Business communication by phone. Telephone etiquette

Not all necessary professions are equally popular in society, especially among young people. Among the mass professions, there are many that require an average level of qualification from an employee - cashier, sales consultant, call center operator, social service workers, etc. How to attract people to low-prestige jobs?

The problem is that employers are interested in keeping responsible employees in these positions, but cannot offer them high salaries or particularly creative tasks. From the employees' point of view, such vacancies can be considered unpopular. And from the recruiter’s point of view, it is difficult, because you have to select only those candidates who meet:

• job profile;
• certain corporate requirements.

I have been working at Global Bilgi for more than four years. The team grew and developed before my eyes. Three years ago, when I was recruiting, everything was much simpler: there were fewer competitors, the projects were quite simple, hardworking and active applicants came to us. Over the past year, projects have become more complex and technologically advanced, and the selection process has become three times stricter, although the flow of candidates has hardly increased. But the number of competitors has increased, and candidates on the labor market have the opinion that there is nothing worse and more difficult than being an operator.

The company had to change its HR strategy:

• more efforts began to be made to retain and develop employees;
• to attract new candidates, they gradually began to form an employer brand;
• revised the assessment center - made it more practical and understandable for applicants.

The efforts began to bear fruit: the share of people coming to the introductory training (out of the number of invitees) increased slightly. When it turned out that this was not enough, we had to reconsider other stages of recruiting...

This is where we got to the phone interview. In fact, our recruiters always carried it out well, strictly following the script: “question - answer; question - answer..." But something was wrong.

Having analyzed the problem, we came to the conclusion: we position ourselves as an outsourcing call center that knows how to sell; for our operators, “the ability to sell” is the main competency. But our recruiters - researchers (researchers) do not know how to sell, and do not even try!

Having identified the problem, we began to look for opportunities to solve it. How did telephone interviews with candidates go in the past? We spent five to ten minutes on the call asking standard questions, not always thinking about the fact that a person’s decision largely depends on these questions: will he choose our company among identical offers?

A telephone interview is a fairly effective tool and, despite its simplicity, very useful at the initial stage of selecting suitable candidates. Personal communication helps to clarify missing information, or, conversely, to communicate what we are not ready to publish in the vacancy announcement.

In general, interviews should be considered as a bidirectional tool, because they can be used to:

1. Primary selection of candidates who responded to the vacancy. By selection in this case we mean cutting off obviously unsuitable applicants - according to parameters that obviously do not correspond to the profile of the vacancy. For example, the criteria “general literacy” and “absence of speech defects” are decisive for the “operator” position, but they are not amenable to remote research (using a resume or questionnaire).
2. Attracting “passive” candidates - those who have not shown interest in the vacancy (outgoing calls based on resumes).

Speaking of an unpopular vacancy, we know in advance what the motivational profile of most candidates will be - the criteria for choosing a job and their priorities are predictable. The order (by importance of motives) will be something like this:

1) wages;
2) work schedule;
3) office location;
4) type of employment.

There are others, of course, but in most cases the decision is made based on this information.

Of course, if during the day a candidate receives five calls with identical offers from different employers, he also begins to pay attention to reviews about the company in open sources, he recalls a conversation with a researcher. This is where an additional factor comes into play - “the attitude towards the person during the conversation.” This becomes important, because “all other things being equal”, it is the first phone call that demonstrates to the candidate the corporate culture of the company, its values ​​and standards. Yes, it is very easy to demonstrate a respectful attitude and a pleasant atmosphere in the office by giving a person the opportunity to observe the employees for at least five minutes or ask them questions... But whether he will come to the office depends on the call.

A well-conducted telephone interview influences a number of factors ( table).

Important points in conducting a telephone interview

Factor	Explanation	Example
Number of candidates who came for interview	People also choose, and the more widespread the profession, the more the final decision depends on them	Is it okay that I’m going with a friend? I told him, and he really liked the conditions. He also wants to work for you. Can?
Engagement candidates	Did the person feel that he would be welcome? Did he want to know more about the company after talking with the recruiter?
Brand employer	Reviews about the company influence the perception of the recruiter's arguments during the interview Emotions from communication influence the perception of the employer	A friend advised me, you called him. But he won’t be able to combine it with his studies... Can I come to you for an interview?

What needs to be done to conduct a quality interview?

A. Find out the name of the interlocutor and do not forget to repeat it several times throughout the conversation. This will demonstrate your respect and help win him over to frankness, because personal treatment is pleasant for everyone ☺.

B. Start simple. It is very important to concentrate during the call, or better yet, half a minute before it. It has long been tested and proven: it is the greeting phrase, or rather, its intonation and content that directly determine the style of the upcoming dialogue and its results.

IN. The candidate should feel that the recruiter is happy about his call.

G. We don’t just call to offer a vacancy or answer a candidate’s questions (if the call is incoming), we try to “sell” it.

D. Separately, I would like to note the need to develop the correct conversation structure for the first call to the candidate. This is very important! Even the best “sales people” always keep a script before their eyes (a typical conversation scenario, a step-by-step recording of all its stages, including a list of sample questions and answers to frequently asked questions). They also have a couple of important phrases in stock that you should always pay special attention to. Intelligent “tips” help the seller feel confident, speak consistently, meaningfully and concisely.

Here's a typical one script structure:

1. Greeting and establishing contact. The greeting should be concise. You need to speak clearly and slowly, because it is important for us that the candidate correctly understands who is calling him and why. It is also very important at the greeting stage to clarify whether the person has the opportunity to devote attention to a full discussion of the vacancy, since we are taking away his personal time.

Sample conversation outline:

Good afternoon, (name of candidate)! My name is _____, I am a HR specialist at _______ company. I would like to offer you a job in our company. Are you comfortable talking now?

2. Identifying the need. You can, of course, do without this point by immediately informing the candidate of all the advantages of the vacancy. But as often happens: what is good for one is not suitable for another. Therefore, if you start with a few simple questions, you can present your vacancy in the most attractive way for a particular applicant. For example:

• “What vacancies are you willing to consider?”
• “What do you pay attention to first when choosing a job?”
• “How will you make a choice?”
• “Have you heard of our company before?”

In addition, at this stage the recruiter may decide to end the conversation - if the needs and interests of the applicant are completely at odds with the company's offer.

3. Presentation of working conditions and job responsibilities. Communicating the benefits and challenges of this position will be much easier if you know what is important to that person. For example:

“Global Bilgi is an international company that occupies a leading position among the world's contact centers. We work with companies such as _________________________.

We currently have a vacancy for ________. This vacancy fully meets your wishes for ________ (we list what we found out at the beginning of the conversation).

There is only one responsibility: to help the client solve problems. Most of your time will be taken up by:

• telephone consultations;
• searching for answers on the company website;
• recording requests;
• drawing up requests for connection/diagnostics.

Most often, customers contact the contact center when they need:

• assistance in choosing services/tariffs;
• technical consultation on setting up the Internet;
• consideration of complaints and controversial situations.”

It is also important to say:

• where is the office located;
• what terms of employment are offered;
• that the company provides induction training.

4. Discussion. You need to move on to this stage during the presentation of conditions. It is important to find out from the candidate his salary expectations, how convenient the office location is for him, etc., and also give him guarantees that induction training will be carried out. The recruiter’s task here is to interest the candidate so much that he wants to come and see everything with his own eyes. We usually end by saying:

I told and asked about everything that was important to me, now it’s your turn.

If the applicant's needs are not identified at the very beginning of the conversation or are not fully defined, then the discussion can develop into a struggle with objections. In this case, you need to return to the stage of identifying needs - find out:

• what exactly is important for the candidate in the job;
• something he would like to avoid.

5. Completion. By the end of the conversation, the recruiter must give himself an answer: is he ready to invite this candidate for an interview?

It is important to immediately inform the candidate about the decision made and the reasons for it. The worst option is to tell the person “head-on” that he is not suitable and why exactly he is bad. It is best to communicate unpleasant information using the “sandwich” method: “wrap” the refusal in a positive way - not only objectively analyze why the identified shortcomings are incompatible with the position, but also emphasize the candidate’s merits.

For example:

“You have demonstrated good communication skills and an understanding of Internet technologies. This is very important for this position. At the same time, competent Russian speech is also important for us, and you use a lot of Ukrainianisms.”

If a positive decision is made, the recruiter must:

• tell the candidate how to get to the office, suggest the easiest way to find it;
• give a contact phone number and offer to call if you have additional questions;
• remember your name.

Thanks to a good attitude towards candidates at all stages of selection, employees who are already loyal to it will come to the company, and those who for some reason were not suitable will recommend interested applicants. There was a case in our practice: three people were invited, but seven came. Sometimes we say this to the most worthy candidates: “Your skills and knowledge will be very useful in this position. And if you have friends with the same level of training, then come together.” This works very well - as a rule, candidates choose smart friends, so most pass the interview successfully. In the worst case, only one candidate will pass, but it will be the strongest!

Basic mistakes. A recruiter can also make a mistake and miss out on a worthy candidate. And due to some mistakes, the entire company may lose the trust of the labor market. What mistakes are made most often? Recruiter:

• Corresponds by mail during a conversation with the candidate. But, being distracted, he may miss important points, and the candidate will come to the conclusion that the interlocutor is not interested in him.
• Doesn't write down/remember answers. As a result, he repeatedly asks for the same information, giving the impression of an inattentive and indifferent listener (and will not be able to add “you said that ..." in a personal meeting).
• Does not ask questions about key points of the position, so invites those who clearly do not meet the requirements. As a result, the company will not acquire the employee, and the candidate will remain dissatisfied because he wasted time and money on travel.

For example: already during the interview, the applicant learns that the company has a “floating” work schedule, with priority given to morning shifts, and the opportunity to work in the evening is important to him (he himself did not say on the phone, and we forgot to ask). The person is outraged, and most importantly, he is ready to tell “the whole world” about his negative emotions.

• Disdainful of those who are unsuitable or “unworthy.” This is a direct threat to the employer brand! Everyone knows that negativity is remembered better. If there is nothing unusual in the interview, then the candidate will not remember about it... But if he did not like the tone or words of the recruiter, then, believe me, he will not remain silent! All friends, relatives, neighbors and just random people will know about the insult. Of course, how violent the reaction will be largely depends on the temperament and sociability of the interlocutor, but it is still better to part with people “on good terms.”

If a company consistently builds an HR brand, maintains a positive corporate culture, and generally cares about employees, then recruiting should also be professional and positive. If a telephone interview works to strengthen the employer brand, then both candidates and the recruiter will benefit from it. And the business definitely won’t lose!

Article provided to our portal
editorial staff of the magazine "HR Manager"

For a client who calls an organization, the secretary’s voice on the phone is the organization with all its policies, attitude towards the consumer and quality of service. As the secretary says, will she support the client, will she help solve his problem - all this adds up to no less than the image of the company. Telephone etiquette is simple; you just need to follow a number of simple rules. Let's talk about them in this article.

My experience of communicating with a variety of organizations shows that some young ladies should not be allowed to approach the phone and talk to clients. This is especially true for small companies, whose managers follow the “cheap and cheerful” principle when recruiting personnel. As a result, calls are answered by illiterate ladies who say “ringing” and “hang up”, treat absolutely everyone with incomprehensible anger, are rude to everyone indiscriminately, for which they receive a salary slightly higher than the minimum wage. I hope this is not about my readers.

On the other hand, the callers themselves sometimes behave in such a way that you want to not just hang up, but throw it at their head (just kidding:)). But you can't. At least because the role can easily be played by a “mystery shopper” - a marketer with a voice recorder. Today you will express everything you think about this person, and tomorrow you will listen to a recording of this conversation together with the CEO.

Many companies record conversations of their employees in order to improve customer service. A very good decision!

So, three pillars on which business communication by phone rests:

— Politeness

— Friendliness

— Willingness to help

Intonation

Remember: no matter what your mood and condition are, whether you want to communicate or not, you need to speak on the phone correctly and friendly.

Making your intonation pleasant is very simple: before you start speaking, smile. This is all. No one forces you to rejoice in life; you just need to stretch your lips into a smile. It’s been tested - this makes your voice happier.

Mood

If a person calls, it means he needs something from you. Your task is to help by satisfying his needs as much as possible. This attitude is the starting point of communication both with visitors to your office and with those who call it.

Text

When you pick up the phone, first say the full name of your company, then a greeting (“Hello” or “Good afternoon”), and finally identify yourself. This is an unshakable rule: a person must make sure that the number is dialed correctly.

Some companies ask their employees to say a corporate slogan or some text when answering a call. I recommend adopting this clever move, which allows you to “mark yourself” in the memory of the caller.

Examples of such texts:

“Zarya Company”, reliable windows for every home! My name is Maria, I’m listening to you!”

“White Light Company, energy of success! You called the reception, my name is Olga, how can I help you?”

If you are calling somewhere, you also need to introduce yourself, but briefly. First name the company, then your position and name. For example:

“Good afternoon, Bely Svet company.” I am the secretary of the general director, my name is Olga.”

Once and for all, banish the expression “bothers you” from your vocabulary. Disturbing is the wrong number at two in the morning. Such words are inappropriate during working hours. Once upon a time I replaced this phrase, and instead of “Company N is bothering you,” I taught myself to say “Company N welcomes you.” The tone of the conversation immediately changed.

Never say the following phrases:

- I don't know

- I was not warned

— The director has left somewhere

— I don’t know when the director will arrive.

— I don’t have this document (price list, list, protocol, agreement)

- Read our website, everything is written there

etc.

The list goes on and on. All these phrases have one thing in common: the secretary’s incompetence and his unwillingness to help the caller. These two qualities should never be demonstrated.

All of the following phrases can be replaced:

I don’t know, I wasn’t warned = I’ll check now and let you know. You can call back later or leave your phone number.(You buy time to find the answer.)

The director has left somewhere, I don’t know when the director will arrive = The director is at a meeting at the ministry. He'll be back as soon as the meeting is over. Unfortunately, I can’t say more precisely. Please try calling in an hour(after lunch, at the end of the day, tomorrow - depending on when the director actually arrives).*

*I hope you understand that you cannot report to everyone where your superiors are at the moment. You can get out of it with neutral answers like these.

I do not have this document = I will now connect you with the specialist who is responsible for this work. His name is Maxim Sergeevich, he will answer all your questions.

Read our website, everything is written there- I would fire you immediately for such an answer without any further discussion. It doesn’t matter what is written and where, the secretary’s duty is to provide the consumer with all possible information within his competence.

And one last thing. In the word “calls” the stress falls on the second syllable: it calls, and not vice versa.

Call message

Every day you may receive dozens of calls asking to speak to the director. But that’s why you work in the reception area or at the reception, to filter all incoming information, filter out the unnecessary, and direct everything else in the right direction.

And then the phone rings. You pick up the phone and introduce yourself. Then you hear the standard “Can I have Ivan Petrovich?”

Option number one - Ivan Petrovich is in his office and is ready to talk.

1. Find out who's calling. There are enough speech formulas for this:

-Who is asking him?

— How can I introduce you?

- Introduce yourself, please.

- Identify yourself.

Speaking of “introduce yourself.” Once, a certain pompous gentleman, in response to my “please introduce yourself,” replied that there was no need to call on him to die. They say introducing yourself means dying. A clinical case of literary illiteracy. Indeed, in the Russian language there is an obsolete word “repose”, which means “to die, to pass away.” And the modern word “introduce oneself” means nothing more than “to identify oneself, to introduce oneself.”

One way or another, you need to get from the caller his first and patronymic, and always his last name, position and the name of the company he represents.

1. Find out what issue this person is calling about.

At this stage, many calls can be eliminated. Often callers end up at the reception desk and ask for the general director only because the company has not indicated any other contact persons. It is advisable to send someone who wants to order your products to the sales department, and not to the manager.

So you transfer the call to your boss, telling him, for example:

“The deputy director for development of the Prostor company, Sergey Sergeevich Mikhailov, is calling. He would like to discuss the protocol of disagreements regarding the treaty with you.”

Option number two - the director is busy or has left for a meeting, and the secretary is taking calls at this time. By the time the boss returns, it is necessary to provide him with a full report: who called, when and why.

You can add the following fields to the form:

— Last name, first name, patronymic of the caller (enter in full, of course)

— Organization

- Question

— Feedback (telephone, email, any other contacts of the caller)

— Date and time of call

These forms can be filled out electronically, like , and then printed. You can print it out and then fill it out by hand - whichever is more convenient.

Phone book

This is a very useful thing that has both informational and image functions. You will create your own phone book yourself. It is most convenient to keep it electronically.

You need to create a table file in which every day, with every call (if possible) you will enter:

- last name, first name, patronymic of the caller,

- his position, company,

- his contact numbers,

- issues that he usually discusses with his manager.

As you understand, you need to fill out the phone book according to the principle of reasonableness. Not everyone will be enrolled there. Only representatives of higher organizations, contractors and similar characters. Knowing the contacts, you can connect the director with any of them at any time.

Well, about the image function of your phone book. When receiving a call, all you have to do is ask the name of the caller. Everything else has already been written down, and you will immediately call this person by his first name and patronymic. The person calling gets a favorable impression of your company and you personally in advance.

Are you afraid of a telephone interview? You just don't know how to "cook" it. 10 simple rules will help you express yourself at your best.

1. Provide normal conditions for conversation

No matter how obvious this advice may seem, it is one of the key ones when preparing for a telephone interview. Warn your loved ones, turn off the sound on other phones and electronic devices that may interrupt your conversation with notifications.

2. Don't be afraid to move the conversation

Your conversation should take place in a calm and comfortable environment. The wrong time and place alone can ruin your interview. If possible, try to clearly agree on the time of your telephone conversation. However, if this was not possible, and the call caught you at an inconvenient moment, for example, while driving a car or at a meeting, it is better not to try to get out of it and immediately ask to reschedule the conversation. As a rule, HR people at the beginning of the conversation ask if it is convenient for you to talk now and your answer is “Will it be convenient for you if I call you back in 20 minutes?” or “Can we move our conversation 10 minutes?” would be quite acceptable in such a situation.

3. Think of short answers

A telephone interview usually lasts less than a face-to-face interview, so your answers should be even more concise. Think in advance what you will say in response to the most common questions: why do you want this job? why are you the best candidate? what are your strengths? etc. It is best to prepare 3-4 short phrases for each question. Too short answers in the style of “yes” or “no” will also be inappropriate and will push the employer to end the conversation quickly.

4. Prepare cheat sheets

Please have your resume, cover letter and job description in front of you. Also, take advantage of the fact that your interlocutor cannot see you - prepare materials that will help you answer questions. This could be a portfolio of your projects, reports on your work, or even information about the company. You'll likely be asked questions about these topics, and answering them will be much easier if you have everything at hand. At the same time, don't overload your desk with papers. Prepare only the essentials so you don’t waste time or create pauses while you rummage through piles of documents.

5. Get yourself organized

Unlike a regular interview, a telephone interview does not give you the opportunity to express yourself using body language, and the main impression will be formed by your voice. Even the most intelligent things you say will be lost if you mumble, speak unclearly or are too relaxed. To get ready and focus better before the interview, put yourself in “working form” - go to the shower, get dressed, comb your hair, sit at the table. This psychological life hack will give you confidence and help you be more focused.

6. Smile

This is another trick that will help you create a positive impression. With a smile, your voice will sound livelier and more energetic, and accordingly, it will show your interest and enthusiasm.

7. Tune in to the wavelength of your interlocutor

Try to grasp the pace and manner of speech of your potential employer from the first words of the conversation. If he speaks calmly and quietly, then you should not jabber, thereby creating psychological discomfort for the interlocutor. If the pace and sound of his speech is fast and loud, add cheerfulness to your tone. Remember that in this situation your speech is an extremely important element of success.

8. Set aside distractions

Take your phone interview seriously. Don't check your email or scroll on social networks. The interlocutor will definitely hear that you are not concentrated on the conversation. Additionally, you may not catch or misunderstand the questions. To help you concentrate better, have a piece of paper ready and take notes as you talk.

9. Don't be shy to ask about next steps.

If you feel that the interview has come to an end, but the interlocutor has not said what the next steps will be, do not hesitate to ask this question. Politely ask when you can expect results and ask how and when it would be convenient to contact him.

10. Write a thank you letter

After the conversation, send your interlocutor a letter of gratitude. In it, briefly describe again what this job means to you and why you think you would be the best fit for the company. This will reinforce the positive impression of your conversation and help you stand out from other candidates.

Are you interested in re-evaluating the value of the first 15 seconds of a typical telephone conversation between a job seeker and an employer? In this case, we will draw your attention to a problem that is invisible at first glance: when making an outgoing call from an employer to a job seeker, the basic rules by which it is customary to talk on the phone in a modern business environment are often violated. As a result, in addition to spoiling the first impression of each other and lowering the prestige of the calling company, people sometimes even fail to agree on an interview.

The reason for the problem: despite the apparent simplicity of a telephone conversation, direct training in telephone conversations is mainly carried out for sales specialists and management personnel, i.e. for those whose success depends on business etiquette. But the budget for training HR employees is often cut. Of course, if an ordinary employee is invited to an interview, the HR manager’s disregard for certain conversation norms will go unnoticed by the applicant. However, during a dialogue with senior managers and managers, the HR employee runs the risk of showing himself to be a less educated person in matters of professional ethics.

To fill the identified gap, you can use the material proposed below. It will show which outgoing phone call structure most effectively emphasizes the HR professional’s professionalism (or lack thereof).

The manner in which we communicate over the phone when scheduling an interview is an important indicator of our professional level. Let's match!

Sample text of a competent telephone conversation about scheduling an interview:

“Good afternoon, Irina! (pause). My name is Olga - HR manager of company N. I am calling to arrange a time for an interview for the position of “Regional Representative”. Can you talk for 2 minutes now?”

Message
“Irina, I propose to summarize: we meet with you tomorrow, March 24, at 15:00, at the address: Cosmos, 4, office 3. Let me remind you again, my name is Olga. All the best!”

Outgoing phone call plan

1. Greeting + introducing yourself

Say hello and address your interlocutor by name
Introduce yourself: not only your first name (last name), but the name of the company.

Meaning: from the first seconds it is necessary to get the interlocutor in the mood for a conversation and create an attractive image of the caller. Forget about the expression: “It bothers you”! - it is unlikely to evoke pleasant emotions. Neutral phrases are much better suited.

Example:“Good morning, Alexey! My name is Alena, HR manager at Pero.

2. Message of the purpose of the call

Meaning:
let the person understand why you are calling, since the applicant may receive many phone calls that are not necessarily related to the job search, and he may not immediately understand what you are talking about;

Give the person the opportunity to “switch” to a conversation with you, put aside current affairs.

Example:“We have received your resume for the position of head of the sales department. I’m calling to arrange a time for an interview in our office.”

3. The question of having time to talk

Surprisingly, this is the most often forgotten point! Although, who among us has not had the opportunity to pick up the phone at an inconvenient time: on the road, on the street, during an operational meeting or negotiations?

Meaning: remove all obstacles to continuing the conversation. Imagine, an applicant is at a meeting at his current job, and then you call to offer him another job, you know...

At trainings people often object to this point: “If a person is uncomfortable talking, he will say so himself, so why ask him about it?”

Think about in what situation you look more respectable:

When they interrupt you and say: “Sorry, I don’t have time right now, call me back”
- or when you yourself manage the conversation and ask the question about the possibility of continuing the conversation?

Very important: you need to be interested not just in the availability of abstract time, but in specific minutes: “Anna, do you have 3 minutes to talk now?” This gives both you and the other person a clear direction.

Moreover, if a person refuses to talk, do not forget to find out exactly when it is best to call back.

4. Discussion of the main purpose of the call

5. Recap + farewell

Meaning: State the most important conclusions of the conversation to ensure that you understand each other and set a favorable tone for the rest of the meeting. This point can also be called a check of understanding.

There are cases when interlocutors misheard the time of the interview, meeting place and other details. A brief repetition of important points helps to avoid these failures.

Maria Bolokhova - business coach, consultant in the field of human resources management

A few interview rules

Rule #1. The ability of the applicant at the beginning of the conversation to transfer the topic of conversation into a dialogue format, and not into a “question-answer” mode, plays a role: take the initiative, ask questions.

Rule #2. Talking about yourself matters within 30 seconds. At the same time, self-presentation should be interesting: have an emphasis at the beginning and end.

Golden rule: you cannot be late for a meeting with an employer; neat appearance.
However, the most important thing in an interview is your self-confidence. Smile!.. but don't overdo it.

There are only 6 types of interviews that can be used to one degree or another in companies:

1. Biographical interview (represents a series of questions, the purpose of which is to establish the reliability of the information specified in the resume and to obtain detailed information about the education, work experience and competencies of the applicant).

2. Case interview, or situational interview (represents a dialogue between a consultant and a candidate, during which the candidate tries to solve a specific business problem).

3. Projective interview (based on constructing questions in such a way that they invite the candidate to evaluate not himself, but people in general or some character).

4. Interview on competencies (questions are aimed at clarifying the qualities and abilities that will be required to perform job duties).

5. Conversation about nothing (questions are asked about vacations, family, pets and hobbies. Based on your answers, the recruiting manager can guess how you behave with colleagues, subordinates, identify the main character traits, etc.).

6. Stress interview (a stressful situation where they test your self-esteem and ability to talk about what doesn’t suit you.)

Good afternoon, dear friend!

During the job search period, of course, we wait for calls.
Sometimes they write by email, but this happens less often. Lately, people have often been asked to call back themselves. It’s no wonder, because market conditions are in favor of the employer.

One way or another, usually the first contact is a telephone interview. Questions and answers a little later, first a few important points.

• The only communication tool when talking on the phone is voice. I recommend smiling slightly with the tips of your lips during a conversation. Exactly like that, and not out loud. Smiling with the tips of your lips gives your voice a positive emotional charge. I will write a separate article about voice control in more detail.
• The conversation is usually unplanned. If you don't feel comfortable talking, apologize and suggest another time that's convenient for you. Call back yourself.
• There may be interference during a conversation - poor connection, traffic noise, etc. In this case, the conversation should also be postponed, otherwise it will turn out to be crumpled. You and your partner may miss or not hear important information.
• A telephone interview is usually shorter and more superficial than a face-to-face interview. On the other hand, it is more dynamic. I recommend keeping it printed in front of you. In case you suddenly get stuck. Long pauses in a telephone conversation are undesirable.

2. The purpose of the recruiter’s telephone interview with the applicant

1. Find out your real interest in the vacancy.
2. Make sure you have the gift of speech. This is not a joke. As a recruiter, I dealt with candidates who were practically bypassed by this gift of God. So, don’t answer in this spirit: “I indicated this in my resume...”. Like, what don’t you understand? The recruiter may decide that you will communicate in the same style at work.
3. Clarify some specific issues. Usually filter properties. For example: your salary expectations, from your previous job, the remoteness of your residence. Sometimes the question concerns your experience and skills that are critical to the employer.

Sometimes a telephone interview partially replaces a face-to-face interview if the company is located in another city or even country. And for an in-person interview, you need a more serious reason so as not to travel in vain.

3. Your goals

1. Show your interest. First, demonstrate that you understand which company is calling you from. Unless, of course, you sent your resume there. Try to remember the companies to which you send your resume.
2. Answer questions clearly. How to answer questions at an interview is a separate topic and we will not touch on it in this article. In this sense, a telephone interview is no different from a face-to-face interview. Basic principles: friendliness, confidence, simplicity and clarity of speech. During a telephone interview, difficult questions are rarely asked and you should not have any major difficulties.
3. Ask the right questions. Find out for yourself whether the company is right for you.
4. If the answer to the previous point is positive, arrange an in-person meeting.

4. What to find out, what to say

1. Where is the company located geographically, if this is critical for you (although this is desirable
   look also when sending your resume).
2. How white is the company? Is an employment contract concluded upon hiring? White salary or grey. Usually, if all procedures comply with the labor code, they say so right away. This is a competitive advantage for the employer and the company is proud of it.
3. The ratio of the fixed and variable parts of the salary. What is the variable part paid for, how is the work evaluated, and by what criteria.
4. Ask whether your resume was reviewed by the department or not. Here the scheme may be different. Sometimes they show it to the immediate supervisor first and then call, sometimes not. It is, of course, better for you that your candidacy is pre-approved by the decision maker. It may turn out like this - you passed an interview with a recruiter, but the manager did not like your resume. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to be able to influence the procedure, but you can carefully ask the recruiter to show your resume to your immediate supervisor.
5. How many interviews will there be and with whom? In what format (tests, cases, type of interview or just a conversation). On the same day or on different ones. This will determine the depth of your preparation, since interviews with a recruiter and with a manager differ in their importance.
6. Ask questions that are important to you personally. Don't be shy! You are a player, not a spectator. Be proactive from the start. But know when to stop. You shouldn’t ask too many questions yet, so as not to be considered a bore. When they invite you, then we’ll ask around and answer.
7. Be sure to contact by name. Or by first name and patronymic, depending on how the person introduced himself. The name is a conditioned reflex that maintains the attention of the interlocutor. In addition, being called by name is pleasant to most people and sets a positive tone for the conversation.

You may not have time to ask all the questions. Determine in advance which ones are more important and start with them. In conclusion, do not forget to thank for the conversation and be sure to discuss the agreements reached, if any.

5. Don't forget anything

This is the time to say that it can take a lot of time and dozens of interviews. This means that it needs management and control.

At first, I sometimes forgot to ask something during a telephone conversation or the recruiter’s question was unexpected. You start to think and meme. You slow down, in short. To prevent this from happening, you must first decide on the shore:

• With company selection criteria
• Prepare questions for the recruiter
• Prepare answers to standard questions
• Keep a record of contacts

We are specialists and we know that planning and control are important mandatory management functions)

6. Conclusion

It is easier to successfully complete a telephone interview than an in-person interview. More positivity, confidence and everything will work out. And don’t forget to smile with the tips of your lips)

Don't stress too much just yet. You just talked on the phone. An interview is a multi-step process and this is only the first step.

If there is no continuation, don't worry. It's better than leaving the race at the finish line. And it’s not a fact that this is exactly the job you are striving for. Even if today you think this is the best option.

Let me take my leave for today. If you find the article useful, share it with your friends. The buttons are just below.

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Have a nice day and good mood!