WEBVTT 00:00:26.539 --> 00:00:28.480 Good evening, everybody. It is 4 o 'clock in 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:30.359 the afternoon. Now, this is going to be one of 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:35.100 my later, later, later, later recordings. I typically 00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:37.420 do them in the morning, but I work tonight, so 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:40.159 it makes it kind of hard for me to do one in 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.560 the middle of the night if I'm not home. Now, 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:44.299 if I get off early, I will be doing another one. 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:48.640 But, for now, this is Food for Thought. Thoughts 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:52.439 If It Were You by Neogentrics. And we're going 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:57.280 to continue where I left off. Let's see. We are 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.719 doing communication. Is that correct? Let's do 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:04.099 telephone interviews. We'll go ahead and cover 00:01:04.099 --> 00:01:07.159 that. Because we already covered regular interviews. 00:01:07.819 --> 00:01:10.939 And with that being said, many people are now 00:01:10.939 --> 00:01:13.920 willing to relocate and much further from home 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:16.379 for the sake of their jobs or to work from home 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:19.280 rather than at the office. So, I mean, there 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.920 are a lot of applicants for every single job 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.939 at the same time. Many companies are trying to 00:01:26.939 --> 00:01:30.420 reduce their recruitment costs, so a lot of companies 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:34.000 are adopting telephone interviews, making them 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:39.060 more and more popular. And the way this works 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:44.700 is, for many jobs, especially Indeed, telephone 00:01:44.700 --> 00:01:46.579 interviews are now the norm for at least the 00:01:46.579 --> 00:01:49.950 first round of interviews. But then... It brings 00:01:49.950 --> 00:01:52.090 up the question, what is different about telephone 00:01:52.090 --> 00:01:55.069 interviews? Or how can you prepare for them to 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:59.170 make sure that you shine? You know, I can answer 00:01:59.170 --> 00:02:01.250 both of those questions. I'm going to try to 00:02:01.250 --> 00:02:05.269 keep it as simple as I can. But they're no different 00:02:05.269 --> 00:02:07.870 than a regular interview in retrospect. There's 00:02:07.870 --> 00:02:11.449 only a few things that's different, okay? So 00:02:11.449 --> 00:02:13.969 let me ask you this. Interview or telephone interview? 00:02:15.909 --> 00:02:19.819 Well... How do I put this? You have to Google 00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:22.139 telephone interview tips to realize that telephone 00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:26.099 interviews are part and parcel most job hunts 00:02:26.099 --> 00:02:30.240 these days. So, but I mean, they're oftenly used 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:33.379 for just first level, first stage interviews. 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:36.360 To select those they want to meet face to face. 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:41.020 Okay? But, one thing to keep in mind about a 00:02:41.020 --> 00:02:42.860 telephone interview. It's still an interview. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:47.900 Obviously. I know it sounds obvious, but a telephone 00:02:47.900 --> 00:02:50.080 interview is still an interview. It is not a 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:52.780 cozy chat with a friend, but a serious chance 00:02:52.780 --> 00:02:55.400 for the company to see if you fit in and are 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:57.319 capable of doing the job. Treat it as seriously 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.259 as you would treat any other job interview. I 00:03:00.259 --> 00:03:03.039 can't believe I have to say that. But for some 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.020 people, you know, you gotta simplify some stuff 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:09.259 for them. But how does a telephone interview 00:03:09.259 --> 00:03:11.659 differ from one that is face -to -face? And just 00:03:11.659 --> 00:03:13.599 like a face -to -face interview, you still need 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:15.120 to prepare thoroughly. There is no substitute 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.020 for doing your research about the company, preparing 00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:19.560 a list of questions, making sure you are clear 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:23.240 about the company's product or service, and how 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.819 your potential role will fit in. Make sure that 00:03:25.819 --> 00:03:29.439 you have good examples of how you have used all 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.699 of your required skills that meet the conditions 00:03:31.699 --> 00:03:35.379 that they have set. So, we're going to take a 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:39.520 short break. And I'm going to cover the major 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:41.159 differences between telephone interviews and 00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:43.460 face -to -face interviews. There's a few of them. 00:03:44.360 --> 00:04:06.280 And what to do. Alright? Okay, okay, okay. So 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.039 we're back. Now, the major differences between 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:11.039 telephone interviews and face -to -face interviews. 00:04:11.819 --> 00:04:14.139 That's the question. That's the topic. That's 00:04:14.139 --> 00:04:18.500 what we're going to talk about. But, there are 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:20.480 some bright sides and some downsides to this. 00:04:20.939 --> 00:04:22.899 So, I mean, I'll let you guys be the judge of 00:04:22.899 --> 00:04:25.899 that. But, let's start off with number one. Okay? 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:29.639 First things first. You get to choose your location. 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:32.519 Isn't that great? You can do a telephone interview 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:34.959 from almost anywhere. Cafe, street, car, train. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:37.040 Well... I don't recommend the cafe. It depends 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.420 on how quiet it is. But since you effectively 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:43.060 have a choice of venue, it is as well to choose 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:45.860 somewhere where it's quiet, where you will be 00:04:45.860 --> 00:04:48.360 able to both hear what each other is saying. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:51.420 And you can concentrate. Don't have to worry 00:04:51.420 --> 00:04:53.220 about getting hit by something or some random 00:04:53.220 --> 00:04:56.699 person's kid crying. In practice, this probably 00:04:56.699 --> 00:04:58.959 means that it's a good idea to be at home or 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.579 in your own room with the door closed. You get 00:05:01.579 --> 00:05:03.620 what I'm saying. If you share accommodations 00:05:03.620 --> 00:05:05.519 with other people, it might be worth putting 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:08.079 a note on the door to ask not to be interrupted 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.879 or to be disturbed. You should also be a while 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.100 away from the landline, if you have a landline. 00:05:14.339 --> 00:05:16.500 And if you're on the mobile, switch off the mobile 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:21.939 if the call is due on your landline. Okay? Oh 00:05:21.939 --> 00:05:24.899 yeah, there's another thing. There's the element 00:05:24.899 --> 00:05:28.930 of surprise. While most potential employers will 00:05:28.930 --> 00:05:30.329 make an appointment for a telephone interview, 00:05:30.509 --> 00:05:33.970 others prefer a surprise candidate. If you are 00:05:33.970 --> 00:05:35.930 phoned out of the blue and asked if it's convenient 00:05:35.930 --> 00:05:37.389 to have an interview with you right now, don't 00:05:37.389 --> 00:05:39.610 feel that you need to say yes if it really isn't. 00:05:39.750 --> 00:05:42.610 For example, you may be out and about in a crowded 00:05:42.610 --> 00:05:44.870 place and unable to hear properly, trying to 00:05:44.870 --> 00:05:49.629 put your children to bed, or give them tea. Some 00:05:49.629 --> 00:05:53.709 people do that, yeah. Or about to go into a lecture 00:05:53.709 --> 00:05:56.180 or your class, or you're at... your current job 00:05:56.180 --> 00:05:58.860 you're trying to get rid of yeah that's an option 00:05:58.860 --> 00:06:03.759 if it is really inconvenient though say i'm sorry 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.240 i'm afraid i don't have time right now as i have 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:09.560 another commitment can we fix another time instead 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:14.439 and i'd really like to talk to you best verbal 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:17.060 communication that can possibly be used in this 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:21.560 situation or at least something close to it You 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.579 will then need to fix the time then and there 00:06:23.579 --> 00:06:26.199 as they are unlikely to call back otherwise. 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:30.439 So make sure that you have your diary, notebook, 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:33.060 or whatever you use to write that in on hand. 00:06:33.459 --> 00:06:36.060 You can even say, I should be free in about an 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:39.879 hour or two at, just give a random time, 5 p 00:06:39.879 --> 00:06:42.680 .m. Can I call you back then? And make sure that 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:45.459 you take down the number. That way you can call 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:48.160 them back. Otherwise, you probably just lost 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:51.709 the job that you could have had. With that being 00:06:51.709 --> 00:06:54.949 said, that brings up number two. You don't have 00:06:54.949 --> 00:06:57.050 to dress up, but you do have to sound professional, 00:06:57.170 --> 00:07:00.629 at least. It is true that you will not be visible 00:07:00.629 --> 00:07:02.709 to your interviews unless it's a video interview, 00:07:02.910 --> 00:07:05.610 and they do have video interviews. Some advisors 00:07:05.610 --> 00:07:08.170 recommend, however, that you wear smart clothes 00:07:08.170 --> 00:07:11.490 and sit up straight as if you were actually in 00:07:11.490 --> 00:07:13.329 a face -to -face interview. As they suggest, 00:07:13.490 --> 00:07:16.189 this makes you feel, and therefore sound, way 00:07:16.189 --> 00:07:19.100 more professional. Answer the phone professionally. 00:07:19.339 --> 00:07:21.300 Hello is fine. If you know the person's name, 00:07:21.339 --> 00:07:26.899 say hello, sir. This is, and say your name is 00:07:26.899 --> 00:07:31.600 speaking. That works as well. What you shouldn't 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:36.399 do is say, yo, dude, what's up? If you know the 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:40.120 person, fine, but this is an interview. I wouldn't 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:42.660 recommend that anyway. And just in case you're 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:44.579 on another call, when the interview call comes 00:07:44.579 --> 00:07:46.839 through, make sure that your voicemail and answer 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:50.660 phone, Message system or whatever it is. Is set 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:52.879 up and it has a professional answering system 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:55.480 as well. It's also worth remembering that you 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:57.819 should not be eating or drinking during an interview. 00:07:58.220 --> 00:08:00.579 Slurping sounds are not attractive. And you might 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:04.899 want a glass of water to hand. Though in case 00:08:04.899 --> 00:08:07.860 your mouth goes dry. Because you'll be talking 00:08:07.860 --> 00:08:12.339 a lot if not anything else. With that being said. 00:08:13.290 --> 00:08:15.550 The third thing to keep in mind is you're responsible 00:08:15.550 --> 00:08:18.430 for the technology, okay? In other words, if 00:08:18.430 --> 00:08:20.350 your phone goes flat or you lose your mobile 00:08:20.350 --> 00:08:22.509 signal during the interview, then that is your 00:08:22.509 --> 00:08:24.970 problem, not the interviewer's. If it happens, 00:08:25.089 --> 00:08:28.810 then they probably won't call you back. Make 00:08:28.810 --> 00:08:30.329 sure your phone is charged, that you have good 00:08:30.329 --> 00:08:32.970 reception in your chosen venue, or that you know 00:08:32.970 --> 00:08:36.669 how to use Skype on your chosen device as well 00:08:36.669 --> 00:08:42.200 in advance, okay? Oh, you know what? Let me give 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:45.419 you number four as well. You can have crib sheets 00:08:45.419 --> 00:08:47.559 or an information out in front of you as well. 00:08:47.620 --> 00:08:50.220 That works out well. Unless you were doing a 00:08:50.220 --> 00:08:52.320 video telephone interview, and it's not worth 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:55.580 checking this in advance. I'm sorry, it is worth 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:57.080 checking this in advance so you know which type 00:08:57.080 --> 00:08:59.419 it is. The interviewer will not be able to see 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:03.320 you, so you can have your CV, written examples 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:05.679 of when you have demonstrated your skills, or 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:09.759 even reminders about smiling spread out in front 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.350 of you. You can have stuff like that. Try not 00:09:12.350 --> 00:09:14.009 to rustle your papers during the interview, though, 00:09:14.049 --> 00:09:17.129 as it will probably be audible and probably very 00:09:17.129 --> 00:09:19.250 loud on the opposite side. Make sure you give 00:09:19.250 --> 00:09:20.629 yourself enough time before the interview to 00:09:20.629 --> 00:09:23.389 spread out everything you need and check that 00:09:23.389 --> 00:09:25.850 it will all be visible so that you don't have 00:09:25.850 --> 00:09:28.210 to keep moving around to see everything. Make 00:09:28.210 --> 00:09:30.190 sure you have a pen and paper handy in case you 00:09:30.190 --> 00:09:32.649 have to make notes of something. And also consider 00:09:32.649 --> 00:09:35.149 using a hands -free system or headset to make 00:09:35.149 --> 00:09:36.870 that easier, but make sure that the system is 00:09:36.870 --> 00:09:41.549 working properly. Okay? With that, I'm going 00:09:41.549 --> 00:09:44.210 to take a quick break, and we'll get right back. 00:10:06.070 --> 00:10:10.049 Okay, okay, and we're back. Talk about number 00:10:10.049 --> 00:10:12.629 five. Neither you nor the interviewer has body 00:10:12.629 --> 00:10:15.250 language to help you. That means that you need 00:10:15.250 --> 00:10:17.590 to work harder to build rapport. Smile a lot 00:10:17.590 --> 00:10:22.649 because, oddly though it sounds, it can be heard 00:10:22.649 --> 00:10:26.610 in your voice, believe it or not. It is also 00:10:26.610 --> 00:10:28.470 worth trying to emphasize your tone of voice. 00:10:28.590 --> 00:10:30.549 Concentrate on sounding enthusiastic and interested. 00:10:30.809 --> 00:10:33.370 And always speak clearly and slightly more slowly 00:10:33.370 --> 00:10:36.149 than you normally would. Now, I know I talk fast, 00:10:36.389 --> 00:10:39.850 but... I'm speaking still at a steady pace where 00:10:39.850 --> 00:10:42.190 most people can at least hear me and understand 00:10:42.190 --> 00:10:44.129 what I'm saying. Plus, this is being recorded, 00:10:44.190 --> 00:10:46.490 so you can always go back and play it again. 00:10:48.549 --> 00:10:52.929 You may also want to ask whether you have provided 00:10:52.929 --> 00:10:54.970 enough information or answered the question fully 00:10:54.970 --> 00:10:58.409 as a check. Useful phrases include, I can go 00:10:58.409 --> 00:11:02.029 more into detail if you like, or have I given 00:11:02.029 --> 00:11:05.110 enough information there? Things of that nature, 00:11:05.190 --> 00:11:08.919 you know? Six, you will need to listen hard and 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:11.960 concentrate more. It's often harder to concentrate 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:15.000 when there is only a voice to listen to and nothing 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:17.000 to look at, okay? It's easy to become distracted. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.159 Don't let yourself zone out. Don't start looking 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:21.299 at Facebook or YouTube. If you know that you're 00:11:21.299 --> 00:11:22.919 struggling to concentrate when you have nothing 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:25.299 to see, have a notebook or paper and make notes 00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:27.539 during the questions. This will not only keep 00:11:27.539 --> 00:11:30.659 you focused and listening, but it'll also help 00:11:30.659 --> 00:11:32.360 you check whether you have answered the right 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:35.419 question. And that's actually very important. 00:11:37.349 --> 00:11:41.149 Seven, you may also need a pause in advance. 00:11:41.769 --> 00:11:43.870 Remember, your interviewer can't see you, so 00:11:43.870 --> 00:11:46.509 if you go silent, they don't know if you're still 00:11:46.509 --> 00:11:50.129 there. If they have asked a hard question and 00:11:50.129 --> 00:11:52.090 you need time to think about it, say something 00:11:52.090 --> 00:11:54.929 like, let me just take a minute or two to get 00:11:54.929 --> 00:11:59.350 my thoughts in order, or something of that nature, 00:11:59.509 --> 00:12:04.509 and they will know what you're doing. It's also 00:12:04.509 --> 00:12:07.029 worth pausing. Before answering a question. To 00:12:07.029 --> 00:12:08.669 make sure that the interviewer has actually finished 00:12:08.669 --> 00:12:10.009 speaking. Because you don't want to talk over 00:12:10.009 --> 00:12:12.830 him. That's just rude. And it screws your chance 00:12:12.830 --> 00:12:19.370 of moving forward. Number eight. Like last but 00:12:19.370 --> 00:12:23.409 not least. It is important to remain enthusiastic. 00:12:23.549 --> 00:12:26.250 Right up to the end. Towards the end of the interview. 00:12:26.330 --> 00:12:29.350 You may also get tired. It is however. It's important 00:12:29.350 --> 00:12:31.210 to continue to focus on your tone of voice. And 00:12:31.210 --> 00:12:33.710 sounding enthusiastic about the process. It's 00:12:33.710 --> 00:12:36.629 a good idea to remember to ask. when you might 00:12:36.629 --> 00:12:40.149 hear or whether you can call if you haven't heard 00:12:40.149 --> 00:12:43.149 as this is an emphasis of your interest in the 00:12:43.149 --> 00:12:46.750 job to find out whether you got it or not. It's 00:12:46.750 --> 00:12:48.230 also worth emailing the interviewer to thank 00:12:48.230 --> 00:12:51.169 them afterwards if you can email them as it confirms 00:12:51.169 --> 00:12:56.210 your interest as well. Above all, all of that, 00:12:56.269 --> 00:13:00.370 recruiters are clear that they are looking for 00:13:00.370 --> 00:13:03.169 the most in a telephone interview. What they're 00:13:03.169 --> 00:13:07.250 looking for the most is a little enthusiasm in 00:13:07.250 --> 00:13:09.029 a candidate who has done a bit of preparation 00:13:09.029 --> 00:13:11.909 ahead of time. After all, this is your chance 00:13:11.909 --> 00:13:14.009 to sell yourself to a company. And while, again, 00:13:14.129 --> 00:13:16.950 I said that sounds sad, you need to sound like 00:13:16.950 --> 00:13:20.690 you want to do so. It is an instant no -no to 00:13:20.690 --> 00:13:22.570 sound like you're not taking the interview seriously. 00:13:22.850 --> 00:13:25.679 Don't ever do that. Make sure... That you do 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.500 your preparation in advance, as well as if this 00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:30.159 were a face -to -face interview, like I mentioned 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:32.700 last time, that you sound like you want the job. 00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:38.899 Okay? So with that, that ends this podcast on 00:13:38.899 --> 00:13:43.419 telephone interviews. Next time, I'm going to 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.179 go ahead and cover interviewing skills for those 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:49.279 who have to actually do the interviewing. And 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.480 we'll move on to the next topic after that.