| Do you conduct a large number of phone interviews? | | | | skills? With what kind of resources and team? Over |
| Do you struggle to find the ideal candidate? Is it | | | | what kind of timeline? Questions such as these will |
| challenging find the right questions for candidates? If | | | | help predict on-the-job success and performance. |
| you have answered yes to any of these questions, | | | | 3. Work through a real problem or skill demonstration |
| then you're not alone. While phone interviews are an | | | | While it's true that past performance is a good |
| effective way to weed out unqualified candidates, if | | | | indicator of future performance, sometimes nothing |
| you don't have a proper plan of action, then it can | | | | beats present performance (like a live demo of a skill |
| hinder your hiring process. | | | | or a real-time problem-solving exercise). If possible, |
| This is especially true if you're looking to fill a | | | | identify a tech challenge that your successful hire will |
| technology-based position. Tech positions are often | | | | likely face on the job and nothing that requires an |
| very specialized and cannot be filled by just any | | | | intimate understanding of your business, processes, |
| candidate. Thus a phone interview becomes very | | | | resources, or culture. But something that a top |
| critical in your search process, saving time and money. | | | | candidate should be able to tackle successfully. Ask |
| 1. Focus on the deal breakers | | | | them what they'd do first, how they'd do it, why they'd |
| Start by creating a list of deal breakers - Items that will | | | | do it that way instead of this way, what they'd do if |
| immediately disqualify candidates that lack the basic | | | | they ran into this kind of problem, and who they'd |
| requirements of the position. In general, the focus of a | | | | involve if this happened. |
| phone screen is to weed out the unqualified | | | | 4. Screen for job fit and motivation |
| technology applicants so that you invest time with | | | | In a struggling economy, there's a greater risk of |
| onsite interviewees who are your top candidates and | | | | "foot-in-the-door" applicants; people who just want or |
| most likely to get offers. While it may be nice to know, | | | | need "a job." Generally, we want and need people |
| "Where do you want to be in 5 years?" that's | | | | who are naturally motivated to do this type and level |
| generally not where you should focus during the phone | | | | of work. So be sure to dig into why they loved past |
| screen. Instead, you'll want to ensure each candidate | | | | jobs and what they hope to find if they join your |
| you pass on to the onsite interview has the required | | | | company (ask this before you tell them all about your |
| capabilities, meets your salary and eligibility | | | | culture and resources). Then compare their responses |
| requirements, and genuinely wants to do this type and | | | | to your offering. Is it a good, honest match? |
| level of work. | | | | 5. Protect your employment brand |
| 2. Get examples of related accomplishments | | | | Just because there may be hundreds of applicants for |
| Responsibilities, years of experience, technologies, and | | | | every opening you have, don't forget that you build |
| credentials should be reviewed. But, ultimately you | | | | your employment brand - your reputation as an |
| should focus on candidates who have already | | | | employer- one candidate at a time. Even though you |
| accomplished goals that the new position includes. | | | | may be in the driver's seat, treat every candidate with |
| Placing more emphasis toward on-the-job skill usage | | | | respect. Follow the basics: start your phone interviews |
| and job-specific accomplishments will ultimately yield | | | | on time, ask fair, relevant questions, let them ask you a |
| better candidates. What have they delivered? To | | | | few questions, and always follow up. |
| what kind of customer? Using what technology and | | | | |