So, in the not-too-distant past, employers typically only used telephone interviews to screen job applicants and narrow their candidate pool. Then, fast-forward to a world-wide pandemic, and what happened? Employers had to rethink their selection process, and subsequently, many have now changed the objective of their telephone interviews. Lets look at four of those changes. You see, some telephone interviews have resulted in one or more of the following:
- The Telephone Interview Serving as the Backup for a Virtual Interview. Employers and job applicants alike were forced to transition quickly from in-person to remote operations. In some cases, the process has been just as much of an adjustment for interviewers as it has been for interviewees. In some cases, candidates may not have a strong Internet connection. So, some employers have graciously agreed to conduct some interviews via telephone instead of video to avoid the distraction and stress of a poor Internet connection.
- A multi-Stage Selection Process based on Several Telephone-Interviews. Some employers have now transitioned each stage of their interview process to a telephone based process. So, that means that the employer now uses a telephone screen; telephone interview to identify their top two or three candidates; and also, a culture fit telephone interview.
- The Telephone Interview Determining the Final Selection Decision. With the current pandemic, in-person interviewing has largely gone by the wayside. So, many employers have inverted the selection process and moved the telephone interview to the end…inverting their selection process which pivots the telephone interview from the screening-only stage to the selection decision stage. So, your performance during a follow-up telephone interview, after a virtual interview, could play a key role in your landing a job offer or not.
- Telephone Screening Interview Being Eliminated. This forced pivot has caused some employers to eliminate the telephone screening stage. Instead, they may now rely more heavily on applicants’ responses to pre-screen questions asked as a part of the application process; a personality assessment test; or presentation in lieu of a telephone screening interview. Subsequently, this has enabled them to move directly into the true selection stage using their first telephone interview.
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So, approach your next telephone interview with a mindset trained on the newly-created objectives and you will win.
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