What happens if you've been told you're going to get the phone interview but then nothing happens?
They don't say they changed their mind about you--they just tell you it's on hold and then you don't hear anything more.
This happened to a real job candidate--a recruiter called to tell him about the job, submitted his resume, set up the phone interview, and gave him the name of the company and the manager. The next thing the candidate knew, the recruiter called back to say that he wasn't going to get to do the phone interview because everything was on hold, but he would be in touch. After more than a week with no phone call, the candidate asked me for help. (I do individual career coaching.)
Watch this video to see how 4 different job candidates did something special (that you could do, too) and got the offer. You've got to see it...these were some truly great ideas, and I know they will help you.
If you would like help or additional information on using these techniques to get the offer, click the links below:
You communicate your confidence in your physical presentation, your body language, and what you say and how you say it.
Good communication skills are essential. Sounding even remotely uncertain of your ability to do the job you’re interviewing for (and do it well) is an interview killer. No employer is going to hire someone who isn’t even sure himself if he is capable. What phrases convey uncertainty?
Employers want to know about more than just your skills and experience--they want to know how you'll get along day-to-day. How will you react in stressful situations? What will you do when a customer gets cranky, or there's some issue with the product?
One way for hiring managers to get to that information is to use behavioral interview questions that try to uncover how you have reacted in similar situations, or that set up a theoretical problem to see how you would go about solving it.
Both types of behavioral (or situational) interview questions show how you think, which can be much more informative for a hiring manager than asking about your greatest weakness.
The easiest and most effective way to answer Behavioral Interview Questions is to use the STAR format.
Buying a franchise is a great way to reinvent your career, find new satisfaction and higher annual earnings.
When shopping for a franchise, too often people tend to sell themselves short. Instead of finding value in skills gained over the course of a career, they focus on the lack of direct experience in a particular business sector, say retail sales or temporary staffing.
But you don’t want to eliminate opportunities before you have even begun to investigate.
The key is to keep your mind open to possibilities you may never before have considered and inventory your skills to get a truly accurate read on your experience.
Think about all the different skills acquired over a lifetime, both on the job and off.
For example, a plant manager increasingly frustrated at work feared his skills managing a large manufacturing plant with a unionized work force would not easily transfer to franchise ownership. But as he began his research, he realized his experience motivating employees sometimes resistant to instructions, meeting deadlines and working on tight budgets would serve him well. He eventually opened five locations of a fitness franchise and has been enjoying his new profitable career for five years.
Likewise, managing a household develops expertise in a range of areas, including leadership training (PTA), party planning, catering, household systems management and scheduling. Many a successful franchisee started as a homemaker.
Remember, when it comes to franchises, the companies provide extensive training and support to help you transfer your skills to a new business. What you want to have are skills compatible with the new business that will enable you to soar.
We recommend you consult a franchise coach to help you winnow down your list of potential franchises, but first consider the following skills as you do a personal inventory.
If you got the phone interview, you are just a few minutes away from getting the face-to-face interview--IF you handle those few minutes well. Think about your phone interview in a fresh way and stand out from everyone else they talk to and get your face-to-face interview!
No matter what job you do--technical, administrative, education, operations, manufacturing, data-based, marketing, or sales--the process of getting the job is basically a sales process. You are the 'product' that's for sale, or hire; the hiring manager, or interviewer, is the 'customer'. In this analogy, you are also the sales rep, because you are convincing that hiring manager, or employer, to buy your product (hire you for the job).
If your job search is like a sales process, interviews are like sales calls. If you look at what successful sales reps do to sell their products, and apply at least some of those principles to your job search and interviews, you will be successful in 'selling' yourself for the job.
Here is a great article to help you from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter. Mark gives you outstanding phone sales tips to use when contacting customers that work very well for also speaking with hiring managers (or Human Resources) in your phone interviews.
I have posted the article in its entirety, but I have italicized the tips that will be most useful and effective for you:
Should I use a paid LinkedIn account? I'm asked this question all the time when I'm at networking events and presentations. My answer used to be NO. Now LinkedIn has introduced a new premium account that is affordable. SPOTLIGHT: LinkedIn has developed a new Premium account for its users. The cost is under $10.00 a month less if you purchase it yearly, the rate drops to $7.99 a month!
Be prepared for your phone interview and get invited to the face-to-face!
Here are phone interview questions you'll likely be asked, along with the best phone interview answers:
Tell me about yourself. Don't fall into the trap of thinking it's a social question to break the ice. It isn't. All your answers should relate to the job.
Walk me through your resume. Hit the highlights...education, jobs that contributed to your fit for this one that you're interviewing for.
Why are you interested in this job? Relate it to your skills and what you can do for them: "It's a perfect fit because of X, Y, and Z."
Have you ever felt like your age was holding you back in your job search?
If you are over 40 (not to mention 50 or 60), age discrimination could be keeping you from getting hired. It's almost impossible to prove, but it still happens. And it's not just frustrating--it's threatening to your career and the quality of your life.
No matter how old you are, you deserve to get the job you want and are qualified for. To make sure that happens, I am putting together a free webinar with Bobby Edelman, founder of Interns Over 40. (If you haven't seen his website, you need to.) Bobby is a true expert on the issues older job seekers face, as well as the solutions that work.
In this webinar, we are going to teach you simple, easy tips that anyone can use to overcome the 5 biggest biases against ‘Over 40’ job seekers.
These strategies and tips go way beyond ‘dye your hair’ and ‘leave the dates off your resume’.You will learn smart, powerful, and PROVEN strategies to:
Overcome the 5 biggest biases that get in your way
Write your strongest resume ever (and eliminate age-related problems)
Get more interviews than ever before (with great companies)
Impress them so much in the interview they’ll BEG to hire you
You can’t afford to job search without this information!
After you register, you will receive a free podcast:Guide to Getting a Job After 50. You get more gifts at the webinar! Not to mention strategies and tools that will change your life.
You don't have the perfect background or quite enough experience?
You don't stand out as the "wow" candidate?
You get lots of interviews, but no offers?
The easiest and best way to get past those very common obstacles is towrite a 30-60-90-day plan and bring it to your interview--that's the straightforward, honest truth. It works if you're a brand-new graduate and it works if you're a seasoned veteran of your career.
I've used it myself (and got 5 offers the last time I was in the job search) and I've had my candidates use it for years--because it gets them hired.
Once you use one of these plans, you will never go to another interview without one. They're that good.
We have a ton of information about 30-60-90-day plans on this blog you can use to write one, but here are two to start with:
Or, if you want to just cut to the chase and get it done (or even if you just need the confidence of an expert who's got your back), check out our 30-60-90-day plan samples and templates that come with all my tips and tricks for writing and presenting these plans. You will be very comfortable using this tool in an interview. You have two options:
30-60-90-Day Action Plans for everyone else (people always ask if these plans are worth it if you're not in sales, but actually they're even more impressive outside of sales jobs)
These plans really do work. You will communicate better and sell yourself for the job.
They give you an enormous boost over "you don't have enough experience."
They polish you so that you outshine every other candidate.
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q5 -- Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q13 -- How can you apply your specific skills to help the organization achieve sustainable growth and generate revenues?
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q14 -- How to Answer Interview Questions - Q2 -- How did you deal with the situation the last time your boss chastised you or strongly or disagreed with a statement, a plan or a decision you made?
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q29 -- I noticed that you are applying for a position that is not as senior as you past positions. Why would you consider a job that is, in effect, a demotion for you?
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q37 -- Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss about a way that something should be done. How did you handle that?
How to Answer Interview Questions - Q101 -- Why would you accept a lesser salary than what you made before? (Won’t you jump ship when a better offer comes along?)
Click to expand question sets, then click individual questions to read the post.
Think about job interviews. You’re so thrilled when you get the call. The interview prep work is exciting because you’re getting to know what you hope is your new company. You get your resume, your brag book, and your 30-60-90-day plan all lined out, and you choose what to wear. You map out the route and get there a healthy few minutes early. You greet your interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake, and then you start The Conversation.
Everything hinges on your job interview questions and answers. Your answers are THE major deciding factor in whether or not you get asked back for a second interview or get the job offer. Not to worry…Career Confidential is here to help.
I am thrilled to announce that we are launching a new blog article series: How to Answer Interview Questions.
In fact, we are publishing 101 job interview questions and answers in a brand new, open-access series for you. These are typical but tough interview questions that most candidates are asked at some point in their interview process. We will tell you how to answer just about every interview question possible…from the most common standard interview questions to the weird, “personality” interview questions.
But we’re not just giving you the answer to parrot...I don't want you to sound like someone who Googled “how to answer interview questions.” (Although I will give you ideas.)
Job Interview Questions and Answers
Would you like some free training on How to Answer Interview Questions?
I’m going to address one question per article and coach you through how to approach your answer strategically and construct the best answer possible FOR YOU.
I’ll tell you things like:
What hiring managers are REALLY asking with each question...
How to think strategically about your best answer.
What kinds of things you should always include in your answer.
Some sample job interview answers to get you started.
Without a doubt, this series is unlike anything you've ever seen before. My entire 15+ years of experience in sales, management, recruiting, and career coaching is behind every answer.
By the time you absorb 101 questions and answers, you will:
It's all just one part of Career Confidential's mission to transform you into the top candidate for the job. We want you to get the job you want fast. Please explore our site to see everything we have to offer to get you to your goal.
Not getting our newsletter yet? Sign up below to get Peggy’s best tips.
Did you know that employers are listening for certain words, phrases, and concepts in your interview answers? If you don’t say what they want to hear, you won’t get the job.
In this webinar, you will learn perfect interview answers you can adapt for any job in any field.
These answers are the “magic words” that will unlock job offers for you. You will learn:
Perfect answers for the 4 most common interview questions
How to make them want to offer you the job
How to relieve the hiring manager’s 4 secret fears about you
An interview technique that will make them beg to hire you
Don’t go to another interview without this information! Register Here
HOW TO WRITE A 306090 DAY PLAN - These do take some work to research and put together, but the investment you make in time and effort is going to pay off big for you in terms of money and job offers
read more...
st tell you it's on hold and then you don't hear anything more.
lant with a unionized work force would not easily transfer to franchise ownership. But as he began his research, he realized his experience motivating employees sometimes resistant to instructions, meeting deadlines and working on tight budgets would serve him well. He eventually opened five locations of a fitness franchise and has been enjoying his new profitable career for five years.
Can’t get past the first interview?
Be prepared for your phone interview and get invited to the face-to-face!
What People are Saying