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Re: What should I wear for a phone interview? LONG
Subject:Re: What should I wear for a phone interview? LONG From:John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 15 Jan 2002 08:48:04 -0800 (PST)
> Had this interviewer been any more laid-back, I would have called a
> hearse.
> I tried to sound animated without sounding medicated, but I
> couldn't get him
> to change from a monotone, or get him off his agenda of questions.
While I hate to do a phone interview...I MUCH prefer face2face, I
sometimes must do so.
I find that I wander...nowhere in particular, and I don't realize I'm
doing it. During a medium to long interview, I'll hit almost room in
the house, including porch and garage, and last summer, I found
myself once in the backyard overlooking the ocean.
Something I noticed...the tone of voice is different when standing
than when you are sitting...while standing, it is deeper and more
resonant...probably has to do with not compressing the abdomen.
What do I wear? Usually sweats, though more than once a robe, and one
time, when they called an hour early (they forgot I wasn't in the
same time zone), only a towel as they called while I was in the
shower.
How to inject a little spontaneity into the interviewer's delivery? I
usually find a way to inject a little mild humor somewhere. It shows
that I'm at ease, and it does loosen them up, and since stupid people
usually don't have a sense of humor, demonstrates the ability to
think on my feet. Another way to get them off their script is to ask
them questions. Get them to discuss something that isn't a yes/no
question.
I'd like to introduce something that has never been discussed on this
list. We talk about knowing tools, knowing technical concepts,
knowing how to deal with associates. Something that has never been
discussed which I find invaluable is knowing how to speak. Not
knowing how to talk, but to speak. You speak during review sessions.
You speak when you are trying to convince someone(s) to give you
budget. You speak in conference calls.
Has anyone had specific training for this and what was it? I for one,
during HS, was involved in debating and other competition speaking
engagements between schools. Anyone else? How about Toastmasters?
Sales training (me...18 years sales)
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