More and more companies are subscribing to the idea that a phone interview can be a vital part of the recruitment process.

Why?

Why companies choose to interview over the phone

 

It only takes recruitment professionals a few minutes to identify candidates which clearly do not fit the requirements of a company.

There are a few steps that recruiters undertake to weed out the unqualified applicants. Some look at each and every application that comes in while others look for a specific set of keywords. Others check cover letters while there are some who completely ignore these.

In some organizations, phone interviews are the next hurdle that prospective hires must successfully clear to bring themselves closer to getting hired.

A phone interview allows recruiters to address a few key issues:

 

  • Applicant’s availability

One of the key uses of a phone interview is to ascertain whether issues related to logistics will pose a problem during the recruitment process. For example, if an applicant lives in a different state, the recruiter can ask the applicant if he or she can relocate and when.

 

  • Salary expectations

Some companies use the phone interview to ask a candidate’s salary expectations. With this knowledge, the company can further weed out candidates which are asking salaries beyond what the company can offer.

 

  • Clarifications about the job

The phone interview is also an opportune time for both recruiter and applicant to get on the same page about what the job being offered actually entails. A clear understanding of every detail saves time and energy for both parties.

 

  • Clarifications about a candidate’s job history

An applicant’s entries on his or her resume may sometimes come off as confusing to a recruiter. A phone interview provides both parties an opportunity to clarify these matters.

 

  • Identify candidate’s qualifications

A phone interview can also be used to further whittle down the pool of applicants. Apart from covering a few basics, some recruiters use phone interviews to ask probing questions. Some even observe the response of the candidates to ascertain whether they can proceed to the next step of the recruitment process or their application should go to the pile of rejected candidates.

 

How companies use telephone interviewsRecruitment Process - San Jose, CA - Infinity Staffing Services

Recruitment professionals can use phone interviews during the different stages of recruitment.

1. Initial call from the HR department.

The purpose of this call is to check on an applicant’s credentials. Usually, the HR staff calls the applicant to ask your typical recruitment questions. But more importantly, the main objective of this call is to further narrow down the pool of candidates to those that have the actual potential of getting hired.

 

2. Initial call from hiring manager.

Usually, when a candidate gets a call from a hiring manager, it means that the candidate belongs to the top 10 applicants. Again, the goal of this call is to narrow down the pool of prospective hires.

 

3. In-depth interview.

After the HR department has screened a pool of potential hires, the hiring manager can proceed with an in-depth interview of the candidates they like best. Compared to the other interviews which are usually shorter, this type of interview can last up to an hour and is sometimes used as a substitute for a face to face interview.

 

4. Committee interview.

Once the pool of candidates has been brought down to eight or less candidates, the hiring managers can come together via a conference call to interview an applicant.

 

The benefits of a phone interview

 There are several reasons why companies should integrate the phone interview into their recruitment process.

  • Weed out weak candidates earlier

The recruitment process can be long and tedious for both parties involved. And cutting loose those candidates which simply do not match the requirements of the organization can save the time and effort of both recruiters and applicants.

  • Contact long distance candidates

A phone interview allows companies to get in touch with candidates who might live in a different city or state but are willing to relocate once accepted. For a company, this gives it an opportunity to touch base with strong candidates from other areas. For applicants, a phone interview can save them both time and money.

  • Prevent discrimination

Discrimination can occur on different grounds, not just based on age and ethnicity but also based on a candidate’s disabilities.

A phone interview helps recruiters stay objective and focus on a candidate’s strengths.

  • A way to evaluate a candidate’s skills

If the job being offered entails the use of communication skills, the phone interview is the perfect opportunity to evaluate these skills and see if these fit the standards of the organization.

  • More candidate interviews in less time

Finally, if the organization is looking at a deep pool of potential hires, a phone interview helps the recruiters to screen more candidates in less time, effectively reducing the recruitment process time.

Cut down on the long and tiring interview process by working with a staffing agency. Call or visit Infinity Staffing Services today to find your next employee