Phone Interview
I had a phone interview today. I talked a little about it earlier here. The first phone interview is almost always
with an HR recruiter from the company and he/she weeds you out by asking a checklist
of questions. My interview didn’t break
this trend.
To prepare for this interview, I did a lot of work. Six hours at least. I researched everything about the company and
its products. Then I carefully read the
job description and came up with a personal experience for every point of the
skills described therein. The reason it took so long for the preparation is
there are certain aspects of IT law that I’m not completely knowledgeable
about. As a result, I did a lot of web research
and sat through four hours of web lectures on the skills required for the
position. And you know what? I still don’t even think I will get to the
second round of interviews. But regardless,
I gained lots of knowledge that might help me interviewing with another company
or on the job in the future. That said,
use your free time in this job search to learn as much as possible. You might not have “free” hours of time like
this ever again.
The HR guy, Eric, was extremely nice. He asked the checklist. I was upfront why I wanted the position and was
frank about my very recent unemployment.
Eric was pretty compassionate about it.
Still, I think it hurt my chances to be honest. Eric
ended the interview by telling me he would talk about my qualifications with
his superior and get back to me early next week. We’ll see.
Good Job Search Websites
Yesterday I talked about good internet job websites. Here they are. First, I highly recommend Indeed.com and
LinkedIn.com
Indeed.com got me my previous job. They have by far the largest amount of jobs
on the web. The jobs are all legitimate
too. You should create a profile on
LinkedIn if you haven’t already. It’s
essentially putting your resume on the web.
Simplyhired.com is good too, at the next level. However, a lot of the postings redirect you
to Indeed.com as I believe that both sites have the same parent company. The site is very simple and easy to navigate.
The next two sites are lower than the first three but are
still decent, Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com
I think everyone in my generation remembers the launch of Monster.com in
the late 1990’s. I noticed however that both of these sites often have jobs posted on
them after they are posted on Indeed.com or LinkedIn.
The next tier includes Beyond.com and Ziprecruiter.com They are good to look through but some of the
jobs on Beyond.com lead you to other websites that require registration. I don’t like that. Ziprecruiter.com has a very rapid application
process but it is far behind the above sites in the quantity of the jobs
available.
Finally, I turn to industry-specific websites. For my search, I look at legal-specific sites
like the Chicago Bar Association and Illinois Bar Association websites. These industry-specific search sites are across
the board, so search for them.
Sign up for job notifications on all of the above job hunting sites. For me, I signed up for “Illinois attorney”
notifications and receive them every morning.
These are very convenient, and a
quick glance at these e-mail notifications when you wake up save you searching
time later. The job notifications are delivered directly to your job search Gmail account and look like the following screenshot.
I’m going to hit the gym now.
If you aren’t working out, I suggest you start. The endorphins released from a run or lifting
weights help you deal with unpleasant feelings you may have during this
time. The endorphins are a natural high. In any event, exercise is good for you.
We are almost through our first week of joblessness. Let’s relax during the weekend.
Day Six Lessons:
1. Research and Learn as Much About Interview Topics as You Can
2. Sign Up for Job Notifications on Job Search Websites
3. Hit the Gym, You'll Feel Better
Total Contacts Reached Out To: 28
Total Applications: 25
Day Six Lessons:
1. Research and Learn as Much About Interview Topics as You Can
2. Sign Up for Job Notifications on Job Search Websites
3. Hit the Gym, You'll Feel Better
Total Contacts Reached Out To: 28
Total Applications: 25
joblosssupport.blogspot.com titled "Phone Interview: Good Job Search Sites." While I can't access the content directly, I can certainly provide helpful information related to phone interviews and top job search sites.
ReplyDeleteTips for Phone Interviews:To excel in the pharmaceutical representative job search, start by obtaining a relevant degree and networking within the industry. Customize your resume and cover letter, highlighting your product knowledge and communication skills. Research companies thoroughly and consider informational interviews. Stay persistent and informed about industry trends to enhance your chances of securing a position.assess-hire