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Thread: Telephone Interview, help!

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    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
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    Telephone Interview, help!

    Long story short I am in a difficult situation of needing a graduate job after university. I am a new father, my parents live abroad and if i cant get a graduate job I am in a sticky situation regarding where to live & what to do money wise.


    I have been invited for a telephone interview with E.ON and am as nervous as i could be over it. It is tomorrow morning, so i don't have a huge amount of time to prepare.

    As I have never had a telephone interview before, and am not great talking over the phone I was hoping for some advice, tips or anything people could say that might help me out a bit. I intend to make a list of everything I have ever done that might cover situations such as team work, where I have gone above & beyond or used my initiative etc to help but aside from that I don't know what else I could do.


    Does anyone have any tips, or advice they could offer me? Questions you were asked etc would be hugely helpful so i have an idea of what to expect!


    Many many thanks guys!

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    I always find Telephone interviews to be quite relaxing, not that I have had any recently

    I have had a few friends work for E.On though and apparently they are quite relaxed on the phone asking the "General Interview" questions. Just be well spoken and relaxed talk to them as if you are having a face to face discussion. Have a notepad jot down as you speak what you have covered so you are not answering with information you have already mentioned.

    Hope this helps.
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    jim
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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Write down a couple of questions about the company itself - relative to your potential position obviously. Then if they ask "Any questions you have for me?", you don't have to say "Erm, erm..." or just plain old "No."

    Good ones usually imply that you're interested in staying for the long-haul and/or that you want to succeed. Other people might disagree, but in the past I've used:

    "What types of training does the company typically offer to their staff?"
    "What characteristics define a successful [engineer] at your company?"

    So on, so forth.

    Obvious ones to avoid can be about holidays, sick leave, benefits, pay... you get the picture. In certain fields, i.e. sales, questions re: bonus and commission might be apt.

    "What is it about company X that separates it from its rivals?" can be a good one, along with "What do you enjoy about working for company X?", although they can be a bit cliched and some people don't like the word "enjoy".

    Your list you're already planning to make sounds like a good one, just don't go into any detail in the list. You want to jog your memory - help you pick an example. Then talk about it naturally, without sounding as if you're reading. Over the phone you could risk sounding as though everything's coming off a sheet of paper, which wouldn't be good.

    As for questions that I've been asked...

    Where have you led a team?
    Where have you had to change people's opinions in order to reach a consensus and how did you do it?
    Where have you had to work against opposition? (Similar to previous question)
    What makes you want to work for us?
    Where do you see yourself in (x) years?
    Where else have you applied? / What other positions have you applied for?

    Can't think of any more off-hand, will add later if anything springs to mind.

    EDIT: Agree with previous post, making brief notes can be useful, just don't do too much or your speech might start to stutter/falter or you'll miss what they're saying - which wouldn't sound good from their end
    Last edited by jim; 23-02-2010 at 05:06 PM.

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Snootyjim

    Has given good advice I also agree with the Brief notes, Also write down words which describe your attributes remember they hear the same words being used on every call they make and believe me they interview a lot of people.

    Prepare for these questions

    What makes you want to work for us?
    Where do you see yourself in (x) years?

    There almost guaranteed to come up and IMO the hardest to answer truthfully.

    Good Luck!
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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Have you got a job spec ? Does it list the attributes that they're looking for ?
    If so, make a few short notes on how you have demonstrated each skill.
    Also, relax. The biggest part of these interviews is a character test. They want to know if you'll fit in. Do you pass the 'No A***hole rule' ?
    Society's to blame,
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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Thank you so much guys!

    It is just for their ''Engineering Graduate Position'' and the details about what I will actually do, should I get the job, are very very sparse. I am writing key words for the questions you guys have posted, as well as my strengths, weaknesses and a few key details about them on the subject of why i would like to work there.

    Keep them coming guys, i cant tell you how grateful i am for the advice!

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    I had things along the line of "Give an example of where you have had to demonstrate leadership", and the other ones in that vein that HR professionals seem to love. I'd put in a little thought on that.

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Don't dive in with an answer if you need a few seconds to think about it. Buy some time if you need it by repeating the question back as if to clarify understanding.

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    thank you thank you!

    I have got something i have been thinking over & not sure how to play it (if at all).....

    Say you were interviewing me, i am well spoken, articulate and so far doing alright with the interview. You ask me a question about a time when i have juggled several difficult tasks, or my time management, or working under pressure..... and I mention I am a father (at 22). I explain that I managed to not only continue at university, but actually lift my grades due to the additional need to do well, family etc watching me etc. That i am successfully juggling Uni work, coursework, revision and being a father. I also explain that my daughter was due towards the end of my exams, but before 1 or 2 of them before explaining that despite this I still passed with a 2:1 that year. As a member of HR, and having a mental risk assessment of hiring me, would you be impressed at a 22 year old father and my abilities at multitasking, (good father & university graduate) or worried that being attached to family already might hamper me in later life, and not want to risk taking me on?

    I can see it coming up at some point, and I can imagine it going either way. Them being impressed by it, or them being worried about it. As someone interviewing/hiring how would you feel about it?

    Thanks

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Most likely impressed. I would be.
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Depends on the person, let them control the questioning and how deep they go, just make sure you don't make them feel like you don't want to talk about it.

    Sounds simple, but stand up the whole time your on the phone, makes most people more relaxed and confident.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    I'm not going to blurt it out, but if a questions comes up on how i handled change, time management or working under pressure I honestly can't think of any better examples then me being a father & final year student and (touch wood) winning on all fronts. Though if anyone can think of anything to be wary or/think differently I welcome opinions!

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Andehh View Post
    I'm not going to blurt it out, but if a questions comes up on how i handled change, time management or working under pressure I honestly can't think of any better examples then me being a father & final year student and (touch wood) winning on all fronts. Though if anyone can think of anything to be wary or/think differently I welcome opinions!
    Just be as specific as possible. So mention a time when you had to hand in a big paper, and handle the baby and fix the pc all at once...
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Quote Originally Posted by TheAnimus View Post
    Depends on the person, let them control the questioning and how deep they go, just make sure you don't make them feel like you don't want to talk about it.

    Sounds simple, but stand up the whole time your on the phone, makes most people more relaxed and confident.
    This

    Cordless phone for the win also.

    Wear a suit to give yourself a psychological boost?

    Good luck mate

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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    Mentioning that you're a father will make them aware that you're in this job for the long haul to provide for your family.

    I'd type more about how I'd give a 22 year old father a job over a 22 year old singleton, but I'm sure there's some EU law about that...
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    Re: Telephone Interview, help!

    What snootyjim said re: questions, as they're pretty standard fayre. Also, as has been said, research the company, tell them why you want to work for them, what you want to do within the company, & what you think you can do for them.

    & if they're eeevil & ask you "What is your/are your worst point(s)" I've found the answer that "I don't have any bad points as such, just areas for improvement", has worked best over the years & some like the answer "None" as it shows self confidence.
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