1. TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS:
Sometimes an employer may ask to interview you by
phone. Sure, this takes away the obvious advantages of going face to face, but,
on the other hand, it gives you a couple of advantages, too. Pick a time and
place that maximizes your comfort and privacy. Make sure you will be in a quiet
setting. Schedule your phone interview carefully, avoiding times or situations
when you might become hurried or interrupted.
If the employer calls without warning and you don’t
have these conditions in place, politely explain that and ask to arrange a
different call. You won’t have to sit in one of those uncomfortable hard-back
chairs. And you can be equipped with notes. Keep these simple, you won’t want
to be shuffling through papers, looking for your prepared answer to a question.
Having a few helpful reminders on hand – points you want to be sure to make –
can give you a boost. Don’t short-change yourself in preparing for a
telephone interview. You should take exactly the same steps as you would for
any other interview.
2. VIDEO INTERVIEWS:
Talking to a camera can be taxing. Subconsciously, we
are always looking for signals and reinforcement from our listener. Often, an
expression or body language tells us if we are being understood or if we are
successfully making our points. To be without that instant reinforcement and
direction hurts. To the degree that you can, do your very best to remember that
you are talking to a person. It might even help to envision someone if the
situation is not a live, two-way video interview. If your career centre offers
practice videotaped interviewing sessions, take advantage of them. If not, you
may want to try it on your own just to get comfortable with the process.
3. GROUP INTERVIEWS:
Interviewing panels or committees are commonly used in
government, education, and social service agencies. You might find the prospect
of facing a group of interviewers intimidating, but don’t confuse this process
with the “Grand Inquisition.” Consider it an advantage. With more people in the
room, everything doesn’t rest upon the reactions and judgement of one person.
Although you may not click with everyone, your chances of finding an advocate
within the group are reasonably good.
The most important thing to remember in such
situations is to address every person in the room. They are all there to be a
part of the hiring decision and if you seem to be talking with the highest
ranking person or the friendliest face, you run the risk of offending someone
else, losing their vote. From time to time, visually scan the room, making eye
contact with even the most silent or foreboding members of the group.
No comments:
Post a Comment