The subtle art of: Mastering the Phone Interview

That phone interview you just scheduled? That's a meeting, and it's mission critical. This is your first point of contact and, not to put too fine a point on it, EVERYTHING hinges on how it goes [cue dramatic music]. So... let's talk about how to frame that "meeting" in your mind.

The old trope stands as true today as it ever has..."This meeting could have been an email", but sometimes it just can't. Sometimes you need to bring people together. To problem solve in real time. To share a good news story that is pertinent and/or timely. To brainstorm and to share ideas. Simply put, there are times when a meeting is required and in those moments you need to be prepared. Your phone interview is the same.

Recently...or currently depending on when you read this, our team has been going through an exercise where we try and breathe new life into our group meetings. Now our team, like many, is a mixed bag of long tenured and new employees from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences, providing support across all of our North American operations. To complicate matters we're also geographically diverse in that we have team members spread throughout both Canada and the United States, so, for us, meetings are a crucial gathering point to take in information, knowledge transfer and commiserate. That's a lot to ask out of 60 to 90 minutes and difficult to do remotely! Your phone interview is the same.

It's here where we continue to draw a line between a meeting and a phone interview. What matters most is the content. What everybody gets out of it. When going into a phone interview (or a meeting), it's important you understand the way they're built and what we're trying to accomplish. Generally, these "meetings" will follow a common path, but while the route may change the start and end point will remain the same regardless of the format. Below is a list of what to expect, especially when dealing with a recruiter (corporate or otherwise).

1. An introduction: Who WE are. Who YOU are.
2. A confirmation: You applied to [impressive job title here]?
3. A review: Of the position (what we do), and of your resume (what you've done, who you did it with, when and where you did it, and why you aren't doing it anymore). You'll spend much of your time here and will cover a lot of ground between your background and what the employer is looking for.
4. Your motivation: Why are you looking for change?
5. The reality: Is the change realistic for you? Do you have to sell a small Alpaca farm? Do you have a family that will come with you? Do they have Alpaca's too?
6. The next steps: Are there any? Assuming you've been successful what should you expect next? On the flip side, if you haven't been successful, you should know now that you aren't moving on.
7. Timeframe: When will you hear back? How will you hear back? Will it be over email, phone or text? What is everybody's preferred method of communication?

If when you conclude your interview you feel you're missing any of those steps, bring it up. When it comes to recruiters, unless you were unsuccessful, you should leave that meeting with a plan and with a way to communicate with that individual before you hang up the phone.

Now with all that said, I don't want you to get bogged down in the format above. As we noted, the route can change but the result should remain the same. All phone interviews are different however, so expect that. You may have a very new or very technical recruiter who will follow a script, checking off boxes as they go. These interactions tend to be more regimented and are almost easier to prepare for provided you have your resume in front of you. Alternately, you may end up with somebody who's more fluid or conversational in their style. As an example, if you happen to end up on the phone with me, you're likely find that I rarely use a script. I prefer to build a guide for myself prior to our call where I've highlighted potential areas of concern or places where I want more detail. A phone interview like that may feel more disjointed as we dig into areas you might not have been prepared for. Or you may end up with a hybrid of the two, where some parts are conversational and others are more formulaic. Regardless of what kind of interview you go into, be prepared... because chances are good we are.

Lastly, there are a few things I really want to emphasize with you prior to picking up that phone when we call. These 5 tips are based on many years of interviewing and will address several pet peeves:

1. Be prepared. I don't want to hear you munching on your sandwich or having a cigarette because you decided to schedule your call during your break. I promise you, if I hear you slurping your soup or eating corn-chips, it's going to stand out with me, and I'm unlikely to forget it. If it's bad, I may suggest we reschedule the call. If it's worse, we may just end it entirely.
2. Know that I'm prepared too. I'm not just picking up your resume the moment I call. By the time we're speaking I've already reviewed your application and I likely have a list of things I want to clarify. I'm going to ask you questions based on your resume, your cover letter (and probably your Linkedin too if you have it) so I would suggest having everything handy as we clarify dates, locations, etc.
3. Do your homework. Go to the company website. Review the values and the mission statement. Check the recent news. Learn where they do business and what business they're in! If I ask you what you know about CANFOR, and I will, I expect that you've done some research. It concerns me when I speak to people who don't even know what we do, and rest assured that sticks in my head as much as slurping your soup did.
4. Expect to discuss money. This is a sticky point for a lot of people, but it doesn't need to be. Money isn't dirty. The last thing we want is to take everybody through interviews, assessments, reference checks and into offers, only to cause a commotion when we start talking about dollars and cents. That's a waste of time for everyone, so if you know what you want or what you expect, tell us when we ask.
5. Be honest. Trust me when I tell you that you're better off not accepting a job that conflicts with your own preferences than accepting one based on a false reality. Yes, if you push hard enough you can force a square peg into a round hole, but neither the peg or the hole will appreciate it and sooner or later somethings going to snap.

More thoughts on $$:

Devaluation: If you come in low thinking you can buy your way into a job by devaluing yourself, you're likely not going to be happy if that employer chooses to hire you at that reduced wage. If you're dealing with a good employer, that shouldn't be an issue...they'll likely tell you if you're under.

Over evaluation: Alternately, if you're well over the compensation range and aren't simply being greedy to "see what happens", it's best to know at the outset before all parties invest further. If you're a $100 saddle, you're not likely to ride on the back of a $20 horse.

The Comp: When it comes to salaried positions don't expect an exact breakdown of what the role pays. If you're applying for a salaried role, it's most likely that the employer won't have a hard and fast salary as it will be based on a combination of factors including experience, education, etc. What you should expect however is a window, and if that window falls into the right spot for you and we know where you land within it, we're all better off for it. There's bound to be exceptions as some employers may not feel comfortable sharing financial information at the phone interview stage, or perhaps it's a new role and they aren't certain what the market will dictate, either way...expect to talk about it. It's important.

In summary, treat your phone interview like the critical meeting it is, because your experience, your education, and your charisma will only get you so far if you underplay the importance of this step. Take it seriously, make yourself available and do your homework. Because I have.

Do you have any tips for acing a job interview? If so, add them in the comments I'd love to read them. Alternately, if you're going into an interview yourself and have questions, just ask.

Best of luck in your job search.