TELEPHONE SKILLS

In some situations, email has replaced the telephone as the primary source of contact. However, the telephone still provides one of the few ways to receive an instant response. You can also judge by the tone of voice whether the person you are talking to is warm or frosty towards you, or whether it is a convenient time to engage them in conversation.

As with every other job search technique, the secret of using the telephone successfully is preparation. Some job advertisements invite calls from applicants to acquire application packs and/or to seek further information.

Preparation

Recruiters conduct very detailed interviews with job seekers at all levels. These interviews can often last for more than an hour. The recruiter should have prepared thoroughly for the interview, so you need to make sure that you are prepared at all times for any eventuality.

The job seeker’s use of the telephone falls into 2 distinct aspects:

v     responding to the recruiter; and

v     initiating your own calls.

Job seekers use the telephone to:

v     request an application form;

v     seek further information about a vacancy or about a potential employer;

v     make appointments with recruiters and to keep in contact with them;

v     check facts;

v     network.

Making your own calls; Positivity & Professionalism

Whether you are receiving or making a phone call, it is important to project a positive attitude at all times. Especially when using the telephone, the old saying that ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’ applies here. Be both business-like and professional.

Mobile telephones have made it possible for both the job seeker and the recruiter or potential employer to keep in very close contact with each other. However, this can have its drawbacks as well as advantages. For example, what will a potential employer or recruiter think if he/she contacts you at lunchtime only to find you having a drink in a very noisy bar?  Sometimes it is better to divert incoming calls to a voice-mail box if you know it is not going to be convenient to take them at that time.

Guidelines and Tips

1. Prepare and use a script

Even if it is just a bullet-pointed list of things you want to say or questions you want to ask. It is not being professional to make a string of follow-up calls with further questions that could have been asked the first time around. Learn and memorise the key messages you wish to get across.

2. Prepare the environment

If you are making the call (as well as receiving one), make sure you will not be disturbed in the process. Find somewhere private and quiet. Have your CV with you and a pen and paper to take notes (and a copy of the job advertisement, if appropriate). Have your diary to record appointments or engagements close to hand. If you’re using your mobile phone, make sure the battery has enough charge left in it to complete the call. Have a glass of water beside you.

3. Get psyched-up

Prepare yourself mentally; stand or sit upright (i.e. get comfortable); smile, sound enthusiastic and be positive. Oddly, some people will perform better wearing business attire rather than being casually dressed.

4. Speech

Remember to speak clearly and not too fast. People have a tendency to speed-up their speech when they are anxious or excited. Try to sound enthusiastic.

5. Make it easy for your contact to say “yes”

Avoid asking questions that invite a negative or inconclusive answer. For example, “When would be a convenient time?” often invites an inconclusive answer like “could I call you back?”  It would be better to say, “Would 2.30 tomorrow afternoon be convenient?”

6. Hide any negative emotions

Not every call will go to plan and end in a positive outcome, so be careful not to reveal your disappointment or frustration. Always remain polite and never forget to say “Thank you” –  whatever the circumstances.
 
7. Telephone Answering Machines

Try not to leave a garbled message like most people do. Speak slowly and state clearly who you are; the purpose of your call or other message; and don’t forget to leave your contact details.

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Interviews are the make or break of the job search. No matter how good your career record is to date, the job interview remains one of the most important steps towards achieving your career goals. Therefore, preparation for the job interview is crucial.

Before you begin the interview process you need to:

Know your CV

Know your potential employer

Interview styles

Know Your CV   

There are several styles of interviews. However, knowing your CV requires you to be prepared to provide evidence. If you have a firm grasp of your ideal next job, you will be prepared for ANY interview.

When preparing for an interview, knowledge of your CV is the most important thing. The person interviewing generally knows little about you, except for what is in your CV, and will generally use it as a prompt to find out more about your career and abilities. This is therefore a great opportunity to demonstrate how you added value to an organisation.

You should be sufficiently prepared to tell a story about every point you make on your CV. Using the following SOAR model will help frame the stories you need to prepare and can be used in preparation for/or during behavioural and competency-based interviews. Each SOAR should take approximately 2 minutes to tell.

S is for Scenario
O is for Ownership
A is for Action
R is for Results

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S is for Scenario
You should begin your story with a brief description of the scenario you were in. This requires brevity and clarity so the listener has a context for your story rather than all the detail.
 
For example, take this question framed from the competency, ability to manage a small team of professional staff:

Question: 'Tell me about a time you had staff members in your team not working well together and you had to intervene.'

Answer: 'I was managing a team of five marketing staff who generally worked on separate accounts, but needed to work as a group for a national launch of the company's major new product. When a critical deadline was not met, I realised that 2 staff members who were allocated to work together on a key task hadn't spoken to each other for over a year. This hadn't been realised, and now they were refusing to exchange vital information and were creating significant tension in the wider group.'

O is for Ownership
This is where you clearly indicate the extent of your influence in the scenario you are describing. Use an appropriate pronoun so the interviewer is very clear about your role.

For example: 'It was my responsibility to get the product ready for launch, so I had to do something immediately.'

A is for Action
Describe the action you took, present it sequentially and identify the key steps, while avoiding excessive detail.

For example: 'As the revised deadline was only 24 hours away, I called a quick staff meeting and assigned the task to two staff members I knew worked well together. In the meeting, I gave the staff in conflict separate tasks I knew they could do without the need for collaboration, in addition to making an appointment to meet with each of them after the project launch.'

R is for Results
Detail the outcomes of your action.
For example: 'The critical tasks were achieved by the next deadline, tension in the group eased, the total launch was a success and all staff knew that action was going to be taken with the offending team members.' 

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Know Your Potential Employer

Always research the organisation you are being interviewed by, and not just for knowledge. Use the information you discover to develop questions to ask those interviewing you. Look for trends, study the financials and ask questions about strategy and direction.

You can research organisations by reading the business press, reading their annual reports and company brochure, talking with your networks and, of course, on the Internet.