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[xsarien]

To the GAF Employment Squad:

So, as it turns out, this Monster shit actually works. I was contacted, and now I've got a phone interview setup for tomorrow; oddly enough, finding a private spot where I can't be heard or seen at my current job isn't the big issue.

Never having done a phone interview before, that's the problem. What the hell am I walking into here? What should I expect?

 

[mrmyth]

Never ask what they're wearing in a husky voice.


Just sayin'.

 

[xsarien]

:: Hastily scratches item #1 off of the list of possible talking points ::

 

[Dilbert]

Although I've never done a phone interview personally, my girlfriend went through several of them recently as part of her job search. As far as I can tell, phone interviews are primarily a screen to reduce the number of possible candidates to invite to in-person interviews. If you do well in the phone interview, expect to be asked to come into the office to talk some more.

Although phone interviews may seem to be easier because you don't have to worry about dressing up, shaking hands, getting lost on the way to the office, and so on, I would suspect that they are more challenging than an in-person interview in certain ways. A huge percentage of communication is done through non-verbal means: appearance, demeanor, gestures, facial expressions. On the phone, none of those factors can work in your favor. Even verbal clues such as inflection can be missed or misinterpreted more easily because of the phone. Finally, it may be harder to keep the attention of the interviewer -- he/she could be half listening, and half reading email, staring out the window, etc.

If I were you, I'd pay attention to speaking deliberately and clearly into the phone, keep your answers on topic and interesting, and do your best to project your personality in your voice. It may be helpful to sit and gesture while you're on the phone as if you were in a face-to-face interview to establish the right state of mind.

Good luck!

 

[nitewulf]

i found i am better at in person interviews than on the phone. weirdly enough i get way more nervous on the phone. make sure you dont make stupid jokes (ie, if you are not sure, do not try to be funny, just stick with answering the questions directly).

 

[AstroLad]

The great thing about phone interviews is that you can actually have and take notes. The one that I did with a university dean was great, really laid back, and I didn't have to dress up! The only thing better than a phone interview is a laid-back lunch interview.

 

[Mumbles]

The great thing about phone interviews is that you can actually have and take notes. The one that I did with a university dean was great, really laid back, and I didn't have to dress up! The only thing better than a phone interview is a laid-back lunch interview.

I always take notes in face-to-face interviews, actually. Never had a problem with it before. I also usually have a list of questions I want to ask.

For phone interviews, my experience mirrors that of Jinx's girl. They're another way to screen people before you bring them into the office - especially if you're going to fly them around, put them up in a hotel, or whatever, which is the sort of treatment that many professionals get.

As for monster - for me, 20 months on that service got me no interviews, so experiences vary.