Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years
Answers to this question go one of two basic ways. Candidates try to show their incredible ambition by providing an extremely optimistic answer: “I want your job!” Or they try to show their humility by providing a meek, self-deprecating answer: “There are so many talented people here. I just want to do a great job and see where my talents take me.”
In either case you learn nothing, other than possibly how well candidates can sell themselves.
For interviewers, here’s a better question: “What business would you love to start?”
That question applies to any organization, because every employee at every company should have an entrepreneurial mind-set.
The business a candidate would love to start tells you about her hopes and dreams, her interests and passions, the work she likes to do, the people she likes to work with — so just sit back and listen.
Set A Professional Voicemail
In the event you cant answer the phone when they initially call, leave a good impression by having a professional and friendly voicemail. For example, Hi, youve reached Jane. Im sorry I missed your call. Please leave a detailed message and a call back number, and Ill get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
Questions During Your Disability Interview
Disability Advocates Group discusses the types of questions that may be asked during your disability interview. Contact us today.
You will also likely be asked about your job history. The interviewer may ask the dates you last work. He or she may also ask for your employment history for the past 15 years. Your employment history should include job titles held, as well as the type of business and the hours and days you worked. Information regarding your amount and frequency of payment may also be requested.
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Contacting The Social Security Administration: A Quick How
Navigating the thousands of Social Security benefits rules is tough, but the Social Security Administration can be contacted in three ways to help.
If you call, you can perform many services through the automated system, including requesting a benefit verification letter and/or statement of your benefits, inquiring about the status of a claim, applying for a replacement card, finding the address of your local office, and conducting some business related to Medicare.
Clear Your Mind Of Bias
The purpose of the phone screen interview is to determine whether a candidate deserves an interview. Bias can diminish its effectiveness. If you were impressed by a candidates resume and youre already determined to bring them in for an interview, the call is obsolete. Conversely, if you dont like this candidate because of their cover letter or resume, youre likely to deny them the opportunity anyway. Avoid the risk of making a bad decision by being objective.
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Create A Location That Puts You At Ease
At a face-to-face interview, youve got to suit up and show offand roll with whatever accommodations they offerusually a grey, sterile, fluorescent-lit office. With a phone interview, you can set the scene that makes you as comfortable as possible. This doesnt necessarily mean you should do it from bed, wearing sweats and a t-shirt. In fact, some people actually feel more professional dressing up a bit, even if youre dialing in from home.
Whatever youre wearing, or wherever you choose to take the call, make sure to find a quiet spot with good service at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time. If you have a landline, use it.
Limiting background noise will help you stay focused during the interview and will not be bothersome to the person who is interviewing you, adds Wesper.
If youre video conferencing, make sure to find a spot with a great connection, or even better, use an Ethernet connection to minimize the chance of disconnecting half-way through. Find a neutral location with good lighting. Dont sit in front of a window. This creates a silhouette and youll most likely be in shadows the entire time.
How To Prepare Evidence For An Ssa Interview Or Application
Tips on how to gather evidence for a Social Security disability application or interview.
What should you take with you when you go in to your local Social Security Administration office for your initial disability interview? If you answer everything you are close to being correct. In a nutshell, SSA wants a complete picture of your medical history and your employment history.
To the extent you can gather the information discussed in this article, do so. But if you dont have time or are too ill to track down all the information requested, go to your interview anyway. You dont have to have everything in place before you get started in the process however, eventually you will have to produce the information required, so start thinking of ways to get help with the telephone calling and letter writing that you will need to do to obtain these records.
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Phone Interview Preparation: During
This is a little more involved, but don’t let it intimidate you. Take it step by step.
If by the end of the call you know you want the job, end on a positive note saying something like Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. From what I’ve heard, I believe I’m a good fit for this role and I’m very interested in moving forward. What’s the next step from here?
And of course, send a thank-you interview email, just as you would for a face-to-face interview.
Knowing both how to prepare for a phone interview and what to expect in a phone interview gives you the opportunity to make an amazing first impression, continue on to the next step in the process, and eventually get that great new job.
Not sure if you’re acing your interview or stumbling through it? Maybe it’s time to brush up on those skills with a professional interview coach from TopInterview.
What Do You Expect Me To Accomplish In The First 90 Days
If you weren’t asked this question, ask it yourself. Why? Great candidates want to hit the ground running. They don’t want to spend weeks or months “getting to know the organization.” They don’t want to spend huge chunks of time in orientation, in training, or in the futile pursuit of getting their feet wet.
They want to make a difference — and they want to make that difference right now.
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During The Phone Interview
Without the advantage of having visual cues during a phone interview, you may want to tweak the usual interview procedures so that things run smoothly.
Ask questions just as you would in an in-person interview. Before hanging up, reiterate your interest in the job and ask about the next steps in the hiring process.
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Focus And Cut Out All Distractions
Make sure youre not distracted. Turn off the TV. Let me repeat that. TURN OFF THE TV.
Nobody wants to ask you about your past performances and work history and hear Sponge Bob in the background. Dont think putting it on mute is good enough either. People can tell if youre distracted and delaying your answers to a potential employer because youre reading the crawler at the bottom of FOX News isnt going to score you any points.
Get comfortable, but dont get too comfortable.
Find a good spot to sit down and have all your prep materials nearby for easy access.
Sit at the kitchen table or at a desk.
Dont lay down. Dont slouch. Make sure distractions are not going to be an issue.
If youre doing the interview at home and youre not alone, make sure everyone knows youre going to be busy for a bit and to give you some privacy. Put the dogs outside. Pop in a video for the kids. Have your spouse keep everyone calm. At the very least go into a room where you can shut the door and focus on the task at hand.
So, now that youre up and dressed, lets get ready for that interview!
First and foremost, make sure youre presenting yourself in the most professional way possible, from the very first Hello, all the way to the Goodbye.
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But First: Why Are Phone Interviews A Thing
Phone interviews are, as you can imagine, convenient. As former recruiter and Muse career coach Angela Smith points out, If there are a lot of candidates and youre just trying to narrow down who to bring in for an in-person interview, sometimes a phone interview can be super helpful. Especially if someone lives out of state, it saves the hiring manager from having to pay for the person to fly in and interview in the flesh .
What are they looking for in that phone call? Usually its very high level: Theyre screening for risks, theyre trying to validate your qualifications, and they want to see if youre a fit, says Muse career coach Tina Wascovich. In other words, she says, Who are you, what do you know about us, why do you want to work here?
Of course, its entirely possible youll get asked very specific questions that are unique to the job or your field. But more often than notand usually in addition to those behavioral or technical questionsyoull get asked the following in a phone interview:
What Kind Of Job Environment Do You Feel Most Productive In
The recruiters perspective: This question is really about trying to determine culture fit and whether or not youre going to thrive in the companys work environment. Not every environment or culture is going to work for everyone, and thats OK. Being honest about what environment works best for you is going to be best for everyone in the long run.
Interviewees have a tendency to tell the interviewer what they want to hear, but being honest and direct about what you need for your own happiness and productivity is going to keep you at the job a lot longer.
The answer: Interviewees have a tendency to tell the interviewer what they want to hear, but being honest and direct about what you need for your own happiness and productivity is going to keep you at the job a lot longer. If youre new to the workforce, ask yourself where you go when you need to study. What types of groups do you like working with on projects? If you play sports, what role do you usually play on the team? Every answer will be different, but its important to think about the environments where youve been the most productive and that brings out the best in you.
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Phone Interview Questions About You
- What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- What is your greatest strength?
- Describe a typical work week.
- How would you describe the pace at which you work?
- How do you handle stress and pressure?
- What motivates you?
- Questions about your career goals.
- What type of work environment do you prefer?
Tips For Acing A Phone Interview
Follow these tips for a successful phone interview:
Create a checklist. Review the job posting and make a list of how your qualifications match the hiring criteria. Have the list available so you can glance at it during the interview.
Have your resume handy. Keep your resume in clear view so it’s at your fingertips when you need to answer questions.
Be prepared to take notes. Have a pen and paper handy for note taking.
Don’t get interrupted. Turn off call waiting so your call isn’t interrupted. Put your cellphone on “Do not disturb” so you won’t hear beeps or buzzes from apps, text messages, and so on.
Reschedule if you have to. If the call wasn’t scheduled, and isn’t at a convenient time, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest some alternatives.
Clear the room. Evict the kids and the pets. Turn off the stereo and the TV. Close the door.
Use a landline. If you have a landline, use that instead of your cellphone. That way, you’ll eliminate the possibility of poor reception or dropped calls.
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What Was Your Salary In Your Last Job
This is a tough one. You want to be open and honest, but frankly, some companies ask the question as the opening move in salary negotiations.
Try an approach recommended by Liz Ryan. When asked, say, “I’m focusing on jobs in the $50K range. Is this position in that range?”
Maybe the interviewer will answer maybe she won’t. If she presses you for an answer, you’ll have to decide whether you want to share or demur. Ultimately your answer won’t matter too much, because you’ll either accept the salary offered or you won’t, depending on what you think is fair.
What Exactly Is A Second Interview
First off, lets start with what a second interview really is.
Yes, its what it sounds likea second chance for the hiring manager to take a good look at you and decide if youre a good fitbut its also so much more than just that!
HANG ON! Before we get into this too deeply, we have to issue this brief disclaimer:
Job Interview Questions and Answers 101.
Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming!
So what does a second interview mean?
Well, we can tell you it ISNT a guarantee of employment. This isnt the time to get cocky and let everything youve worked so hard on slide.
Not by a long shot.
It IS, however, another opportunity for you to really show them that youre the best person for the jobyou are the perfect candidate!
The first interview was the warm up.
Odds are in your first interview you met with someone from human resources or a hiring manager and was probably more of a broad screening to weed out the last of the unsuitable candidates.
The second is the big leagues which means your second interview will probably be conducted by someone a little higher upor even a LOT higher up.
You can almost guarantee that this interview will be much more in depth and very well might include introductions to other key members within the business including superiors, senior managers, and even possibly fellow teammates.
A second interview is a bit more seriousthink of it as a second dateon steroids.
No pressure!
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If You Were Hired How Soon Can You Start
Oh boy. If youre an out of area hire and are required to relocate, this answer is far from a simple one.
First off, dont ever answer with Now! Not only will you come off as desperate, but if youre already employed with another job, youre going to have to do the right thing and give notice.
Its easy to get intimidated and over-commit to an early start datebut the worst thing you can do is give a date to a new employer and then have to ask for more time. Not the right way to start out your long and mutually beneficial working relationship! Then you have to factor in the actual logistics of making a move.
Even one just across town can be as daunting as one across statesor in some cases, countries! Depending on the size of your move you could be looking at anything from a few days to a few months.
Again, be honest!
Many employers, if theyre genuinely interested in hiring you, will have programs in place to help you relocate and ease the burdens that come with a full move.
If they dont, make sure to take that into consideration as well. Words to the wisealways ask for MORE time than you initially think youll need. Trust us, in the long run, its far better to have more time than you need than to run out and have to ask for an extension.
One thing NOT to focus on during an initial phone interview is salaryat least not until youve had a chance to read our article When And How To Discuss Salary During The Job Interview Process.
Be An Active Listener
Be attentive, ask insightful questions and engage with the recruiter. This will show that youre taking the interview seriously and that you genuinely care about what they have to say. Practicing with friends or family could be greatly beneficial. Make sure youre listening to every word, and follow-up with questions that show you were actively listening to what they were saying.
Related: Active Listening Skills: Definition and Examples
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Things To Never Do During A Phone Interview
These days, phone interviews are an unavoidable part of the job interview process, and for good reason: They save everyone involved time and effort. But that doesnât mean that phoners require zero energy on the part of the candidate. Yes, you should spend more time preparing for an in-person interview, but many companies treat phone screens as the official first round of the hiring process. That means candidates are expected to go into them prepared with as much information about the company, position, and their own skills and strengths as possible.
We asked HR pros about their top phone interview pet peeves, they had no shortage of advice to offer. Apparently, itâs quite easy to mess up your phone interview. But hereâs the thing itâs also not hard to come across well if you keep some key things in mind.
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