Confidence Outstrips Experience

There are rare occasions when this warranted but for the most part over-confidence can translate into real-world problems when it comes to listening and learning. You want the people who work for you to be willing to listen, ask questions, and learn the way things are done in your company. You don’t want them to walk through the door believing they have nothing left to learn.

The Candidate Hasn’t Researched Your Company

In this job market you should expect a candidate that makes it to the interview process to do a little homework and learn a little about your company ahead of time. If he or she doesn’t know anything beyond what the website says then it’s a good idea to take a pass or wait for a candidate that has gone the extra mile to learn a little more.

Lack of Humor

While it’s normal for candidates to be nervous during the interview process you should make a point of finding out what kind of sense of humor the candidate has and if you believe it’s a good match for your company. You don’t have to go for “comedy central” material but some sense of humor is often required just to get along and converse with coworkers.

Excess Negativity about Previous Employer

It says much more about the candidate than the previous employer when a candidate has nothing at all positive to say about his or her last place of employment. Take this to heart because you could be picking up another company’s former headache if you aren’t careful. While there are some companies that mistreat employees, it’s better for them to leave without airing the dirty laundry.

The Interview Process is like Pulling Teeth

Everyone has had one of those conversations in life. You know, the conversations where trying to get feedback from the other party was about as painful as pulling teeth

Here are a few of the pros and cons you’ll want to keep in mind as you explore whether or not phone interviews are a valid method for you to use to narrow down your field of candidates.

Pros of Phone Interviews

Saves time. This can be a huge benefit for employers who are strapped for time and attention because they need new workers to come in and take up the slack. Of course this is almost every employer operating at the moment.

It provides a quick rundown of skills. There are some things that simply do not always come across on a resume or cover letter. A brief interview over the phone can help you determine whether or not a specific candidate is worth further review due to a specialized set of skills or if you should pass because he or she lacks the skills needed to perform the job.

Cons of Phone Interviews

They can be cumbersome. Depending on the number of people you’re interested in talking to, it can become a time consuming process. The odds are that you’re trying to whittle down a fairly large field of seemingly qualified candidates. You know you can’t hire them all and you don’t necessarily have time for a face to face interview with each and every one either. But it can still be difficult to find the time to make all the calls and ask all the necessary questions for a larger group.

It’s difficult for anyone to really stand out. The other problem with conducting large-scale interviews is finding one or more candidates to really make an impression and stand out from the crowd over the phone. There are certain qualities that just do not come across over the phone lines that can make a person an ideal employee, team member, innovator, and/or motivator. There are some things you still need to see to believe or understand.

Phone interviews are not for everyone or even every hiring need. That doesn’t mean they do not serve as a valuable tool in today’s hiring process when used properly. If you’re struggling with a long list of qualified candidates that are scattered across the country there’s no reason not to consider using this valuable tool to help you find the few candidates worth further consideration.