The Telephone Screening Interview

Depending on the size of the company the screening interview may be conducted by someone other than the hiring authority. That someone could either be a Human Resources recruiter or she could be an outside recruiter.



Ask where the caller fits within the company's selection process if it's not apparent.

A recruiter can't hire you. But she can knock you out of contention. She will generally tend to err on the side of caution. Whoever gets past her to the next step has the potential to make or break her reputation with the hiring authority and/or her manager.

On the other hand, as a hiring manager, I always wanted to personally conduct a telephone screening interview for the short list candidates. That happened regardless of the size of the company I was with at the time.

In either case you must make sure you put your best foot forward.

The Initial Screening Call

Whether or not you're currently working and--

If so why you're looking to make a change.
If not why you left your last position.

Whether you have the basic skills, experience and or education level the position requires.

Whether your pay requirements fall within the hiring range in which the company is willing to start someone.

There may also be questions relating to your job stability or why you changed from job to job.

The caller is also making judgments about job related personal characteristics based on:

How confident and relaxed you are on the phone.

How well you listen and whether you give direct answers to direct questions.

Whether you use good grammar and pronounce words correctly.

How well you relate to the caller.

If all goes well in this interview the caller will usually schedule a mutually convenient time for the next step in the hiring process. This is normally a face-to-face interview.

The next step could also be a more in-depth telephone job interview.

Regardless of which step is next, make sure you know all the details and make a note of them before you conclude the screening interview call.

Also make sure you have the phone number of the person you're meeting with in case "you need to change your appointment" or something. (That's in quotes because unless it is a true emergency you shouldn't postpone a meeting. It sends the wrong message. You want the phone number for follow-up purposes.)

Following these tips will help you make the cut in this important first voice-to-voice contact.