Whenever your first contact with an employer is by telephone, always be sure to be courteous to whoever answers the phone. Support staffs are often the people who decide whether calls should be put through, and in today's leaner, customer-service-oriented companies, it is not uncommon for supervisors themselves to answer the phone.
One trick for calling difficult-to-reach executives is to try early in the morning or after 5:00 P.M. These are typically hours when managers are at work but their secretaries are not, so the person you wish to speak to is more likely to answer. In general, it's best to make calls in the morning when people are alert and not yet immersed in the day's events.
- The first rule of telephone etiquette is to be prepared. Know whom you want to speak to and what you want to say. You may want to practice your presentation, but try not to sound too rehearsed when you finally place your call. Make sure you clear away any distractions. Crying children in the background, loud lawnmowers, or kitchen noise will detract from your professionalism. Set a goal for the phone call, such as obtaining an interview appointment or establishing an initial contact.
- Ask politely but authoritatively for the person you want to reach. If you sound hesitant or unsure of yourself, you may have more difficulty getting past the secretary. If you were referred by a mutual contact, give that person's name to the secretary to help ensure that your call is put through.
- If the secretary tells you the person you wish to reach is unavailable, offer to call back. Often executives won't return unsolicited calls from job hunters. Ask the secretary to recommend a good time for you to try again. After a few tries, you might try leaving a message. State your first and last name, the reason you're calling, your phone number, and the best time to reach you. Don't be personally insulted if your call is not returned. This is often standard operating procedure. By being polite, persistent and calling again, your efforts may eventually be rewarded.
Most likely you will be aiming for an in-person meeting, so you needn't insist on an extensive telephone interview. Hiring decisions are rarely, if ever, made over the phone. Ask for an interview by saying something like this: "I've enjoyed speaking with you. Is there a convenient time we could get together and talk further in person?" If the person suggests you first send in your resume, agree to put one in the mail and attempt again to set up a time for a follow-up meeting. If the response is still negative, thank the individual for talking with you and say you will send the resume and will follow up with another call in a week or so, after he or she has had time to review it.
Make sure you keep a list of whom, you've called, when you called, and what the next action is to be. Calling back when you say you will is an easy way of demonstrating to an employer that you are serious about a position and that you are dependable.
How to Handle Interview Stress
Many people consider a job interview one of life's most stiff events. Some become so overwhelmed that they sabotage their own success. If you feel overly threatened by a job interview, try the exercise described in the following sections.
Put Things into Perspective
Some people place so much importance on each interview that the pressure to succeed becomes crippling. When you catch yourself thinking terrifying thoughts that start with the word "if," stop and redirect yourself. ‘If’ thoughts have a tendency to pile up and weigh you down.
For example, a nonproductive train of thought might proceed this way: "If I don't do well at this interview, I'll be so disappointed. I'll never have the confidence to do well at another interview" or "If I don't land this job, my parents (spouse, friends) will think I'm such a failure. How will I pay for the rent (car, mortgage)?" These thoughts are self-defeating and negative. They also tend to focus on the future, which you can't control, at the expense of the present, which you can control.
Instead of terrorizing yourself with such thoughts, be your own best friend. Say nothing to yourself that you wouldn't say to a good friend to whom you were trying to lend confidence. Say everything to yourself that you'd say to a friend who needed a little extra support going into a stressful situation.
Sweaty Palms Are Not a Crime
Sometimes, even though you can calm your stressful thoughts, your body will not cooperate. Sweaty palms, a nervous stomach, and a dry mouth are symptoms occasionally felt by nervous job hunters everywhere. Don't let this physical discomfort throw you. Try a few relaxation techniques.
- Use nature's original relaxation device: the sigh. Allow yourself a few huge sighs and notice how tension leaves your body.
- Focus on your breathing. Even while sitting in a waiting room, you can take long, slow, deep breaths. If you have the opportunity, close your eyes, sit comfortably, and imagine that your breath has a color. In your mind's eye, watch for a few minutes as you breathe in and out of your nose. The resulting deep breaths will prevent you from focusing on nervous thoughts while relaxing your muscles and oxygenating your brain. (Try it now and see.)
- Slowly tense and release each muscle group in your body sequentially. Start with your toes and work up to your head. Some people also imagine their body as a vessel filled with warm sunshine.
- Bookstores and libraries offer many books on ways to relax. If you need to, do some research to find a few tricks that work for you.
Hide Your Nervousness
All interviewers expect interviewees to be at least a little nervous when they come in, but you don't want your nervous actions to detract from your appearance and the impression you make. By becoming aware of the nervous signals you unconsciously give off, you'll be able to eliminate them and have better interviews. See if you find yourself exhibiting any of these behaviors.
- Playing with your hair
- Wringing your hands
- Cracking your knuckles
- Clearing your throat
- Tugging at your ear
- Playing with your jewelry
- Touching your neck
- Picking or pinching your skin
- Jingling money in your pocket
- Covering your mouth with your hands when you speak
- Tapping your hands or feet
- Swiveling in your chair
Once you've identified the ways in which your anxiety manifests itself, you can focus on eliminating these tendencies, continuing to practice your interview skills at home. The best remedy, however, is simply obtaining as many interviews as you can, even for jobs in which you may not be that interested. The real-world practice you'll receive from these interviews will enable you to perfect your presentation, gain self-confidence, and eventually minimize, if not altogether eliminate, your feelings of anxiety.
