Avoid the phone screen fail – Speed up your job hunting success rate!

Many of the great people I have recently met are struggling to secure new opportunities.  The common tendency is to blame the lack of senior roles currently available in the marketplace.  I think there may be more to it than that!

This past couple of weeks I have been inspired and impressed by the brilliant people that I have met.  Real leaders in the retail sector – people who have contributed to the success of businesses or spearheaded transformation.

In chatting to candidates, my understanding is that a large majority of them are not making it past the initial phone screen to secure an interview.

Here’s the thing – if a business gives you a call, they are expressing an interest in your application and you are a contender for the role – in most cases, if you fail to progress to the next stage at this point – the problem could be that you are not making a good first impression.

 In my phone screening experience – the main reason you may not be securing a job interview are:

• You are unprepared!  Candidates apply for jobs and then are caught off guard when somebody calls them about the role.  If you make an application, take a moment to research the business and be ready to explain why the role is of interest.
• You are uncomfortable talking about your achievements – if you don’t tell people about the great things you have done or the contributions you have made, how will they ever know?  Communicating your ability to add value will give you the edge.  You need to practice doing it quickly and concisely!  Have a coupe of achievements ready to pull out of the hat at a moment’s notice.
• You don’t answer the questions you are asked.  If you don’t answer the questions asked and prefer to just chat randomly about yourself – it makes it difficult for the person doing the screening to assess whether you fit the skills or requirements of the vacancy.
• You’ve taken the call in spite of being in an environment not conducive to a phone screen.  If you can’t openly speak, reception is bad or you are driving and can’t focus – don’t take the call – you get one shot at this!
• You don’t sound interested in the position.   Even if you have been caught at a less than ideal time, remember that the words you choose and the tone of your voice create the interviewer’s experience of you.  Ensure you speak clearly and that your tone professionally reflects your passion and personality.  If you don’t sound interested in the role, a company may not want to take the time to meet you.

Good luck and enjoy the opportunity to tell others how awesome you are!