The first telephone interview is crucial! A candidate's voice, pace, intonation, and demeanor on the phone will tell you a lot about him or her. These are all clues that you must know how to read, translate and interpret in order to gain time and efficiency during your recruitment process.
Tip #1: Always keep in mind that the stakes of this phone call are high!
After having written the job offer, received and sorted the applications, the telephone interview with the profiles that interest you is the second step of the recruitment process. It is crucial because it will allow you to refine your selection until you find your ideal recruit. Be careful: if you use this time to judge the candidate, he or she will also take the opportunity to scan you. It can happen that you like a candidate, that you want to continue with him/her, but that he/she doesn't want to after the telephone interview, because you didn't know how to get the right messages across. It is up to you to be persuasive in order to stand out from the crowd and distinguish yourself from the competition.
Tip #2: Determine the type of call you want to make.
There are two type of interviews : The first concernsfixed-term contracts or temporary assignments. The idea is to quickly review with the candidate the essential data of the contract: his or her expectations and yours in terms of assignments, compensation and job profile. The candidate will judge you on your ability to listen, your motivation to get him/her to join your company and your level of discourse (simplicity, efficiency, respect, cordiality).
The second type of phone call concerns longer contracts, long renewable fixed-term contracts, the permanent employment, internal mobility. The telephone interview will be longer and more in-depth, and will address in detail the points mentioned above. You are betting big because you are betting on the long term: so pay close attention to the image the candidate will give you, to your feelings as well as to your judgment, both on the form and the substance of his or her answers. However, never lose sight of the fact that the candidate will also judge you with the same criteria.
Tip #3: Get the timing right to recontact the candidate
Be responsive! If you think you've found the ideal candidate by reading his or her CV, don't delay in contacting him or her: it is highly likely that your competitors will also spot him or her. The first recruiter to come forward has a favorable psychological bonus from the candidate. But don't be too hasty either, as this can create a feeling of mistrust. It's important to balance things out: don't call back within an hour of the candidate's response to your offer. Take the time to prepare and mature the call. But don't call back three days later either: it may be too late. Ideally, you should contact them the day after they respond to your offer or send their unsolicited application.
Tip #4: Show the candidate your desire to meet with them.
During this first telephone contact, remember that beyond the relevance of what is said, your tone and voice say a lot about you and your company. Be yourself, spontaneous and natural, but try to infuse your voice with a dynamic and lively quality that will show the candidate your desire to recruit him/her. Don't speak too quickly, be calm, but efficient and keep the rhythm, don't let the awkward blanks set in, hence the importance of preparing this moment well beforehand. Try never to lose the attention of your interlocutor. You are the narrator of his future, make him want to know more, to go to the end of the adventure, without emphasis but with an infectious enthusiasm. Make him feel, too, that you know who he is and that you like it. Be careful not to express any negative feelings in your voice: impatience or boredom. Show them that you have made this call a priority: don't let your other phone ring every 5 minutes, don't answer your emails at the same time, don't do anything else but this call.
Tip #5: Stay consistent with the tone of your job posting
This will give the candidate a sense of security and reliability. They will feel that you say what you do and do what you say, which is crucial. The tone of your interview, like that of your ad, must resonate with your employer brand. It must be consistent with your values, your team spirit, your collective, your concern for the well-being of your employees at work, etc. You must give the same assurances to your candidate, and be able to tell your interviewer exactly what your expectations, possibilities and limits are.
Tip #6: Explain the rest of the recruitment process to help them plan ahead
At the end of the phone interview, take the time to thank the candidate, and then outline the rest of the process: pay special attention to this last step, as it is the last and strongest impression you will leave with the candidate. Candidates need to have a clear idea of the recruitment process in order to be able to project themselves into the position. This allows you to give them a sense of strategy and a common vision, and thus to engage them in their mission with you.
Give your interviewee a concrete overview of the upcoming job interview, indicating that you are open to their questions. Explain what your selection criteria will be, and you can ask them what their criteria will be, in order to put them on an equal footing in the game. This will give you some ideas on how to succeed in the job interview, by making highly personalized proposals and standing out from the crowd.
In addition to the job interview, discuss with him/her the terms of his/her integration into the company, his/her department, his/her trial period, his/her possible training period, etc. Talking about a less immediate future, beyond the interview, will also make it easier for them to project themselves.
Are you experiencing difficulties in recruiting? Don't wait any longer to get help! A specialized recruitment agency can make the big difference between a successful hire and a failed (or abandoned) hire.
If you are looking for profiles in tension, Molitor International Conseil is the partner you need. Discover our recruitment solutions to find the one that meets your needs !
