Do you fear that phone interview?

As so many law students are preparing to take the bar exam this week, I thought that this article from the recent ABA eJournal would give them a heads-up regarding phone interviews.

The tips and suggestions offered use just plain common sense to any job seeker, not just to veteran attorneys looking to make the jump from “Big Law” to “Going Solo.”

To the recruiter, phone interviews are just one more way to streamline the process of finding and hiring the right person for the job.

FROM THE JULY 2007 ABA JOURNAL:
Dialing Up the Next Job:
The future may be calling, so don't get hung up on phone interviews
By Hope Viner Samborn

Among other nifty tips and suggestions, author Hope Viner Samborn recommends that job seekers:

PREPARE AS IF YOU’LL BE THERE

She also recommends that job applicants take notes—normally inappropriate in person but extremely helpful in a telephone interview. Conducting the interview in a quiet space is also key. “You’ll kick yourself until Tuesday if the baby sitter knocks on the door or the dog wanted to go out,” … “Turn off the radio and the TV,” … If you have a noisy dog, don’t do it at home. Do it where you can concentrate.”… Nor should a job applicant jump to do a phone interview whenever a prospective employer calls. “You need to be prepared. ” … “You want to show that you are flattered, but it doesn’t mean you have to do it right then just because that is when they called.”…“You can’t be on a StairMaster talking to a senior partner and make the impression you want to make,” . . .Job seekers should prepare for a telephone interview the same way that they would for any other interview. Study the employer carefully and review company or law firm Web sites.

Click here to read the entire article.

http://www.abanet.org/journal/ereport/jy20ca.html

The tips and suggestions work in other situations where the phone presence is critical.

For sure, I have learned so much.