Part I: Be Prepared for a Call
Let’s face it. Life is full of countless variables all interacting with one another, day in and day out. Many of these variables we
cannot control, such as the weather, and the actions of other people. However, we can still navigate ourselves through the storm of life by keeping a handle on the variables we can control, which include our actions, our appearance, and thus the messages we send out to others.
Let’s say you have learned of a job opportunity and responded to it. You did some basic homework on the position, wrote a decent cover letter and submitted your qualifications for consideration. The materials you sent in achieved their purpose, which is (and only…!) to get the employer to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. (This is a common mistake—many people write their cover letters and resumes with the unconscious intent of getting a job. The real purpose is simply to
advance you to the next step—getting an interview.)
If they want to contact you for an interview, most often it will be by phone. Sometimes an administrative assistant will make the call, but often the person who will do the interview will make the call.
This is often the very
first part of the interview process! So if you are sending out applications, be wary anytime the phone rings. You could be just jumping out of the shower totally naked to answer it and suddenly find yourself at the very beginning of your job interview!
Be Accessible
You may already know the importance of being accessible. If you were your own business, you do yourself no favors by being hard to reach for your customers. The job hunt is no different. Have at least one phone number that if you don’t answer has a reliable messaging system. While others may differ, my strongest recommendation is to NEVER rely on other people—most notably siblings, children, or roommates (spouses may be an exception) to take business messages.
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The above is an excerpt from The Last Guide to Interviewing You'll Ever Need, which is available for sale for $17 in our bookstore or for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. Students know that good experiences helps to build a good resume and that good resumes help you land interviews, yet how many of us have been shown how to interview well so that we can get hired? Written by Keith F. Luscher specifically for the job hunting students who use CollegeRecruiter.com. To get hired, you must know how to interview well. Read this book and you will. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter. |
