Sunday, March 17, 2024

How To Call And Set Up An Interview

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Smile While On The Phone

How to Set up an Interview on Call

You will find that you sound more upbeat and engaged when you do this. Your smiles will be heard by the interviewer making for a positive impression. This is where your attitude will really show.

To help you remember to smile, place a mirror by the phone, where it will be easy for you to see yourself in it. Then, during the call, make a point of looking into it, and smiling while you are talking.

If There’s No Job Available

If the employer doesn’t have any openings, ask about meeting for an informational interview. During an informational interview, instead of asking for a specific job, you gather information about what it’s like to work at the company. You can also ask for referrals to other companies or other departments within the company that are hiring. If you’ve persuaded the employer you’re qualified, he may happily recommend you to other employers or may remember you when a job opens up later.

Final Interview Invitation Email

Emphasize your excitement when sending a final interview invitation email. At this point, candidates have been through several rounds of your interview process, and you need to keep them engaged. They have likely already received additional information regarding your office dress code and location, but include it again anyway.

Pare down the body text of your email by linking out to the pertinent information. These details can live on a hidden page of your website or a Google Doc in View Only mode.

Customize the template below to send the perfect final-round interview invitation email.

Subject Line: : Final-Round Interview Invitation

Hi ,

Thank you for your recent interview regarding the position at . We appreciate your dedication to the process and are pleased to share that you have been selected for a final interview at our office!

We believe you are an excellent candidate for the position and were excited to continue the conversation with you.

The interview will be with and will last no longer than . Below are some proposed time and date options:

To help you plan and prepare for your onsite interview, click here to view additional information about our office and nearby travel options. .

Please reply to this email with your availability. I will then confirm the date and time internally and send you a confirmation email with a calendar invitation.

If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out.

Best,

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Remember This Is Only The Preliminary Round

Do ask questions at the end, but this is not the time for a discussion about salary, training and start dates. You may find that the telephone interviewer is working on behalf of the employer to do the initial screen of applicants and cannot answer detailed questions about the job and company. If you progress to the next stage, you will have a chance to assess the company in more depth.

What To Do If You Mess Up

Thank You Email After Phone Interview

Mistakes happen. Though it depends on how serious the mistake was, for the most part, you can recover if you handle minor gaffes with pure intentions and grace.

“I haven’t had anyone recover , but I also haven’t had anyone try,” said Akoma. “For example, if someone noticed an error on their thank-you letter and owned up to it quickly, I think I would still consider them. It shows accountability and a willingness to admit and correct a mistake.”

Rishit Shah, accountant and owner of TallySchool, recalled an applicant who accidentally sent his thank-you letter to the wrong person in the organization. “He quickly apologized and sent the letter to the correct person. What I liked about him was that he owned up to his mistake and quickly rectified it.”

But no matter what happens after a mistake, don’t burn bridges.

“If you don’t get the particular position, you always send a gracious follow-up to the hiring managers and/or the HR person expressing interest in future opportunities,” Akoma said. “It will make a good impression and could get you considered for other opportunities.”

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Find The Best Environment And Video Background

  • Find a private, quiet location where you wont be interrupted. Switch your phone off, close windows to block out any outdoor noise, and lock the door if needs be we all know distracting our kids can be! Children interrupt BBC News interview
  • Find a simple, neutral background and ensure that your shot is well-lit. Its best to have the light source coming from in front of you. Adjust the lighting if required once the shot is set up.

How To Stand Out With Your Interview Invitation Email

An upcoming interview can be stressful and a source of anxiety for job seekers. Providing additional information solely for the candidates benefit gives the impression of a compassionate employer who values its people. It may seem simple, but its the little details that create a standout employer brand. Include the following information in your interview invitation email to engage and entice prospective employees.

Mention What to Wear

When it comes to in-person interviews, candidates want to look the part. Theres no need for the candidate to wear a suit if your office is on the casual side. Letting them know what is appropriate in terms of your office dress code helps take the pressure off of deciding what to wear. Not having to fret over how they physically present themselves allows candidates to focus on the conversation and highlighting their qualifications.

Recommend Travel Options

Candidates may come from all over the surrounding area for in-person interviews. Do not assume they will be able to grab a cab. Reference subway lines, train stations, bus routes, bike options and parking garages in close proximity to your office. Ensuring they arrive at an interview on time is a major point of concern for candidates. Providing them with the resources to plan ahead will earn you serious bonus points.

List Items to Bring

Explain What Happens Upon Arrival

Talking Points to Mention

Also Check: How To Prepare System Design Interview

Sample Email To Decline An Interview Request/invitation:

Hi NAME,

Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate the invitation to interview. Unfortunately, Im no longer available and will need to decline. Best of luck in filling the role, and if I think of anyone who might be a good fit, Ill let them know about it.

Best regards, Your Name

You can also offer to stay connected in the future if youd like .

And if youd like to offer a reason for declining, thats fine. But youre not obligated. If you feel like telling them that its because you accepted another position, or the job isnt quite what youre looking for anymore, etc., then go ahead.

As seen in the email template above, you can also offer to refer a friend or colleague for the opportunity if you know someone who is qualified.

Template Vii To Reply An Interview Email Confirming Time Schedule

How to Setup and Prepare for a Skype Video Interview

Dear Sir,

I write to acknowledge your invitation for an interview with me. I applied for the post of the radiologist in your diagnostic institute. I am exceedingly grateful for this opportunity. Nonetheless, the time and date for the interview states tomorrow by 9:00 am in your facility, but I happen to be outside the state at the moment to visit my mother who just got hospitalised.

I have booked the only available flight back, but expected time of arrival is 9:15 am and another 20-minute drive to your institute. If it pleases you, I will appreciate if the interview holds by 10:00 a.m.I do understand that time is of the essence and there are other applicants available to be interviewed, but I hope you consider my plight.

I await your decision.

Thank you in anticipation for a positive response.

Yours faithfully,Mr. Ryan Petrelli

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How To Call An Employer To Schedule An Interview

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You’ve applied for a job, and you’re going on with your daily life when an email or voice mail reaches you. It’s the employer requesting an interview. Now the ball is in your court, and it’s time to make that important phone call, the first instance of speaking directly to the employer or HR manager without sounding awkward.

While this isn’t exactly the interview itself, it’s an important conversation and you should follow a few crucial steps to avoid any poor impressions. You don’t need an actual calling to schedule an interview script, but you should have a good idea of how the conversation will go to make a favorable impression.

Do Your Research In Advance

Know as much as you can about the employer and the opportunity before the interview, just as you would for an in-person interview:

  • Re-read the job posting, and make notes of where you meet or exceed the requirements .
  • Review the organizations website to see what they do, where they are, and the latest news they may have posted.
  • Look for a LinkedIn Company Profile to see what information they post, as well as other job openings they might have.
  • Google the company and the product/service names. See for more ideas.
  • Check a site like Glassdoor.com to see the job interview questions commonly asked by this employer as well as the salary ranges and employee reviews.
  • Based on your company research, have questions to ask if the opportunity arises or you risk looking uninterested and unprepared .

This research will help you to succeed in the face-to-face interview later, hopefully. It should also help you to determine if you really want to work for this employer.

For more pre-interview research ideas , read The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation.

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Find The Right People

This may seem obvious, but choosing who you approach can make all the difference in hearing back.

Start by making a list of companies youd love to work at and of job titles or positions youd be interested in. While people who fit on either list are good, someone who works for your dream company and has your dream role is where youll get the most bang for your buck.

That said, its important to consider what the person does at the company and the size of the companyyou want to target people who are in an aspirational role, but who aren’t so high up that they wont have time to meet with you. I may want to talk to the CMO of a major company, but I can probably learn more talking to the marketing director of a smaller company. Also, look for people you have some sort of connection withif someone went to your college or has a shared connection, he or she will be more likely to want to meet with you.

I prefer using LinkedIn to find people, but then reaching out over emailits easier for people to respond to, and you wont look like LinkedIn spam.

Be On Message From The Outset

FREE 7+ Interview Email Examples &  Samples in DOC

Politicians coached in handling the media are always advised to have a maximum of three key messages to get across, which they should stick to and repeat throughout any interview.

Similarly, its a good idea to have two or three key points that you want to make about what you have to offer and what youre looking for for example, Im ready for the challenge of managing a team, I combine compliance experience with technical expertise, in my career, Ive developed an extensive digital transformation skillset.

These are the three key points that you want your interviewer to remember about you. So try and work them in naturally whenever you can, even in the first few minutes. Its also important to have a ready answer for some of the most common questions that come up early on such as Tell me why you want this job and Whats your understanding of what this job involves?

Recommended Reading: Questions To Ask A Cfo During An Interview

Choose A Quiet Location

Robert Half Talent Solutions suggests calling from a land line to avoid dropped phone calls and other connection problems. While you may be rushing to run errands, get to work, or commute by subway or bus, calling the employer back on a cell phone in a noisy public place is a risky action.

Wait until you have a quiet room or office from which you can make the call with no background noise. Make sure you will not be interrupted during the call by locking doors or informing housemates that you’ll need silence until the call is over. This will help you avoid any embarrassing interruptions when calling to schedule an interview.

What Are The Key Elements Of An Interview Setup

The way you set up an interview room will depend on the type of conversation youre looking to have with your candidate. If its very formal, then a private office with a desk where you and the candidate can sit facing each other might be best. Alternatively, if its a more open and casual meeting, then you might want to set up some comfortable chairs in a .

For remote interviews via video conferencing, you should ensure your screen/background view is clear, your internet connection is strong and youve adjusted your audio settings correctly, e.g. for a headset.

Whatever your style, there are a few key elements that you need to keep in mind when setting up an interview room.

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Ask Recruiters: How To Nail Your Email Responses And Phone Interview

Receiving direct contact from a recruiter is an exciting part of the job search and a welcome break from rejection notices and non-responses. Out of hundreds of applicants or thousands of LinkedIn profiles, the recruiter decided you were one of the few worth reaching out to congrats! The next step is to validate their instincts. Whether youre responding to a recruiter email or participating in an initial phone interview, its critical to show that you are professional, skilled, and a strong communicator.

We reached out to four recruiters to gain insight into what theyre looking for in these initial interactions.

Ask For The Appropriate Individual

Podcast -Phone Interview Set up

If a receptionist does answer your call, ask for the appropriate individual after you introduce yourself. For example, ask for the interviewer using their first and last name. If the interviewer answers your call, use this step to ensure you are speaking with the correct individual. Here are two examples for each case:

Example:”Hello, I’m Gemma Rutherford, and I’m calling for a scheduled interview for the accounts payable clerical position. May I speak with Jackie Renshaw, please?”

Example:”Hi, this is Gemma Rutherford, and I’m calling for our scheduled phone interview today. Am I speaking with Jackie Renshaw?”

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Email Sample : Responding To Accept A Phone Interview Request

If youve applied for a job and the hiring manager or HR department has responded to your job application and invited you for a phone interview, heres a sample template you can use to respond.

Hello NAME,

Thanks for getting back to me. Id love to have a phone interview and learn more about the position and what youre looking for.

Here is my availability this week:

  • Tuesday Wednesday, 11:00 am 5:00 pm Eastern Time
  • Thursday Friday, 8:00 am 3:00 pm Eastern Time

The best number to reach me: 555-182-5872

If none of these times work, please let me know and Ill be happy to come up with some other options, too. I look forward to speaking with you.

Also, if youre able to tell me who will be calling, thatd be a big help. I always like to research and prepare ahead of time!

Best regards, Your Name

This is a great way of responding to an interview request because youre avoiding back-and-forth emails for the scheduling, and youre also finding out the person youll be talking to so you can prepare ahead of time!

Don’t Just Use A Phone Call Conduct A Discovery Interview With Industry Experts

Imagine your new-product team has found an industry expert it wants to interview: How do you go about this? Its common to begin with a one-hour interview. You usually have the option to be anonymous in these interviews: Depending on the expert youre interviewing, you may not want to signal your intentions. But unless theres a good reason for anonymity, you may find the expert to be more helpful if he/she understands your situation.

A common mistake is to develop a long list of your questions and fire them at the industry expert until the interview is over. Heres a better approach:

  • Instead of a phone call, set up a web-conference interview, and use your Blueprinter Discovery Noteboard to record your notes so the expert can see them.
  • Add your specific questions to the Current State questions section but plan on only using the first 30 minutes of the session for your questions.
  • During the last 30 minutes, ask the expert to put himself in the position of key market customers. Then start recording their Problems in yellow sticky notes, Ideal State outcomes in green sticky notes, etc.

Why use a Discovery interview format for your industry expert interview? Five reasons:

  • Since youve captured these expert insights in your Blueprinter project file , it will be available to your entire team and even available years from now for future teams at your company to review.
  • Your industry expert will be able to suggest corrections or additions to your notes, since they can see them.
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    Will You Travel For This Job

    Again, one you should consider before the interview. This one might be a little easier than the first question as it means you should be able to come back to wherever you are right nowbut again, keep in mind what this means to both your professional and personal life. Be honest. Be honest. Be honest.

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