“He talked and talked but didn’t really tell me
anything.” That was the feedback I
received from a client about a phone interview he conducted with one of my
candidates. The candidate had not
performed well. This client is good at asking questions which require the
candidate to explain how he achieved the accomplishments listed on his
resume. I understood immediately what he
was telling me; the candidate gave vague answers that were not clear and
concise. Talking in generalities as to
how one achieved specific accomplishments casts doubt on the candidate and
diminishes his credibility. That is not
to say that the candidate was lying about his work history. What it does say is that the candidate’s
communication skills are not up to par, or that he did not adequately prepare
for the interview. In either case, it
was an opportunity lost.
It continues to surprise to me, when one of my C-level
Executives fails to interview well. One would think these people have mastered
the communication skills required in the interview. My candidates are adept at selling Senior
Management and Boards on multi-million dollar initiatives. You could reasonably expect them to ace an
interview. I am fairly competent in my
own interview skills, so no one gets past me who cannot do the job. It just goes to show that the interview is an
art form that eludes even the most senior executives.
Telephone interviews are often underestimated. They pose a particular set of challenges. The interpersonal dynamics of a face-to-face
meeting are virtually eliminated.
Personality traits cannot be easily observed and assessed. Still, the candidate must be able to convey
energy and personality while presenting his capabilities in a credible way. In many respects it is the most difficult, interview
format. Regrettably, some employers
place too much emphasis on the telephone screen. A good telephone persona does not necessarily
translate to a good hire. Personally, I
believe that the phone screen should be focused on confirming factual data to
determine if hard skills and accomplishments meet the job requirements. The intangible, soft skills are better
evaluated in a face to face interview. Notwithstanding,
you must recognize the situation for what it is and take it seriously.
To ensure an optimal result, begin with the basics. Make sure you have your resume in front of you so that you and the interviewer are literally on the same page. A strong, clear telephone signal and a place
without background noise is a must. Pick
a setting that is free of distractions and provides a high-quality telephone
connection. The choice of a cell phone
over a land line can be problematic.
Taking the call in a popular Starbucks is a disaster in the making. Taking the call in your car during your
commute can be suicide, literally. If
taking a call at home, remember that children and barking dogs can derail a
call.
It is also useful to help the interviewer help you. Give him the tools to make your interview
easier. Additional printed materials provided
to the interviewer can be very useful. A
summary of key career accomplishments will provide the interviewer with
interesting questions. Keep it to one
page. The tried and true, two-column,
side by side comparison of job requirement vs the candidate’s background and
accomplishments is always a plus. These materials
give the interviewer a road map to guide the interview. The very process of assembling
these documents will aid your interview prep.
This is also an effective technique for the face-to-face interview.
My clients want to know how the candidate deals with
problems. How did she analyze the
situation? What alternatives were
considered? What resources were required?
Why did she make the decision she made?
How did she approach the implementation of the solution? If it involved other team members, as one would
expect, how did she marshal those resources?
What problems were encountered in the implementation of the
solution? What was the final outcome? Did it work? How well?
This could either be a very long-winded story which would put the
interviewer to sleep, or it could be focused, concise and energetic. The interviewee should be able to answer
effectively in three minutes or less. If
the interviewer needs more detail or clarification he will ask for it.
So how does one prepare and practice an effective
answer? I tell my candidates to think in
terms of a one-page, landscaped, bullet-point presentation to explain each and
every significant accomplishment. This
is a good exercise to focus one’s thoughts and to prepare for the phone
screen. I recommend that you prepare a
page for each accomplishment you think appropriate, especially those that
dovetail with the requirements of the job spec.
It might even make sense to have a blank template to help you focus your
answer for unexpected, or unplanned questions.
Remember to label the bullet points: Situation, Alternatives, Solution
Chosen, Plan, and Outcome or Result. At
its most fundamental level these points are the problem solving/planning loop. It might take a little practice, but the
result will prove to be well worth the effort.
Finally, I did close the loop with the candidate in
question. He had not been in a job
search for a while and was genuinely interested in constructive feedback. I am confident that his next interview will
be better. Come to think of it, it might
be useful to share this post with all of my candidates in advance of their
telephone interview.
Thanks to my colleague, Todd Porter I added the following sentence to paragraph four.
ReplyDelete"Make sure you have your resume in front of you so that you and the interviewer are literally on the same page."
This point is too fundamental to have missed, or to leave out. Thanks, Todd.