Communicable Devices Used During Interviewing a Candidate

Communicable Devices Used During Interviewing a Candidate!

1. Voicemail and Answering Machines:

If you will be away from your phone for extended period of time, it is professional to let callers know this information and when you are expected to return. If this information changes for some reason, so should your outgoing message. For example, it is unprofessional for someone to listen to your message that states you will be out of the office until November 5th and the call is occurring on November 10th.

It is best to keep your outgoing message simple and professional. The message should be between 10 to 15 seconds in length. When you are leaving a message on a person’s voicemail or answering machine, state your name, a number you can be reached at, the time and date of your call, whether you plan to call back, and a brief explanation of your call.

2. Speakerphones:

Speakerphones are a great way to bring groups of people together for a brainstorming session, conference calls, and group meetings. If you choose to use a speakerphone to communicate with others, let the people on the other end of the phone know they are on a speakerphone.

It would be best to ask the person on the other end of the phone if they mind being placed on a speakerphone to communicate. Many people think you are doing other things besides listening to them and can be offended.

3. Pagers and Cell Phones:

For many students it is important to stay connected with people through the use of cell phones and pagers. Courtesy and respect for the people around you should be a top priority. These devices can be distracting to yourself and an interviewer when they start beeping and/or ringing. Your audiences’ attention is diverted from the matter at hand and onto the device when this occurs.

If it is critical that you be contacted during an interview switch the pager or cell phone to the vibrate mode so you know when others are trying to contact you, yet the people around you will not be disturbed. In the event that the incoming call must be returned immediately, excuse yourself and complete the call elsewhere.

The best option available to you would be to turn the phone or pager off and retrieve any incoming messages at a more convenient time.

4. E-mail:

E-mail is an informal way to send messages as long as you retain the same boundaries of propriety you would use if dealing with the person face-to-face. For example, if you address the CEO of the company by surname in person, do not switch to the first name when sending e-mail.

There are a few general guidelines to keep in mind when communicating online:

a. All messages should be as short and concise as possible:

If the message is more than a few lines long, divide the text into paragraph-sized “chunks” so it is easier to read.

b. Use a meaningful subject line:

If a busy professional cannot figure out what an e-mail is about from the subject line, the message usually gets ignored or deleted.

c. Keep messages relevant:

Make sure all messages posted are relevant to the subject at hand. When replying to someone, quote the parts of the original message that pertain to your reply.

d. Stick to plain text:

It is great to send out beautifully formatted messages with special italics, bold type, or heavily formatted HTML, unfortunately some mail systems will not deliver the message in the same format as it was sent. A plain text message may not look as pretty as you want, but it will not look worse than it did when you sent it.

e. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation:

Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation make the message more easily understood, not to mention professional. Virtually every e-mail program today has a spelling and grammar check feature, so there is no reason not to use it. Another option would be to type your message in Microsoft Word, check for any spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors, then cut and paste the message into the body of the e-mail.

f. Avoid jokes and punctuation faces:

In a business setting, it is best to avoid sending jokes and punctuation faces. If your statement needs an explanation in parentheses like [joke] or [haha], rephrase or eliminate it.

g. Avoid attachments:

Include your message in the body of the e-mail. With viruses being rampant today, many people will not open attachments, no matter what size. Large attachments can take a long time to open and many busy professionals do not have time to wait.

h. Remember you are communicating with other people:

Sending e-mail does not give you the benefit of facial expressions and gestures that normally give additional meaning to a conversation. Without these non-verbal cues, you have to take care in what you are saying so the meaning is not misconstrued. Do not post your entire message in all capitals. This can be interpreted as screaming or shouting on the Internet.

i. Taking too long to respond:

Everyone knows how busy some people can get. That is not an excuse to ignore e-mail or not respond in a timely manner. It is disrespectful not to reply quickly to potential employer. Not responding quickly implies a lack of interest on your part. Check your e-mail a minimum of once a day if you are actively searching for employment.

j. Copying everyone in the world:

Copying (CC) is a way to keep people in the loop without asking those individuals to take any direct action. Business e-mails should be copied to anyone who is concerned with the matter at hand.

k. Deleting E-mail:

Remember e-mail is not gone when it is deleted. Deleted e-mail is permanently stored on the magnetic tape in the hard drive of your computer. An employees’ e-mail is a company asset and can be reviewed at any time by the employer.