Seven Tips for Getting the Phone to Ring for a Job Interview

Getting a job is a full-time job in itself. Crafting a killer resume, finding qualified job leads and sending that killer resume to the right people are just some of the steps to getting an interview. What if you are sending out lots of resumes and the phone isn’t ringing with interested employers? Here are seven ways job seekers unwittingly sabotage their own job search and what you can do to get the phone to ring.

1. Boiler-plate resumes. Human Resources Directors and hiring managers are getting hundreds of resumes for each job. After awhile, it is easy to spot those that came from a template off a website and which ones were crafted with some thought and originality. Using a template is fine to be sure you have all the essential resume elements, but just plugging in your name and using the template wording won’t “pop” and create some excitement.

2. The “Spaghetti against the Wall” Technique.” One of your target or “A” List companies may have several jobs available. The temptation is to just send in your resume for all of them. Take a moment to think how that looks to a hiring manager who gets four consecutive emails for four different positions from the same person. And, it’s the exact same resume! The applicant now looks indecisive and desperate—not great qualities in a prospective employee.

3. The “Generic” Resume. Employers like to know that they are special and doing some homework on the company, their culture, values, products, history and using some of this information in your cover letter conveys that message. Resumes need customization…they should be written to match your skills and experience with the job requirements in a job posting. Make it easy for an employer to make the connection between you and the position, prompting them to make a call.

4. Outdated Information. People change cell phones and email addresses like socks. An employer can’t contact you if your email address or cell phone number isn’t correct. And it should be yours…not your mother’s or boy(girl) friend’s number. You MUST have a cell phone number and email address; otherwise, you look like a dinosaur in today’s wireless world. Get a free email from Hotmail.com or Yahoo.com or some of the other free sources. At the very least, get a prepaid cell phone for the duration of your job search and use it exclusively for contact with potential employers.

5. A Rude or Unclear Voice Mail Message. You may have already had some inquiries, but if a recruiter has to listen to 10 minutes of your favorite music, or you don’t give your name in the message, they may just hang up. Make it easy and pleasant for them to leave a message. They won’t if they aren’t sure if they have the right number, or you’re wasting their time on hold. Speak clearly, with a pleasant, upbeat tone. Your voice mail message may be the first impression of you. Make it a good one.

6. “Red Flags” from the Web. Employers are using social network pages like FaceBook and MySpace to gather information on applicants. If it’s in the public domain, it’s fair game. If you’re posting about how you got drunk and high at last night’s party, and then got pulled over for speeding on the way home, or how much you hate your current job and your boss is a jerk, your perfect resume may end up in the trash.

7. Not Calling Back or Returning Emails. Return calls and emails promptly. How you manage your time says a lot about how you will manage your work. Responding promptly shows respect for the employer and interest in the job. Delete voice mails periodically. You won’t get a message from your “A” list company if your mailbox is full.
 

 

A resume has one purpose—to grab the interest of the employer and prompt a phone call. You can have it takes and then lose out by careless management of your job search. Avoiding these seven interview killers can get your noticed, contacted, and on your way to that new job.
 

 

By Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, MJNH Consulting