TRAP_April15.qxp_The Retail Appointment 25/03/2015 15:01 Page 9
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ith the high volume and fast pace of
recruitment, telephone interviews
are a large part of retailers’ hiring
processes these days so it’s vital that you
know how to handle them. This is a chance
for the recruiter to find out whether you’re
serious about your application and whether or
not to take you to the next stage.
W
This is a chance for you to show your
competence, enthusiasm for the job and
personality in order to persuade the recruiter
to invite you in for a face-to-face interview.
Be prepared at all times!
Most of the time, phone interviews will be
scheduled so you should have ample
opportunity to prepare, but if you’re looking for
a job, every time the phone rings you have to
be prepared for the possibility that it might be
a potential employer.
over-familiar.
Try these tricks
Control your environment
It may surprise you how much can impact
your voice and how you come across on the
phone. For example, some people like to
dress smartly for a telephone interview as they
feel more professional and this can come
across to the interviewer. Smiling has also
been proven to change how people come
across on the phone for the better.
Make sure that, when the recruiter calls, you’re
in a quiet place with no distractions, where
you know you’ll get good signal if you’re on a
mobile and have a copy of your CV as well as
a pen and paper to hand in order to make
notes. Keep pets and small children out of the
room where possible and turn off the TV.
Many people find talking on the
phone harder than face-to-face.
It’s tricky to judge the other
person’s mood and the general
tone of the conversation wi ѡ