If you’ve been interviewing lately, you’ve probably gotten accustomed to rounds of phone interviews.
But there are times when you should move the phone interview to a different location, or pick another time when you have more control over your environment. So when should you move or reschedule?
Windshield Time, NOT Phone Interview Time
Drive time is not serious phone interview time. If this is a conversation with a hiring manager, best to reschedule.
There’s nothing quite as nice as trying to carry on a conversation through a wind tunnel. Besides, how can you take notes during the interview?
If you must interview when you’re on the road, pull over and park the car so you can concentrate.
Airport Time, NOT Phone Interview Time
You’ve got to love the loud airport announcements. Nothing you can do will prevent them from disrupting a call.
Look, you’re busy traveling, but it’s best to interview in an environment where you can carry out a natural conversation. Airport announcements aren’t helping your cause.
Restaurant Time, NOT Phone Interview Time
Music from the restaurant, the low hum of voices, the clattering of dishes: noisy environments aren’t the best places for phone interviews.
- Do you want the person at the next table hearing about your biggest weakness?
- Do you think they should know about your compensation?
Skip interviewing at the restaurant.
Family Time, NOT Phone Interview Time
If your children run in and scream during an interview, you may not get the job. Employers like to know you can cut yourself off from distractions so you can produce results.
Prime Office Time, NOT Phone Interview Time
If you take a phone interview at the office, you may be compromising your job search. If your boss or a colleague finds out you’re looking, you may have to find a job on their timeline rather than your own. Keeping your search separate from your employer’s time and systems is one of the basics of running an organized search.
Walk outside, go to a conference room on your lunch break, or find a private place to take the call. Even better, schedule it for when you’re not expected in the office. Make the most of client visits, home office time, and time zone differences.
Control the Environment
If you’re taking your job search seriously, interview where you can:
- Take notes and concentrate
- Keep background noise to a minimum
- Be free of distractions and interruptions
Pick places where you control the noise and the interruptions. Leave nothing to chance, and you’ll find yourself one step closer to the job you want.
And once you graduate from phone rounds to camera rounds, here are five keys to nailing the video interview.
Phone rounds are just the start; the rest of the process is in the complete sales interview preparation guide.
