Phone interview

[Deeko]

I just had a phone interview...anyone else hate these as much as I do?

I'm a pretty good interviewee. But I'm terrible on the phone...enough that it more than counteracts my good interview skills.

Oh well, I think it went well enough to net me a "real" interview. We'll see.

 

[MyThirdEye]

I really hate talking on the phone period.

 

[conehead433]

Never do a phone interview.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Never do a phone interview.

:roll: sometimes they're a little hard to avoid

never really liked them because it's difficult to show a sense of humor in them. Don't know how it comes across over the phone

 

[misle]

I don't mind one-on-one phone interviews. I really dislike conference call interviews.

 

[Ika]

I get really frustrated if I have to talk on the phone for more than 5 minutes.

 

[daniel1113]

Agreed. It's impossible to get anything meaningful out of a phone interview. I can understand using it as the first cut-off for background information and basic knowledge, but I've had to do hour long case studies over the phone, and they were horrible.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: daniel1113
Agreed. It's impossible to get anything meaningful out of a phone interview. I can understand using it as the first cut-off for background information and basic knowledge, but I've had to do hour long case studies over the phone, and they were horrible.

No, it's not. It's a great way to make sure a candidate has the qualifications you are looking for before you take time out of your day for the face-to-face.

We usually phone screen engineers before putting them up against the interview panel just so we don't waste everyone's time.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: Deeko
I just had a phone interview...anyone else hate these as much as I do?

I'm a pretty good interviewee. But I'm terrible on the phone...enough that it more than counteracts my good interview skills.

Oh well, I think it went well enough to net me a "real" interview. We'll see.

Yes, i hate them. I was once phone interviewed by two brits (HR chicks) that put me on speaker phone. :|

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I'm a salesperson, so the phone is just what I do. I don't have a problem with phone interviews, however almost all of my phone interviews were simply run-of-the-mill HR screening stuff, and then the real interview(s) will be in-person.

 

[akshatp]

Did they ask you any Cowboys trivia? That would have made it alot easier for sure

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: daniel1113
Agreed. It's impossible to get anything meaningful out of a phone interview. I can understand using it as the first cut-off for background information and basic knowledge, but I've had to do hour long case studies over the phone, and they were horrible.

No, it's not. It's a great way to make sure a candidate has the qualifications you are looking for before you take time out of your day for the face-to-face.

We usually phone screen engineers before putting them up against the interview panel just so we don't waste everyone's time.

That's exactly what I said.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: daniel1113
Agreed. It's impossible to get anything meaningful out of a phone interview. I can understand using it as the first cut-off for background information and basic knowledge, but I've had to do hour long case studies over the phone, and they were horrible.

No, it's not. It's a great way to make sure a candidate has the qualifications you are looking for before you take time out of your day for the face-to-face.

We usually phone screen engineers before putting them up against the interview panel just so we don't waste everyone's time.

That's exactly what I said.

Sorry, I'm going on 36 hours of no sleep. My mind is not all together right now.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Never do a phone interview.

You will never get a job working for me. I have 9 phone interviews set up later in the week. there is no way a interview in person will work.

I just hired someone I have never met in person.

 

[gorcorps]

I had a phone interview a while ago, a conference one. I wasn't a big fan as it was my first real interview period, and I couldn't understand everybody that well. The only plus is I didn't have to wear a suit

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: daniel1113
Agreed. It's impossible to get anything meaningful out of a phone interview. I can understand using it as the first cut-off for background information and basic knowledge, but I've had to do hour long case studies over the phone, and they were horrible.

No, it's not. It's a great way to make sure a candidate has the qualifications you are looking for before you take time out of your day for the face-to-face.

We usually phone screen engineers before putting them up against the interview panel just so we don't waste everyone's time.

That's exactly what I said.

Sorry, I'm going on 36 hours of no sleep. My mind is not all together right now.

Oh, alright. You're forgiven... bust just this once.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
I had a phone interview a while ago, a conference one. I wasn't a big fan as it was my first real interview period, and I couldn't understand everybody that well. The only plus is I didn't have to wear a suit

Did you let everyone on the phone know that you were sitting in your room naked?

 

[SearchMaster]

I love phone screens as an initial indicator of whether the candidate can communicate at all. I do not use them as any sort of hiring indicator other than whether or not we should go through the extra time and hassle (on both the candidate's part and my part) to bring them in for a face-to-face.

If you can't communicate properly, I don't want to waste your time or mine.

 

[StageLeft]

I do better on the phone, actually, because I can pace and don't have to fake smiling and enjoying it as much.

For those out of work, interview skills are a key thing to landing a job and they can be trained and they do not have to be inate. I have given some horrific ones in my day but all the ones in recent years have gone swimmingly. Eye contact, engage with them (asking questions), do not allow long pauses in the conversation, and listen to politicians long enough (they are great at BS, so learn from the masters). If I felt it was a sore point and I was out of work, I do believe I would find either a book on this or a class in which I could do a mock interview and I'm not kidding. A bad interview will torpedo the best of resumes outright without another thought about it.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's usually when they see me that I didn't get the job. It makes me think I should become a telemarketer.

 

[duragezic]

I don't particularly like them but I do them almost as well as in person interviews. At least they were with just one other person.

Other than one of the phone interviews, they were all basic questions about my resume and HR things. So you'd have to perform quite bad on the phone to not get through to a onsite interview. One them was so quick, like they were satisfied after just a few questions and said okay, do you want to come onsite? I ended up getting and accepting that particular one.

I've also hung up or walked out of an interview more than once where I felt like I totally bombed it, only to get a call back in a few days to proceed with the next step, or in one case get an offer after I felt I didn't do good on more than one of the four interviews. So unless you are going for a really prestigious company or position, you just need a pulse and basic speaking skills to get to the next step. Although, I agree that you should practice interviewing a lot. Especially for college students, your career center probably has tons of resources as well as knowledgeable folks to do mock interviews with.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Never do a phone interview.

Um, sometimes there's no option if you want a job.

I did a phone interview first for the job I have now.