The recruiter phone screen
Your application is in, and it’s time for the recruiter phone screen!
This call is the gateway to the job you will hopefully land! So… how do you ensure that you are making the best of everyone’s time?
Do your research!
Depending on how many recruiter screens you have lined up, you may have limited time to dig in - so let’s start with the basics
Basic Prep
Read the job description over - how does your experience fit in? I’ve certainly run into scenarios where I have re-assessed the JD ahead of the recruiter screen, and realized that perhaps I’m not the ideal candidate. In that case, I’m prepared to speak to the gaps and how / why I believe I can overcome them. If not:
Have a back up plan! Review the job board and scan for any new postings. Perhaps a different listing is more up your speed, and you can throw your hat in the ring for that one instead. With any luck, your recruiter will have more insight into the position, or can connect you with the appropriate recruiter
Be able to tell your story - be able to articulate your career journey and what you are looking for in 5-10 minutes. This shouldn’t be a regurgitation of your resume, but provide a more nuanced view of why you made the moves you did, and how that impacted the company.
Be prepared to answer :
Why do you want to work at this company? Dig deep and go beyond the basics. Here are some prompts to get you noodling:
Do you use the company in any way? Have you had a particularly memorable / delightful experience you can share?
Do you / family members match the target customer?
Are you aligned to the mission of the company?
Research any latest press
What salary are you expecting?
If you are jumping industries or size of companies, there may be a gap - so do your research. ( 🖊️ TIP: Make sure you write down what you stated as your expectation)
If you aren’t totally sure what to ask for, probe on what the bands are for the level you’ve applied to.
Do you have any timeline / legal considerations?
Given the nature of my current search, I am very up front about my visa needs and the timeline. I’ve found it helpful to have a couple highlights typed up and ready to email after I’ve completed my recruiter screen.
Have your own questions ready. Some of my favorites have been:
What is the top skill / capability you are looking to fill right now (I think this question is a more directed “What does your ideal candidate look like?”)
If I was to move forward - what would the timelines look like? When can I expect to hear from you?
Advanced Prep
If you’re particularly keen on a company and want to do loads of research, here are some ideas to dig in further:
Chat with someone on the inside - the closer to the team you want to work on the better! Figure out what the vibe / culture of the company is and how you fit in. What problems are they trying to solve and how can you add value?
Some job descriptions and titles can be hard to understand, and talking to someone on the inside can provide you with clarity on how to this aligns with your understandingPress coverage - between the company’s blog, their social presence, and recent news articles, you may find interesting content that spark further ideas for conversation
Keep going on Linkedin - who are the people at the company in similar roles. What backgrounds did they come from and how might that contribute to their success at said company.
The lead up
Make sure your phone is charged and that you can hear incoming calls (i’ve historically always had my phone silenced which is not great for receiving calls lol)
Determine what kind of note taker you are. Computers can be distracting, so it could be helpful to have a notebook / several pens ready to jot down notes. Things I like to make sure to capture are:
Company: Size, locations, remote work flexibility
You + Company: What role is it? What is the title / level
Compensation: Salary bands, Stock grants/ options
Team specifics: Size of team / company, What department does the role sit in, what is the reporting line? Who is the hiring manager?
The call itself
Find a quiet location
My airpods and me are friends, until we’re not, so I’ve go with the old school wired headphone approach.
Relax your face muscles and throw on a smile! (My years of customer service over the phone have reinforced that people can hear your emotions!)
Imagine that they are a friend of a friend - aka be friendly and warm with a bit of restraint. (I will forever advocate to have business comms with a maximum of one exclamation mark strategically placed)
When the phone rings, take a deep breath and answer with a warm “Hi this is {insert name here}”
You got this!
OOF! It’s going south!
“At minimum you can both hopefully leave this call having a pleasant conversation and having learned something.”
There are certainly times when you can tell that the conversation is not going well. DON’T PANIC! You can still bring out your thoughtful side and lead with curiosity. Remember that recruiters are people too (duh!)! They spend a lot of their days having these conversations. At minimum you can both hopefully leave this call having a pleasant conversation and having learned something. Appropriate questions to ask might be:
What drew you to the company?
What is your favorite part of working here?
What abut the company’s direction is exciting to them?
Lastly, don’t wast anyone’s time. Be sincere, honest, and direct. Thank them for their time!
