Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

Hi everyone!

This week's Career Chat topic is 'Communicating with potential employers pre-employment'.

How much is too much?

Can I call to ask questions?

Should I make a follow up call after an interview?

We will be covering when to be in touch and how to make a good impression, to increase your chance of acquring the job.

The session will be hosted by the awesome @Debstar from Ostara and will kick off this Friday at 10am AEST.

2 things you can do now:

1. Hit the 'Like' button below to get an email reminder on the day

2. Can't make the session? Leave a question for Debstar below, and she will answer it on Friday

[Debstar]

Hi there,

As @NikNikmentioned, this week's Career Chat topic is 'Communicating with potential employers pre-employment'.

Is it ok to call and ask questions?  How many questions are too many questions? What factors are important to consider when you call up?  Is it best to follow up after an interview? 

Today we will be covering when to be in touch and how to make a good impression, to increase your chance of acquring the job.

Look forward to chatting and hearing your thoughts 🙂

[Kurra]

Hi @Debstar and @NikNik

Usually job adverts have a Contact Officer who can be contacted to obtain additional information.   This is something that I've found extremely useful.  It allows me to establish whether I will be a good fit for the position.   I've found most Contact Officers to be very helpful.   By doing this I've been able to make sure that my application covers all the components in the selection criteria but also briefly touch on other components that I have learnt about through chatting with the Contact Officer.

At interviews I tend to present very well although I do tend to reduce my chances because I always address my bipolar at the end of the interview as I've already mentioned this in my application.   I now have the added complication in that I'm past retirement age although in my opinion I'm far too young to retire.  I should mention that being open and honest about my bipolar has not stopped me from being the preferred candidate.  I'm simply not prepared to take on a new job with a skeleton hiding in the cupboard.  When I am unsuccessful I do phone for interview feedback to ask how I can improve my interview performance in the future. 

I've found that the word 'interview' creates a lot of anxiety in most people.  I have changed my personal terminology in this respect and I now consider an interview to be merely an opportunity to have a chat about the job.  This in my experience has eliminated the associated anxiety and pre-interview nerves.

Love what you're doing here.

Best Wishes

[Debstar]

Hi again,

So is it ok to call and ask questions?  Absolutely!  Coming from a recruitment background, it always impressed me when someone called me up after seeing a job advertisement,  to introduce themselves, express their interest, and ask a couple of questions about the role.  I would always write their name down and if they impressed me,  look for their application in the bunch of CVs I received.

So what would impress me?  Firstly I would look for them sounding friendly and keen on the role.  If they sounded down or were not enthusiastic that would most likely come across on the call and wouldn’t work in their favour.   So my suggestion with this is to be prepared before the call. By that I mean call when you feel semi ready or ready to speak, dress nicely (in whatever makes you feel good), sit up straight (positive body language makes such a difference) and put a smile on your face (even if you have to fake it initially). Self talk is important too. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking, and change them if needed. Saying to yourself  “ok, I can do this” or “I have nothing to lose” or “if I keep trying, something will come through” can really help at this time, and  come across positively on the call.

Also, have your notes ready. Jot down the name of the role, where it was advertised, what appealed to you, and other related info.   You can tell someone who sounds organised and prepared for the call, and it certainly makes a good impression.

What else can you do to make a good impression? 

[Kurra]

Another thing I find very useful is researching the company or department including the area in the company/dept if possible.  I have found this to be invaluable particularly if there is a question such as What attracted you to this position.  It also prepares me for any questions about What I would do if I was presented with a slightly tricky situation in the workplace. This is usually asked in relation to a scenario that I might encounter as an employee.  Being prepared in advance for things like this I've found very useful. 

[Debstar]

Thanks @Kurra for your post.

You have raised so many useful points.   I have also found most Contact Officers to be very helpful.  Yeah it can be worthwhile to touch base and confirm you have  covered  the selection criteria, or area addressing other components of the role etc.. and also so they can get to know you over the phone, and learn more about you.  With the number of applications that companies often receive, it can be such a great way to stand out in a positive way.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on providing details of  your mental illness with your prospective employer. I can appreciate your reason for doing this. At Ostara Australia, we work with lots of clients with mental illness and some feel more comfortable than others sharing this information. It is wonderful to hear that sharing this has not gotten in the way of you being the preferred candidate. As we know it is not the case in all workplaces, but it is certainly increasing all the time as companies become more aware of workplace mental health and wellbeing.  As you all probably know, you are not required  by law to share details of your mental health unless it is going to have a direct impact on your ability to perform the duties required for the role.

Love the reframing from “interview” to “opportunity to have a chat about the job”.  What a great way to change something that could make you feel very nervous and anxious, to something that is likely to help you feel more at ease.

Look forward to hearing other thoughts.  How many questions should we ask?  Any other ideas or suggestions will be great too.

[supernova]

Hi @Debstar and @Kurra,

Great posts! These tips are really helpful!

@Debstar I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but what about follow-up calls after an interview? Can making a follow-up call be helpful? What should you ask about? How soon after an interview should you call? How best can you prepare for a follow-up call? 

Look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,
supernova.

[Debstar]

Hi again @Kurra,

Thanks for sharing :),

Being prepared in advance is such a great strategy, both pre interview and at the interview, and demonstrates your professionalism and interest in the role.  I agree, researching the company is an effective way to prepare for interview questions and also for you to assess if this is the sort of company you would be interested in working for.

Before calling, I think it works best to read the full job application and all materials so you have an understanding of the role, and this will no doubt come across when  you are introducing yourself to the prospective employer/ contact officer, and you can tailor the information you share to the role.  

So how many questions is too many questions? When speaking with a prospective employer, I think ringing up with 1 2 or 3 questions (at the most) is the way to go. You want to show your interest, and have questions ready, but you also want to respect the amount of time they have available. I personally like the idea introducing myself, expressing interest in the role (and perhaps company), and then asking two questions, being mindful of taking no more than 5 minutes of their time.  And always thanking them for the time they have alocated, and letting them know you appreciate it.

And always build rapport with the person you are speaking with.  Ie, asking them how they are, using their name in the conversation (but not too much) etc.   

Look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments :).

[Kurra]

@supernova

When I phone for feedback on an unsuccessful interview I usually start by asking specific questions about the things I was asked about.  I find most people need a little time to actually place you so I might mention what I was wering or something along those lines to jog their memory.   I then ask which questions I answered less well than others.  I find responses to this type of question quite revealing because it shows me what to be aware of in the future. I end by asking their opnion of my overall performance and what I can change in future interviews.   This is mostly helpful.  

The other thing I do in the interview is make sure thzt I move my eye contact to each person on the panel to ensure each person present gets the feeling that I'm talking to each of them personally.   My belief (rightly or wrongly) is that this is likely to enhance the way in which they both listen to me and respond to my comments. 

I

[Debstar]

Hi @supernova

Great questions. I am a believer in sending a follow up email after the interview, thanking the interviewer/s for taking the time to meet me. I follow it with a comment about how much the role (and company if applicable) appeals to me, and how I look forward to hearing back from them soon, and how delighted I would be to be given the opportunity to work for their organisation. I highly recommend putting it in your own words, that sound and feel like you. 

As a recruitment consultant, I always valued these emails, and if I was planning on hiring someone, this email confirmed their interest and helped finalise my decision.

In terms of ringing, my personal preference is to give the decision makers the space to make their decision, and only call if they promised to make contact, and it has been a few days longer than they had stated. For example, they said they would make the decision by Friday and it is now the following Wednesday.  In that phone call, I would ring up the interviewer, and express how keen  I was on the role, and that I was wondering when a decision was going to be made. I would ensure my tone of voice stays positive and friendly. So often the interviewers are really busy, and thus dates can be pushed back and decisions delayed. Showing your professionalism and positivity at this time can impress an employer, and who knows, if not the role you applied for, something else may come up and they may think of you.

Others may have different opinions on this.  Keen to hear your thoughts.