The past few years I have been conducting the majority of my interviews over the phone. In person interviews are undisputedly more effective for evaluation. My company opted for the majority of initial interviews with the recruiter to be over the phone and the 2nd to be in person. This was after weighing the cost of travel expenses and the amount of time management recruiters would spend traveling across the country.
I have posted a rant about being a passionate, engaged recruiter on this blog more then once and never forget how it feels to be on the other side of the desk or phone. I bring this up because I have heard repeated horror stories of disengaged and disrespectful recruiters in a face-to-face interview distracted by an incoming email, phone call, coworker or lunch. It is hard to feel valued when the interviewer prefers giving their attention to meatball sub over you.
If you interview by phone it is even easier to get distracted. The majority of the candidates that I interview are engaged and they want a job with my company. They deserve my full attention so we can both decide if we there is a fit for the position to which they applied.
Here are a few things I do when interviewing over the phone to make sure that I am not distracted and I am fully engaged in the conversation.
-I put the candidates resume up on my computer screen even if I print it out.
-I move away from my keyboard and mouse just enough to deter me from the temptation to do anything else while the candidate is speaking.
-I do not have call waiting on my phone. If I am on the phone, incoming calls go to voicemail.
-I do not have another phone anywhere near me with a ringer on.
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