during the interview. Keep a glass of water nearby to avoid dry mouth or unexpected throat tickles.
- Prepare for the interview! Take time to research the company and/or checkout their website. Ask your recruiter to do some digging also so that you come into the conversation having some base knowledge. Also, keep your resume in front of you. This will help you to recall details from your past employment history without fear of being inaccurate.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses. I tell my recruits to make sure that they know at least 3 of their strengths and 3 areas of improvement at any given time. In addition, make sure that when you present what you need to improve, that you do so in a manner that gives the interviewer the message that you are a) working on it successfully, and b) highlighting strengths at the same time. For example, if time management is an issue, you can lead your answer with “Because I like to be thorough with my patients, I may take longer….” Then back your answer up with what you are doing to improve.
- Smile, smile, smile. This may sound crazy, but it works. Non-verbals make up a huge percentage of communication so even though they cannot see you, pretend they can. Smile, use body language to emphasize your answers and in turn, your voice will respond. You will immediately become more animated and that smile will shine through on the phone line.
- Personality, baby! Make sure to let your personality shine because most of the time, the interviewer is conducting a phone screening to find out if you would fit in on the team. So make sure your personality comes through.
- Take notes during your interview so that you ensure you don’t miss any important information.
- Silence is golden but not when you are on the phone and the interview has to say, “Hello?” Make sure he/she knows you are listening by inserting a few sounds like a “mmm hmm” or a “sure”, but only if appropriate.
- Wrap up with etiquette. As with any interview, end with a “thank you” and a “hope to talk with you more in the future.”
As with any interview, practice makes perfect. So make sure to bone up on skills by role playing with a friend or your recruiter. With just a little prep time, you can turn a humdrum interview into an invite to come on board.
Sun Hui (Sunny) Snook graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Truman State University and received a Master’s in Human Services from Bellevue University. She has been in the healthcare staffing field for 11 years, first working with nurses before moving to a nationwide work strategies consultant where her key responsibilities were to coach staffers and hospital managers on effective staffing. In 2009, Sunny started with Aureus Medical as an Account Manager in the Rehab Therapy division, working with both clients and prospective employees. In 2011, she moved to Student Outreach Coordinator. Sunny was named the 2011 Employee of the Year for C&A Industries, the parent company of Aureus Medical Group. Prior to working in healthcare staffing, she served as an addictions therapist and residential treatment coordinator for five years.
Sunny Snook / 800.456.5857 ext 6578 / ssnook@aureusmedical.com / Facebook / LinkedIn / Twitter