Let’s HEAR Your PASSION For The Job!

Even with amazing advances in communication technology including video conferencing, Skype and Facetime to name but a few, the simple telephone still plays a huge role in company recruitment processes. Within the world of International Financial Services where direct reporting lines can be global, phone interviews are still very practical and cost effective.

Recruitment consultants will always advise those about to partake in phone interviews to prepare for them as effectively as they would for face to face interviews. Having relevant research done for the job, company, market and competitors is always a good starting point. Having good examples ready that can demonstrate your competencies is essential too, considering that most Financial Services organisations will use competency model based interview questions. BUT no matter how much research you do and no matter how good your competency examples are, if you are unable to COMMUNICATE this effectively in an interview the odds will be against you securing the position.

The reason for this blog is that recently I was in contact with an International Financial Services Organisation that were in the process of setting up a new operation in Europe and were relying heavily on phone based interviewing as part of their recruitment selection programme. The organisation was recruiting Financial Services Professionals ranging from two years’ experience up to senior management level and there was a considerable amount of interest and therefore applicants for their vacancies. Talking directly with one of their Recruitment & Selection Managers who conducted many of their telephone interviews, I asked how they made decisions on which candidates to invite back to second round interviews, in particular- how they were choosing between candidates who had very similar skillsets on paper and who came across as prepared on the phone interview too. The answer I got was one word – PASSION.

In other words if the Recruitment & Selection Manager was not hearing or feeling the PASSION the interviewee had for the role and organisation on the phone then it was effectively game over.

So that brings us to communicating with PASSION; how is it possible to convey this effectively in an interview and in particular a phone interview?

The difficulty is that in terms of general communication we convey things like PASSION more so through our Body Language rather than Paralinguistics (pitch, speed, tone, volume etc. – of how we speak) or even the Words that we use.

During a telephone interview an interviewee does not have the benefit of using their body language to convey their interest so it is hugely important for an interviewee to pay more attention to the words that they use and the tone, pitch and speed of how they express their words in order to come across with enthusiasm and passion. To get it right, it is highly advisable to practice your answers out loud prior to any phone interview, even reach out to a recruitment consultant to help fine-tune your telephone interview delivery.

Listen to what you are saying and how you are saying it – Try and use positive adjectives and manipulate the tone and speed of your voice to come across as friendly, knowledgeable, energetic, confident and obviously passionate about the job / company. Try smiling when you speak on the phone too – this always helps.

Just think about how many times we change something as short as the message on our own phones simply because we are not happy with what is says OR how it sounds? If we want to be happy with what we say on a phone to an employer and how it sounds then it too is worth changing a few times too, don’t you think?

PASSION is a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something and if that’s wanting a new job with a new employer then make it happen. Let your PASSION be heard!!!