The Screening Interview: Finding Your Narrative to Success

Congratulations! You’ve assessed the job market well and have been selected by our recruiter Asha (who you should be familiar with) to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process – the screening interview!

Setting the Groundwork

At this point in the screening interview process, every interaction you have with the recruiter will either:

1. Enhance their perception of your skills and attributes leading to further progress in the interview process, OR
2. Diminish their perception, thus ending your eligibility as a candidate.

So, when you respond to Asha’s email requesting a time to conduct the screening interview, be prompt, use full sentences, and thank her for contacting you. Provide her with reasonable, flexible options for when the two of you can connect. The reality is, Asha has her own workload to deal with and can’t revolve her time around you. Don’t make life difficult for her! The more flexible and reasonable you are during this scheduling phase, the better her impression of you will be.

Don’t forget to double-check your email before sending it. Errors, poor formatting, and incorrect details are as bad at this stage as they are in your resume.

Interview Day

Whether your screening interview is via phone or a video call, on interview day your goals are to:

1. Create the best environment to showcase your talents, and
2. Do well enough at this stage to move to the next.

No matter the format your call takes, make sure you have a quiet, undisturbed space to take it. If you are on video, ensure your background is clear of any visuals that could lend Asha a poor impression.

Make sure the ringer and volume are on and that you have a good cellular reception or internet connection. Be available to take the call when it comes; don’t deny private calls! If you have any type of call screening or “do not disturb” functions enabled, turn them off so the call goes through.

There’s a chance Asha may be late contacting you. Don’t just decline the call out of spite or because you started another task – give her the grace of up to 15 minutes. If this were an in-person interview at the company’s offices, you would wait at least 15 – 20 minutes and check in with the receptionist to ask for assistance before leaving. If you’re wondering if Asha is running behind, send her an email.

Don’t:

• Answer the phone with “Yah?” or “Talk to me.”
• Yell at your family to “shut up” so you can take a call.
• Put Asha on hold.
• Talk to someone else or take other calls while interviewing.
• Go through a drive-through and order your lunch.
• Think you are on mute and proceed to yell profanities when you spill hot coffee on yourself after going through said drive-through.

If an emergency does arrive that may impact your call, calmly explain to Asha what the situation is (ie. your child’s school is calling) and tell her you will call her back to reschedule. Although this isn’t the best impression, Asha will note how you handle an unexpected and stressful situation.

If the Call Doesn’t Happen?

There’s always the chance that Asha’s call could go straight to your voicemail (due to poor reception, call screening, etc.). If you miss the call, make sure that you have a succinct, clear, and mature voicemail greeting waiting. When you realize the call didn’t happen, note that Asha’s perception of you is diminishing because poor call etiquette is often perceived as a red flag. Try calling back if you have the number and/or send an email apologizing for missing the call and requesting to reschedule.

Your screening interview is your first (and often only) chance to create a direct and positive impression and narrative that aligns you with the role the employer is hiring for. It is your opportunity to showcase that you have the experience and skills to continue to the next interview stage – don’t let that go to waste. If you behave poorly, recruiters may doubt your ability to perform in the workplace.

If you’re unsure of how to create a professional narrative that presents your skills during the interviewing process, you might benefit from career coaching. Contact People Exchange today to explore how you can maximize your potential in the screening process and beyond.