Advice for the Job Seeker: The Telephone Interview

There's no warning. At home or at the office, the phone rings, you answer. It's the hiring manager at the company that is on your "places I want to work" list. How can you be prepared for this and make a good impression?

Telephone interviews are becoming more common and can be sprung on you anytime. Take a few seconds to prepare yourself. If you're at work, put the caller on hold in order to close your office door or to take the call in a more private location. If you're at home, make sure that children, pets, or other distractions are away from your interview area.

Be Professional, Be Prepared

Companies are using telephone interviews as preliminary assessments of candidates. Be sure to have a folder readily available that contains your resume, a list of your professional accomplishments, "success stories" that relate to your competencies, a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer, and information about the company.

Candidates should approach a telephone interview with the same seriousness as they would an in-person interview. Consider standing while you talk. This can improve the quality of your voice. Also, smile when you talk and be careful of "ums" and "ahs." Speak slowly and clearly.

Since you will not have the visual clues from the interviewer to guide the conversation, keep your answers concise. If you need a moment to think about an interviewer's question, say so. Long silences can be especially uncomfortable over the telephone. Be sure to have a pad of paper in order to take notes and to get the correct spelling of the interviewer's name and other relevant information. During this (or any other) interview, be upbeat, enthusiastic, and forthcoming, but, do not dominate the conversation.

In addition to your success stories and list of accomplishments, be prepared to answer the "tell-me-about-yourself" question early in the conversation. Since many jobs involve conference calling as well as other forms of telephone work, the interviewer will also be assessing your ability to be professional and credible on the phone.

Due to the lack of visual cues, remember to intermittently interject short responses such as, "That's interesting," "I see," "Good idea," to acknowledge the interviewers comments. Also, "check-back" with the interviewer with phrases such as "Does that answer your question?" "Is that what you're looking for?" This keeps the dialogue on track for you and the interviewer.

School Never Ends… Do Your Homework

It's important to show that you've done your homework by asking intelligent questions based on information you have on the company and the job opportunity. Before the telephone interview, it's helpful to become familiar with the company by gathering background information; including their mission, size of the organization, competitive companies in the market, and recent press releases. If the company is public, finding such information is simple. For example, Hoovers offers statistics, brief history information, and current employment and profit records. In addition, referring to the company's web site is always resourceful.

Sell Yourself

The goal is to be invited in for a face-to-face interview with the employer. To be successful, assume the role of "seller" during the interview by effectively referencing your skills and abilities. Describe the contributions you can make to the company.

At the end of the interview, feel free to ask questions about the next step in the process. However, this is not the forum to ask about salary, training, holidays, or other details. Remember the telephone interview is usually the preliminary round.

If you feel the interviewer is impressed with you, do not be afraid to "close the deal" by asking for a face-to-face meeting. Here's an example, "(Ms./Mr. Interviewer's name) based on the information you have given me, I am very interested in pursuing this opportunity and would like to schedule a time for us to meet in person. What looks good for you?"

Next Steps

If you're invited to an interview, make sure you write down and repeat back all the details-it's easy to misunderstand or forget information when it is conveyed over the phone. Even if the interviewer begins to close the interview with the line, "We'll be back in touch" an immediate follow up is appropriate with either a thank you note or e-mail. This also gives you the opportunity to mention a skill or ability that you may have failed to mention during the interview. Even if the job doesn't sound right, go the interview; it can give you another opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. You might even discover a more suitable opening elsewhere within that company.

Here's your opportunity to present yourself, your skills, and your abilities to a prospective employer. As awkward as it may seem, you are the salesperson selling a product—your knowledge, skills and abilities.

Sell Yourself

Practice interviewing: Working with a friend or your spouse, have them review interview questions found here on this Web site or in the many books available on interviewing techniques.

Be informed: Learn as much as you can about the company and position by asking your recruiter and/or research the company on the Internet.

Be energetic: Be enthusiastic about the interview and make eye contact with the hiring manager. Stay energized and interested in the company and your potential responsibilities.

Be positive: About your previous employers and about the opportunities of this position. Remember that every good salesperson asks for the sale and you can too. End your interview with a closing statement, reiterating why you'd be a good employee, it's just the type of position you've been looking for and that you'd be a good addition to their team.

Appropriate Dress for the Interview

Here are some general guidelines with regard to a dress code for interviews.

Here's your opportunity to present yourself, your skills, and your abilities to a prospective employer. As awkward as it may seem, you are the salesperson selling a product-your knowledge, skills and abilities.

Management, Senior Technical Personnel: A suit, dress shirt and tie are acceptable for men as well as a suit, dress with jacket, or professional pantsuit for women.

Mid-level professional or technical positions: The previous suggestions are always acceptable. However, for those men with more limited wardrobes, a nice sports jacket with coordinating slacks, shirt is acceptable. For women acceptable dress would be a nice jacket with coordinating skirt or slacks or a dress with a jacket.

Commercial or industrial positions: Though the dress is more casual, for men and women, the acceptable standards are a nice shirt or blouse and pressed khakis or slacks. You should always avoid wearing tennis or athletic shoes.

Do's and Don'ts

Here's your chance to find out how well you'll like working with them. The company is interested in your abilities, whether you'll fit in with the company and whether the prospective team will like working with you. Remember, here's where your sales ability really counts. Be careful that you don't inadvertently sabotage your chances of landing a new position if you don't prepare well enough.

Uninformed candidate: Interviewers know when candidates are unprepared for interviews and aren't likely to give them a second chance.

Inadequate communication: Candidates who can't clearly communicate in writing and orally won't earn offers.

Poor body language: If you don't show enthusiasm, the interviewer may think you're uninterested in the company and the position. During interviews, express yourself in a lively, confident manner and make eye contact with the hiring manager, even if you are nervous. Wanting too much - Unrealistic salary and benefits-package demands will lead to immediate rejection. If you're working with a recruiter, they will have most of this information prior to the interview.

Emotional baggage: Avoid discussing your personal problems as they may appear to hinder your job performance.

Useless references: Don't use friends. Ask former supervisors or contacts who are familiar with your abilities and accomplishments to serve as references.

"I need help with my resume!"

There's certainly no shortage of information available on how to put together a resume. Piles of books and web pages are devoted specifically to this topic.

What if, however, you already have a resume prepared and are only looking to polish it up a bit? You're in luck! Read on and pick up some quick tips on how to get your resume ready for prime time.

TIP #1: Update your Contact Information

A resume is an invitation. You are making your case to the recipient that you are both interested in and qualified for a certain position. It is imperative that you make it easy for the reader to reach you. When updating your resume, confirm that the phone number is still current and that your address is correct. In addition, strongly consider providing one or more alternate methods of contact; these may include mobile phone numbers and e-mail address. If leaving multiple phone numbers, it is helpful to provide in your accompanying cover letter the times you can typically be reached at each phone number given.

TIP #2: Adjust Dates, Company Names, and Software Versions

Look out for references to times and dates in your resume and adjust them as necessary. For example, "Six months of drug testing experience" may now be "One year of drug testing experience." Look out for items you've marked as "current"; are they still current?

Similarly, examine any version/release numbers you may have included after your software proficiency section. You should change "Microsoft Windows 3.1/95" to "Microsoft Windows 3.1/95/98" if your familiarity as advanced accordingly.

Also be on the lookout of out-of-date company names. If a company name no longer in use appears on your current resume, consider supplementing the old name with the current name to help clarify your experience. "Bell Atlantic" might appear as "Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic)", as an example.

TIP #3: Critique your Layout and Objective

Does your stated objective still ring true? If not, adjust it to reflect your most recent ambitions. Remain succinct and honest, with an eye towards the future.

Does your current resume layout still best suit your overall experience? If your educational experience is listed first, consider swapping this section with your professional experience section if you've logged in a significant amount of time on-the-job since your last resume update.

TIP #4: Check for Parallel Structure

Commonly, resumes are assembled like patchwork with different pieces added and deleted over time. As you review your resume and add new information if applicable, make sure the structure of each section remains consistent. If you begin each of the first bunch of bullet-points under a heading with an action verb, for example, then each subsequent bullet point you add under that section should also begin with an action verb. It's easy to forget this as you amend a document, so be careful!

Methods of emphasis, like the bolding of dates or italicizing of company names, should remain consistent throughout your resume as well. Other formatting rules, like spacing and border size, should remain the same too.

TIP #5: Add New Skills Thoughtfully

Give some thought to the weight that you'd like to assign to any new skills you add to your resume. Remember, you can control the message your resume sends by emphasizing (and de-emphasizing) certain items. The amount of space that you devote to specific skills and experiences on your resume does not necessarily have to be in proportion with the amount of relative time that you spent gaining them.

You may want to scale down or eliminate all together older experiences and skills if they become distracting or cause your resume to spill over to another page.

Interviews aren't the time or place for fashion trail blazing. Deviating from the long-established attire standards may prove deadly. Follow these simple tips, and leave your sense of fashion adventure in the lobby.

The Suit

Colors: Interview suits should be navy blue or charcoal gray. Some dark brown suits may still be acceptable, but should generally be avoided. Earth-toned colors, like tan, light gray or olive green, aren't formal enough and shouldn't be worn. Black suits are plenty formal, but are inappropriately flashy. You basically have two choices: navy blue or charcoal gray.

Pin Stripes: Pin stripes are permissible, but only if they are subtle. They add a touch of flair and can liven up a gray suit nicely.

Style: As with color, you aren't given a lot of latitude here. You should wear a two or three buttoned, two-piece suit. Four buttoned suits may be seen as too trendy, and three-piece suits may be viewed as ostentatious.

Fit: Suit jackets should fit so that they can be easily buttoned without any significant tug marks across the fabric. The arms should be long enough so that about a ¼ inch of your dress shirt can be seen beyond the cuffs when your arms are relaxed by your side. If you have a "normal build" (a typical shoulders-to-waist ratio), then your ideal suit size is your chest size. If you have a "distinctive build," then you'll definitely want to get measured by a tailor.

The Shirt and Tie

Color and Collar: White shirts are the safest and most conservative. Cream, almond and pale-blue shirts are also acceptable as long as they are solid without any stripes or patterns. Point collars are recommended for an interview, but spread collars are fine as well. Avoid cotton-blend shirts, polyester shirts, or any shirts with a shiny finish such as rayon. Shirts should be 100% cotton.

Tie Color and Size: Wear a tie between 2 ¾ and 3 ½ inches wide. It should feature a traditional pattern and be made of pure silk. Don't wear trendy ties (the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire look, for example) or ties made of anything besides 100% silk. Your tie should reach, but not exceed, the top of your belt buckle. Do not wear a bow-tie to an interview.

The Knot: Windsor knots are generally preferred at job interviews as they are arguably the most conservative. Four-in-hand knots are fine as well. Knots should be neat and fit within the space created by your choice of collar. If you insist on wearing an alternative knot style, such as a Shelby, you'll want to choose a white dress shirt with a spread collar that will accommodate it. Lettered tie-tacks are fine, but avoid any religious or political insignias.

The Shoes and Belt

Shoe Color and Style: Interviewees should wear black, oxblood or brown leather shoes. Black shoes are strongly recommended as they match almost with any suit, and are easy to coordinate with a belt. Rubber soles are acceptable if they are low profile (that is without noticeable treads). Loafers are forbidden.

Belt: Your belt must always match your shoe color. Large or flashy belt-buckles aren't permissible, but suspenders are, provided that they fit properly.

Miscellaneous

Socks: Socks should be dark and complement your suit. They should be long enough, at least mid-calf length, so that no one can see your leg when you are seated.

Jewelry: Only wedding rings are universally permissible for men. It's recommended that you remove all other jewelry, including earrings, for an interview. College rings are typically acceptable for younger interviewees. Cufflinks, provided that they are small and conservative, are fine.

Briefcases: A small leather briefcase or portfolio is recommended to carry your notebook and resume. Do not bring a large briefcase or everyday bag with you.

Cologne: Be careful! Remember that you'll probably be interviewing in a small, stuffy conference room. Use little cologne, or none at all.

Hair: Hair should be clean and well kept. Shorter hair is generally considered to be favorable. Facial hair is discouraged, although well-groomed mustaches are usually acceptable.

The manager who'll be interviewing you for that new position will probably be interviewing many others as well, possibly on the same day. It's therefore crucial that you stand out from the pack.

Don't try to distinguish yourself by way of your attire; that's more likely to be harmful or distracting than helpful. Stand out by polishing your interviewing techniques with online tools like the online virtual interview, brushing up on corporate and industry knowledge, and by arriving punctually, well-rested and well-groomed. It's important that you never let your clothes, for better or for worse, upstage your performance.

The Suit and Blouse

Suit Color: Women should choose a dark suit in black, navy blue, or gray for a job interview. Avoid patterned suits other than hose with subtle stripes. Ideally you'll want to own at least two interview suits of varying colors. You can, however, simulate a second suit by simply using different blouses underneath the same one.

Blouse: While white or ivory are always safe bets, any light tone that matches your suit is appropriate. The fabric should always be natural—either silk or cotton.

Style: Skirts are traditionally preferable to pantsuits as they are more formal, but in all the most conservative of environments either are acceptable. Your suit should be comfortable, but not casual or sporty in appearance. The climate may factor into your decision; a skirt is preferable in wet weather since pants may get damp, but wrap-around skirts can be tragic on windy days.

Fit: Avoid tight-fitting suits! Suit jackets should fit so that they can be easily buttoned without any noticeable pull marks across the fabric. Skirts should at least reach your knees.

Accessories - The Shoes, Purse and Belt

Shoe Color and Style: Interviewees should wear dark, polished, closed-toe leather pumps that match the interview suit or are one shade darker than it. The heel should be one to two inches high, according to your height. Try not to wear a brand new pair of shoes since walking may be awkward or uncomfortable at first. If necessary, break new shoes in at home before your interview.

Belt: If you are wearing a belt, choose a small, conservative, solid-colored leather style belt with a simple buckle. It should match your shoes and purse.

Purse: Your purse should be small and plain, matching your the shoes and belt. Avoid using an everyday purse for an interview, especially if it is filled with belongings. If you are carrying a cell phone or pager in your purse, turn it off before you begin your interview!

Finishing Touches

Make-up and Nails: If you wear make-up, be sure to use light shades for an interview. Apply it in a bright room to simulate the lighting conditions in most offices. Nail polish should also be of a light shade or clear. Of course, make sure your nails are properly manicured and are clean.

Stockings: Wear plain stockings that best match your skin tone. Keep a spare pair tucked away in your purse for emergencies.

Jewelry: Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. If you wear earrings, plain studs are the most cautious. A single necklace is acceptable, as is a watch and a ring or two. You may wish to add a pin to your suit jacket to add color and pizzazz, but be sure to shy away from any controversial insignias.

Perfume: Use only a little perfume, or none at all. People can be allergic to certain perfume scents, plus you'll probably be seated in a confined space.

Hair: Your hair should be clean, dry and neatly combed. Women with longer hair should wear it back so it doesn't become a distraction. Dressy hair clips should replace more bulky, everyday clips. If it is damp on the day of your interview, take this into account and adjust your hairstyle accordingly to avoid frizzing. Always carry an umbrella if there's even a remote chance of rain or snow.