Phone Interview Frustration

[meghd]

I've lurked on these boards a while and I've found it to be extremely helpful and interesting. I wonder if any one could give some advice with a problem of mine.

I've been having a bad spat of luck with phone interviews lately. The people who contact me seem interested in interviewing me for a position, but when the time comes for the scheduled phone call, nothing happens. I've tried calling them, emailing them, sometimes both with no success. It seems like past that initial contact, the company or rep ignores me. I'd be able to shake it off it this was a one time thing, but it's happened three times in row this past two months.

Is this normal? Do I have a right to be angry about this? I can understand emergencies or even a call being late, but not bothering to call me or contact me at all really irritates me. It's also killing my motivation to pursue a career in the industry.

 

[mstaylor]

Are these from traveling shows or resident theatres?

 

[avkid]

How many times has this happened to you?
I've had many initial contacts that have not lead to anything further.

Personally I don't like phone interviews, as I don't necessarily come across well through spoken word.
The best kind of interviews for me are "working" interviews.

 

[ruinexplorer]

I, too, have had bad luck with phone interviews. On the other hand, the initial interview for my current position was a phone interview (second one was in person). It's not just this industry. I also do work for museums and had an interview for a local museum who insisted on phone interviews (to make it fair for the out of town candidates).

Something to remember, when on an interview, you are just as much sizing up the company that you intend to work for as much as they are looking at you as a potential employee. You have a slight advantage in knowing the company's reputation beore the interview and have the ability to do some prior research (though they probably have done the same with you which is why they have called you in the first place). On the other hand, if their interviewing practices are lacking, such as not calling on time or keeping you in the loop, that may be a sign of things to come if you choose to work for them.

 

[kendal69]

Here's what I do, I say I don't do phone interviews as I need to see who I may or may not be working for in person. Then I say if you want to meet I will be glad to come to you or meet half way, otherwise it's been nice talking to you - buh, bye. This is local if flying is involved then the rules change.

Does this sound cocky? Tuff, How can anyone in their right mind accept a job from a person they don't meet.
------------------------------------------------------------

I, too, have had bad luck with phone interviews. On the other hand, the initial interview for my current position was a phone interview (second one was in person). It's not just this industry. I also do work for museums and had an interview for a local museum who insisted on phone interviews (to make it fair for the out of town candidates).

Something to remember, when on an interview, you are just as much sizing up the company that you intend to work for as much as they are looking at you as a potential employee. You have a slight advantage in knowing the company's reputation beore the interview and have the ability to do some prior research (though they probably have done the same with you which is why they have called you in the first place). On the other hand, if their interviewing practices are lacking, such as not calling on time or keeping you in the loop, that may be a sign of things to come if you choose to work for them.

 

[mstaylor]

I think most phone interviews are initial contact calls, the first step in narrowing down the candidates.

 

[MNicolai]

Is there any reason you can't call them up the day before and say, "I've got x amount of time blocked off for interview tomorrow. Do you still want to interview me tomorrow and does that time still work for you?"

If they've already found someone for the job, they can say so and you don't have to wait by the phone, and if a scheduling conflict has come up, you can reschedule and not only not be waiting by the phone for a call that isn't coming, but also keep your foot in the door for the interview.

I don't particularly like phone interviews, but I've done them. Me on one end and two or three people on the other. It's gotten me a job before, and the nice thing is that I can be writing things down and can be staring at any documents I've sent them for reference -- but it's more prone to falling through the cracks and doesn't always give the impression you want to make. Some people are great on phones and crappy in person, and others are the exact opposite.

I wouldn't write them off as an interviewing tool, but no bad thing could possibly happen to you or your chances of getting a position if you call them the night or morning before and double-check that you're still on for an interview at 2 o'clock, which you've got 45 minutes to be a part of before you have to move onto another meeting. You know that they still want to talk to you and that they can call you at that time, and they know that they've got same time on their calendar as you do on yours and that if they're late to calling you, they'll have to reschedule for another time because you've got other things you need to get done.

 

[meghd]

My most recent interview, i did call the woman 45 min after the interview was to start and left a message. She did end up getting back to me the next week, and I did get the job. It was just a frustrating process.

I hate phone interviews as much as the next person; it would be a great world if I could always afford to travel for an in person interview.