Preparing for a Successful Phone Interview
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Preparing for a Successful Phone Interview

Most companies start the interviewing process with a phone call, to discuss the job opportunity with a potential employee and to determine if the candidate will be a valuable addition to their company. They judge the candidate by the following criteria; their level of interest, qualifications and personality, in determining if they feel the candidate will be a good “fit” for their organization and have the capability to assist them in reaching their department and hospital goals. 

PREPARATION Before the Interview

Prepare:

Take a day or two to get prepared for your phone interview. Invest some time in researching the company. The best way to accomplish this is to go online and review the company’s web site. Learn as much as you can about them, so you can construct intelligent questions, regarding their operations and potential future growth.

Print the job description:

Print the job description and highlight the details of the position that the employer seems to have the most needs. Highlight the areas in their description and job requirements that you would be a good fit and qualify. By having a good understanding of their position you will be able to bring up these qualities of yourself to the employer. By addressing their needs and letting them know you are able to oversee their position with extreme confidence. Therefore, you are presenting yourself as a strong contender for their position.

Create a list of questions:

Write out at least 3 to 5 questions you want to ask the employer. For example; What would you identify as the 3 top priorities and challenges of this position? What would a 6 month “benchmark” be for me to be considered a “success” in your eyes? What would my #1 priority be each day? Describe to me your “ideal” candidate for this position?  The employer will appreciate the fact you are interested in their opportunity and how to assist them in reaching their goals. 

*Very Important: The questions you ask during the interview will guide you to discuss your current and past work experience and talents with the employer. Educate the employer as to why you would be the perfect “fit” for their position. Lastly, your questions will help you to decide if this job is a good “fit” for you, as well!

Have your resume printed out: It is helpful to have a copy of your resume in front of you to refer to during the interview. Be prepared to discuss your strengths and the areas you could possibly improve on in advance.  Ask a friend or your CQI recruiter about your “telephone etiquette”.

Use a landline: If possible, we suggest you use a landline for receiving and making interview calls. If not, make sure your cell phone is fully charged and the network is at its’ best in a quiet place. Cell phones are a less reliable choice for a phone interview because of their potential call dropping issues and bad reception.

Quite Place to Talk: Before the interview, you need to make sure you are in a place where there will be NO interruptions, such as; barking dogs, crying children, any outside disturbances.

Pick a quiet place to talk and be sure your family members and/or friends know you will be on a very important telephone interview during this time. Distractions and interruptions can create a negative impression on the interviewer. Incoming calls should be totally ignored.


 Do not smoke - this is easily recognizable and distracting to the interviewer. 

Have a glass of water by the phone. This helps with dry mouth syndrome. Taking a light sip helps calms the nerves, help you decide how to answer your next question and ease a potential coughing attack.

Have a Confident Attitude: Optional – It Helps to Dress Professionally

Even though you are probably taking the call while putting your feet up on your desk, you need to speak as though you’re sitting directly in front of the employer. Dress like you have an in-person interview. Some researchers have found that people sound more confident when dressed in business attire. Your tone, attitude and word choices are automatically altered when you are dressed professionally.

Following these simple steps can help you ace the phone interview and proceed to the next steps!!


About Carolyn Lee                             

Carolyn Lee, Sr. Executive Consultant and Owner of Continuous Quality Improvement Executive Search has been in the healthcare recruitment industry since 1994 assisting hospitals nationwide in finding the right candidate for their positions, as well as helping healthcare professional find positions that are offering challenges, higher income, relocation to their desired locations and opportunities to advance in their careers.

Linked In: linkedin.com/in/carolyn-lee-3b8b743

www.cqiusa.com

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