Answering the Call to Schedule an Interview
As soon as you mail the first resume or respond to the first classified ad, you have to act as if every call you get is an employer asking to schedule a job interview. You probably listed your home telephone as the contact number on your resume. If you are away from the house when calls from employers may come in, make sure they are handled professionally:
Make sure the greeting on your answering machine or voice mail is clear and professional. Something simple is best: “You’ve reached the home of John JobSeeker. Please leave your message at the tone, with a convenient time at which I can call you back. I will return your call within 24-hours. Thank you.”
Ask others who may be home during the day to adopt a cordial and business-like voice in answering the telephone. Leave a script near the phone if necessary.
Do not let young children answer the telephone.
Leave a notepad and pencil or pen by the phone to write down messages.
Use call forwarding to forward calls to your cell phone or another telephone if you will be available to answer calls at the second number.
As soon as the caller introduces themselves and ask to schedule the interview thank them for inviting you for an interview.
Keep your calendar with you at all times in order to quickly check your availability. Never ask if you can call back later.
Ask about the interview format: “”With whom will I be meeting?” “How long should I plan to be at your office?” “What would you like me to bring along, in addition to copies of my resume?”
Ask the caller to spell their name, and the names of the people you will be meeting with.
Ask for explicit directions to the location of the interview, or for a Web address of driving directions and a map.
Before hanging up, repeat the agreed time and date to the caller to confirm what you have written down.
Thank the caller and tell them you are looking forward to the interview.
As soon as you hang-up the telephone, enter the appointment into your appointment calendar.
