Who Better to Give You Tips for Phone Interviews than a Phone Answering Service?

If you are new to Human Resources or just landed a job as a recruiter in a reputable staffing agency, you will be forced to conduct many telephone interviews. Our phone answering service has you covered and will walk you through the steps of a successful phone interview that will bring in the best candidates for the job you are looking to fill. 

Tips for Phone Interviews

Phone Answering Service Tip #1

Before the Phone Interview

 Make sure to properly vet all of your qualified canidates. In this day and age, everyone leaves a digital footprint in various places and a simple Google search will allow you to turn just another name into a living, breathing person. Don’t forget to search for their Facebook profile, Twitter account and Instagram account. In the digital age, sometimes people will forget that the public is watching and you can gauge what type of person they are and how they conduct themselves on-line. The last thing any employer needs is a person that will bring negative attention to your company based on one employee’s posts and actions.

TIP: Place your candidate’s email address in quotations when searching Google. By putting those quotations around their personal email address you are asking Google to find a very specific item; allowing you to see every website page that has their email address on it. Do the same thing with their telephone number and see what search results come back.  

Phone Answering Service Tip #2

Initiating the Call

Make a note, does your applicant answer the first time you call? Many HR professionals and recruiters will take personal offense if their scheduled interviewee does not answer their pre-scheduled call. Candidates that don’t answer your first call at the time the interview was scheduled to start, major red flags should go off and a red pen should hit their resume. They are not respectful of your time and not being available shows a potential tardiness problem or issue. If the candidate calls you right back with a plausible reason for not answering, use your judgment and let them slide or advise them that their interview is not off to a great start.

Phone Answering Service Tip #3

Their Tone and Use of the English Language 

Being a phone answering service, our virtual receptionists are award winning because they adhere to specific rules set from the onset. We are not allowed to use slang; we must always be polite and are taught to smile while we speak on the telephone. You can hear a smile through the receiver, trust us, and you can tell if someone has a joyful energy and personality by their tone of voice. Is your candidate polite, professional and eager about the position you are looking to fill? If yes, these are all excellent signs that they will be great at customer service and a friendly team player. If you detect boredom, the use of slang or improper grammar, chances are this person will not be an ideal solution for your company. Phone interviews are the first impression and a qualified candidate will realize this and present themselves in a positive and favorable light.

Phone Answering Service Tip #4 

General Questions to Ask Candidate 

1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. Why do you think you would be good for this position?
3. What are your qualifications/experience for this particular position?
4. Why did you leave your last position?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are your weaknesses?
7. What is your requested salary?
8. What are your short and long term career goals?
9. What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
10. When can you start?
11. Do you have any questions for me?

Phone Answering Service Tip #5

After the Interview

Did your candidate send you a follow up email without being instructed to? Professionals know to always follow up any interview with an email. This email should contain a formal thank-you for taking the time to speak with them about the position. The applicant should also give clear, concise points as to why they believe they are the best person for the position. The follow up email should show that they are eager and hungry to come in for a live interview to share further qualifications in person.

Are you looking for a person with professional etiquette and the wherewithal to know to send a follow up email? If you do need someone that fits that description and you do not receive any follow up whatsoever, chances are that applicant is not the best person for the job.

We Hope These Tips for Phone Interviews Help

Our phone answering service is dedicated to helping support you in any way we can to make sure your questions are being answered. We hope you enjoyed this article focused on helping you look for the perfect employee and invite you to share with someone that can benefit from these phone interview tips as well. 

Allow us to act as an extension of your business and answer your homeowners’ telephone calls and inquiries as early as tomorrow. Start your free conversation, give us a call now at 1-800-785-6161 and speak with our account specialist about your specific needs.