Lessons from a Bungled Phone Interview, Part 1

       When I left teaching in June 2012, my primary career goal was a position I could do from home. My teaching job required me to travel fifty miles one way, which I did via a commuter train I sleepily boarded each morning at 5:55. My only child was starting kindergarten and I hoped to be able to get her ready for school and meet her when she got off the bus. Sleeping past 4:30 am was an added bonus.

       I applied on-line for a remote position as a writer with an educational software company. After moving through the first few e-mail-based stages of the hiring process, I was asked to participate in a phone interview. The company was located on the opposite coast and obviously flying in all the candidates was impractical and expensive.

     I didn’t get the position, thanks in part to a less-than-stellar second phone interview, but I learned from the experience. Phone interviews probably aren’t part of a typical teacher interview process, but if you choose to pursue a career in a new field, you may find yourself participating in one. They allow hiring managers to screen through candidates more efficiently. Here are tips to help you prepare:

You should…

·         Be ready for all possibilities. Phone interviews can be a 15-minute getting-to-know-you chat or a lengthy conversation with multiple people. My first interview lasted an hour, and though the questions were in-depth, the interviewer was friendly and the general tone was light. It ended on a promising note: I was asked to move to the next step, a second phone interview. Though I prepared thoroughly for the second interview, I wasn’t expecting to be interviewed by three different people; I suspect two of them had studied intimidation tactics because they were both very intense and asked lengthy, difficult questions. The tone was completely different from the first and I think that was their plan; it allowed them to weed out people who they felt might not perform well under pressure.
·         Determine which is more reliable: your landline if you still have one, or your cell phone. Cell service in my house can be spotty so I supplied my landline number. While a dropped call may not necessarily be held against you, it may unnerve you and prevent you from performing as well as you could.
·         Keep your notes and résumé on hand. I prepared beforehand by anticipating possible questions, including the dreaded “tell me about yourself.” I wrote the questions on index cards, and used bulleted phrases and key words under each question to prompt me. This helped me avoid sounding like I was reading from a cue card, but I had enough information nearby to help if I felt suddenly unsure. I also used a highlighter on key parts of my résumé.
·         Listen very carefully. You won’t be able to rely on body language to help you fill in gaps.  

       Come back Thursday when I'll share what you shouldn't do...you may be surprised.