Hey, what's up?
I'm Miguel, and I have a phone interview coming up
in a couple of minutes.
I've got to be honest, I used to hate phone interviews.
I always thought I came off a little awkwardly
and just never felt great about it by the end.
Then, I did enough of them and start
to pick up on some really helpful practices that
changed my whole approach.
Now, I actually look forward to jumping
on the phone for an interview.
In this video, you'll get a front row seat
to how I prepare a few tools that can make a difference,
and you'll see an example interview from start to finish.
Our goal is to help you nail the first step in the interview
process and ensure you have a better shot at getting
to the next round.
This is Job Science.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
You really want to be seated upright or standing somewhere
bright, quiet, and not too comfy,
the bedroom, the kitchen, whatever works best for you
at home setup.
Now, it's essential to do your homework before any interview.
Even if it feels like just a phone call,
it's still a real interview and you should treat it that way.
If you're not prepared, it could be
a waste of everyone's time, especially yours.
So I'm going to get myself familiar with the company
and learn as much as I can about the role.
The title description might match what I'm doing now,
but there are likely some differences too.
This will also help you consider what the hiring manager is
looking for and prep your responses
to their potential questions.
It should also inspire some questions of your own,
which is just as important.
I like to put together a cheat sheet with some of my own notes
about my own work history and accomplishments,
plus what I want to ask them about.
Now, the beauty of the phone call
is that nobody can see your notes.
I like to keep them simple like short bullets and short hand,
so I can reference and improvise a little.
If you're reading pre-written statements out loud,
it will likely sound that way.
And the recruiter will notice.
Now, before we move on, we love to know, what do you write
on your interview cheat sheet?
Let us know in the comments below.
And if you find this video helpful so far, please
get like, subscribe, and click the notification bell
to get the latest career tips from Indeed.
Now, I mentioned earlier to do the call wherever
makes the most sense for you.
I also recommend you wear headphones.
This will allow you to both hear and sound better
to the recruiter while freeing up your hands to jot
down or quietly type notes.
If you don't have headphones, you can always
put your phone on speaker.
Speaking of the phone, looks like the recruiter is calling.
OK.
Let's do this.
[EXHALES] Wish me luck.
Hi, this is Miguel.
Hi, Miguel.
It's Sandra from TRG.
Hey, Sandra.
How are you doing?
I'm good.
Thanks for your interest in working with us.
So I have your resume here, but do you
want to start by telling me why you're
interested in this position?
Sure.
So I've been working in customer service
pretty much since I started at the local hardware store
as a teenager.
I really like working with people
and helping them solve whatever challenges they're facing.
I'm a good listener.
And it, sometimes, takes a lot of patience,
but that comes pretty naturally to me.
It's a big part of my current role at SCB Media where
I'm usually onboarding our new customers
or walking our existing ones through the latest updates.
It requires strong people skills and technical understanding.
I see.
Well, you certainly sound pretty confident and experienced
in this field.
OK.
So we're off to a pretty good start.
But what I'm realizing is that I talked a lot about myself
and what I'm good at, but I didn't really
answer her question.
I also maybe rambled a bit because I was nervous.
Recruiters typically have limited time
and want to make sure they get enough questions answered
in order to evaluate whether you're a good fit.
Try to remember that sometimes less is more.
OK.
Let's try that one again.
So I have your resume here, but do you
want to start by telling me why you're
interested in this position?
Well, to be honest, I've been following your company
for a while now.
And I've been really impressed with your offering.
Your designs look really premium,
but also like they're easy for your average entrepreneur
to tweak.
My current role at SCB Media, I onboard new customers
and walk existing ones through the latest product updates.
It requires strong people skills and technical understanding.
So I'm excited for the opportunity
to use these skills to help people
grow their own businesses.
OK.
I think that was better.
I was more direct about why I'm interested and shared
a little bit about myself without overloading her.
That's great to hear.
Yes, a big part of our mission is to make it simple and easy
for entrepreneurs to get their businesses online
and public facing.
So what do you know about the role so far?
So this is a bit of a double edged question.
And that she's likely trying to figure out how much she has
to explain to me about the job.
But she's also trying to get a sense of whether I've
done my homework.
Fortunately, I have, which will make this step of the call
smoother for both of us.
So I took a close look at the job description
and it sounds like the main focus is helping customers
learn the software and giving them the tools
and confidence to eventually navigate
the UI all by themselves.
It reminds me a lot what I'm already doing at SCB
and should play right into my strengths and passions.
I'm also a fast learner and enjoy the technical challenge
of learning a new platform, and then
helping others understand it.
Great.
That all sounds pretty good.
Can you share what your salary requirements might be?
I know.
I know the money question is super awkward for everybody.
Fortunately, this isn't the actual negotiation.
Why?
Because I don't have the job yet.
Until then, the recruiters are just
trying to figure out whether my salary expectations align
with their approved range for the role.
It's fine to deflect a little.
In fact, I recommend only sharing a range or better yet,
asking the recruiter for their range.
For more tips on negotiating the salary you deserve,
we have another video, which you can check out here.
OK.
Let's respond.
Well, Sandra.
I'm really excited about the opportunity,
and I'm open to being flexible.
What salary do you have allocated for the right person?
I believe we have between 40 and 50k
allotted for this role and a great benefits
package, some cool perks like extended PTO and summer
Fridays.
Cool.
That sounds about right in the terms
of the range I'm looking for.
Great.
So if we were able to move forward,
when do you think you'd be able to start?
I think two weeks max for me to transition would do it.
Great.
And that's totally to be expected.
Well, it's been really nice chatting with you, Miguel.
Do you have any questions for me?
Yeah, me too.
Yeah.
Let me think for a second.
Now, sometimes even when an interview is going well,
you can still draw a blank.
It happens to everyone.
Don't forget your cheat sheet and lean on it for support.
And keep in mind that a recruiter isn't the hiring
manager and likely won't be as knowledgeable
about this specific role.
It's smart to ask broader questions
at this stage about the company's culture and values.
Well, to be honest, I don't personally
know anyone who has ever worked out TRG.
So I am curious about what the company culture is like
and how people feel about working there.
That's a great question.
We're known for being a very collaborative and inclusive
company.
There's a recent social post from our CEO
that went viral where she took a big stand on how corporations
need to promote diversity in the workplace.
And she makes it clear to keep an open door
policy to all employees to share their ideas.
I've noticed that I help the people get hired
and that they tend to stick around for a long time.
That tells me they're pretty happy here.
I like the sound of that.
So what qualities are you looking for in the person
you hire for this job?
Well, we're looking for someone who
has strong people skills, solid technical expertise,
and an ability to juggle multiple accounts.
Ultimately, we want somebody who can be a good teacher,
especially to our new customers who typically need help
with the onboarding process.
You said you were a patient guy, and that's definitely
a necessity for this role.
Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with me today, Miguel.
We'll be in touch soon.
Awesome.
Thank you so much, Sandra.
I'm looking forward to it.
Have a great day.
You too.
Bye.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right.
So I think that went pretty well.
I could have done a little bit more company research
beforehand, so that I could have been the one to bring up
the CEO's viral posts.
But no real harm done.
You may not have noticed, but I did a couple of subtle things.
First, I smiled while talking.
This may sound pointless over the phone,
but you'd be surprised about how much the warmth
and friendliness comes through.
Now remember, the interview may be over,
but it isn't really over yet.
You have 24 hours to send a concise, polite follow-up
email thanking the recruiter for their time.
If you have more to share or further questions,
this is your opportunity to follow up with those as well.
Let them know you'll be readily available for any follow-up
questions or calls.
If you follow all of these steps to the best of your ability,
hopefully, you're on your way to the next round,
which is often a video call with the hiring manager.
If you found this video helpful, make
sure you hit the like button down below,
subscribe to our channel over here, and, of course,
hit the notification bell.
So you don't miss out on our weekly tips.
For more interview prep right now, I
recommend checking out this playlist up here.
And if you're wondering what never to say in an interview,
we got you covered with this video right here.
Trust me.
It's good stuff.
See you next time.