Top 3 Phone Interview Fails {+ What To Do Instead}

Top 3 Phone einstellungsgesprch Fails + What To Do InsteadTop 3 Phone Interview Fails + What To Do InsteadIm moving from consulting to seeking work for a regular employer full-time. Im also considering relocation from the East Coast to the West Coast. I have found it hard to hear back from anybody when I apply to jobs, but luckily I have a phone interview on Monday. I dont want to blow it. What should my best approach be?It would be a beautiful day in the neighborhood every day of the week if your job search were a smooth path from the 1st application to youre hired. But nearly every candidate faces some roadblocks ageism, no degree, resume gap, or, like the candidate above, relocation. Overcoming these things to get a call back is only step 1. Lets talk about step 2 the phone interview, and how to avoid the top 3 fails so you can build momentum from here.Phone Interview Fail 1 You Were Busy But You Pretended Not To BeJob search mode is the only time you race to answer every call tha t comes in. Eagerness is natural. After all, getting that response is the goal, right? But dont make the big blunder of answering a number you dont recognize when youre in the middle of doing something else, just because youre hoping a decision maker is on the other end.Think about it youre out to an early dinner. The phone rings. You answer and youre in a noisy area. You may need to ask the person to speak up. Then you need to take the time to walk to a quiet area. Guess what? Its never as quiet as you hoped it would be. In the bathroom, someones flushing the toilet. In the lobby, the doors opening and closing all the time. On the sidewalk, everyones car is driving by.While all thats happening, you barely remember what version of the resume you sent to this particular employer. You certainly dont have it in front of you. You cant recall the notes you took down when you researched the company. In short, whatever you manage to piece together and say is going to be disjointed, haphaza rd, and not the presentation of yourself that you envisioned giving the decision maker.Answer, Then DeclineIf you can clamp down on your need to answer every call in the 1st place, just do so. Check your voice mails when you get to them. But if you do pick up and find the recruiter speaking to you, express gratitude, politeness, and then excuse yourself. Heres what that can sound likeOh Im so glad you called. Listen, Im walking into another meeting at this precise moment. I need to return your call. Will tomorrow at 10 work on your end? Case closed. Just because a recruiter wants to speak to you that very second doesnt mean you have to drop everything and do so, particularly when its inconvenient for you. Youre allowed to not participate in the exchange right then and there. The opportunity is not going to get sucked away between now and 10 am tomorrow. Call them back at the appointed time when you have your resume and your notes in front of you, so you can present yourself like the professional you are.Phone Interview Fail 2 You Made The Priorities Yours Not TheirsA job search meme circulating the Internet says, Why should we hire you? And the candidates response, Because you need help and I can do it, so Honest. Obvious. Funny. And it highlights our 1st instinct towards the gut answer, even though in virtually all job search scenarios, youre supposed to go with the answer that serves THEM, not you. Its like a 1st date. If you dont show any interest in the other person, the other persons not going to be particularly interested in seeing you again.The person who posed the question at the top of this post is looking to relocate. But the phone interview is not the moment to ask about relocation benefits. That may be in your gut, and its definitely YOUR priority. But first, demonstrate that you can do the job thats a lot closer to what the employer needs to hear, without becoming immediately concerned about geography.Serve Others FirstDo your homework beforehan d. Please do not call up the about us and company history pages, where all the language you think is unique to put in your cover letter actually goes to die. Demonstrate what you know about the organization by tuning in to social media and Google News, so you can understand what the companys working on right now weave that into your phone interview conversation.Phone Interview Fail 3 On the Phone Does Not Equal On the FlyYou know what they say about 1st impressions right? This is your golden opportunity to make a good one. You have so many more things under your control at a phone interview than an in-person interview, so take advantage of thisSpread out in your home office or dining room, where you have a big table. Have your resume in front of you. Have the job description in front of you. Literally, physically draw big red arrows pointing from the top 3 qualifications in the ad to the corresponding points in your resume.Pre-package your answers to, Tell me about yourself, Whats your greatest strength? and Whats your greatest weakness. These are the questions youre virtually guaranteed will come up. Make bullet points or write them on 35 cards. Similarly, have the questions ready that you want to ask. Keep this all right there at arms length so you can get to it easily.Making it to the interview doesnt have to be so hard. And making your interview shine needs to be your next objective. Find out exactly how successful candidates go from phone interview, to in-person interview, to offer, week in and week out. Thats in our free job search training right here.