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How to talk to a Placement Consultant over the telephone for the first time?

Source -Jobnet’s Directory of Placement Firms.

Today, most Placement Consultants rely on the telephone as a medium for assessing candidates. The volume of jobseekers being large and both parties being short on time or separated by geographical distances, the telephone and email has become an integral part of the process of communication and also of candidate assessment. The telephone conversation with the placement firm is very important and should be treated just like an interview. The first impressions about you will also become your assessment, which will determine how they will sell you to their client.

You must come across as professional

The conversations need to be crisp and to the point. Most candidates make the mistake of spilling out their work problems or their stories of personal mishaps. Sometimes, they spend a lot of time explaining their professional needs, and job requirements. Placement consultants are used to this and may even be polite, but avoid boring them with your conversations.

The impressions about you that are conveyed instantly are your language and communication skills. They can judge, by the conversation, many aspects about you and whether you match their client’s requirements. They will also be judging whether you have the confidence to pass an interview.

A placement firm may talk informally with you but the impressions that they collect about you will determine whether they are going to sell you as a right candidate to their client.

They usually call at their convenience, so if you get caught at the wrong time, it is better to request that you will return the call. And do call back fast; they have short deadlines for arranging interviews.

Phone interviews aren’t easy as you have to rely on voice only. Listening and focusing is very important.

Here are phone interview mistakes you must avoid-

Weak voice tone – A weak voice projects a personality that lacks confidence. Don’t be unenthusiastic and boring. Speak with a cheerful and confident tone without being too aggressive.

Assertive - Be confident and professional. Answer questions with confidence. Give direct answers.

Polite – A placement consultant is a specialist in finding jobs for people. You must treat them with courtesy and politeness even if you are in disagreement.

Negativity – Do not say bad things about your wife, spouse, boss, job or anything else. Don’t complain about the weather, the city or whatever. Be positive.

Unprofessional style – Use polite speech. Never interrupt. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while talking on the telephone. Be focused, talk clearly.

Dishonesty – People sense lies. Even a small white lie can be sensed. Or it can become an embarrassment for you if you forget your lie. It’s just not worth the risk.

Be formal – You can sound relaxed or even friendly, but do not be casual. No yaars or other oft used slang…

Answer all questions -  Understand the question before answering.

Do not cry or try and gain sympathy - What ever your problems with your job or boss or spouse, avoid boring someone with your sob stories. It may be true but telling a personal story isn’t going to work.

Do not miss the interview that a Placement Firm arranges. Be it a physical one or one over the telephone, or thru video – Unless you were hospitalized, dealing with a family emergency or it was a car accident there’s no reason for a no-show on a scheduled interview with an employer.

You will be contacting several agencies while job hunting, but treat each one with importance, and follow these guidelines with all of them.

Copyright@ Jobnet’s Directory of Placement Firms, Companies, Job-websites,India & International 2011

Posted under Articles from Jobnet Magazine

Employeers also need to impress good candidates during interviews.

Vijaylakshmi D’Souza

You may consider a more relaxed environment like inviting a senior level candidate for lunch at a restaurant or inviting a group of trainees for an orientation meeting or presentation.

Most hiring managers are so focused on the selection process that they neglect the fact that they are also being evaluated by the jobseeker during an interview. Jobseekers examine the environment as well as the employees of an organization and use these inputs for taking a decision about a job offer. Usually companies believe that a posh office décor will suffice but it is not so. A company is also judged by the kind of people who represent the company during an interview.

So take time to prepare for the interview selection and assessment processes but remember you are the first impression of your company that the jobseeker will have. Decide on what kind of first impression you want to create.

Good candidates have choices. They are not going to be desperate to get into your organization. You will have to sell your organization to them and convince them that it is a good choice for them. It can done in subtle or obvious ways.

But the best way to convey this message to them is to make a jobseeker look at the long term perspective and the growth with your company. But be honest. In today’s job market scenario we tend to treat all jobs as short term and temporary. But at least we can be honest about how this stepping stone would benefit the jobseeker.

The important factor that counts is easy to remember – put yourself in the jobseeker’s side to the table to improve your perspective

Copyright © 2011, Jobnet magazine, issue 179

Republication or dissemination of the contents of this article are expressly prohibited without the written consent of the publishers of Jobnet magazine

Posted under Articles from Jobnet Magazine

How to find The Best Candidate for your Company

Vijaylakshmi D’Souza

Getting the right kind of employees is the biggest tension for any organization. Ultimately good employees are the key factor to increasing the productivity of any organization.Most companies have financial constraints and budgets which become the determining factor in hiring people.How does one find the best candidates without compromise ?

First step is to examine your perception of what is best for your organization.A good candidate for one organization may not be suitable for another. Many factors go into defining suitability.Define the type of person you need for the job. Skills and market expertise count but personality and people skills count equally.

Identify the best way to source candidates.Identify Placement Agencies firms who could help you.The Jobnet Directory of Placement Firms is a good resource for it. Contact the Placement Consultants and give them a background of your company and the nature of your business. Give a detailed briefing to the Placement Consultants on your requirement –what kind of candidate you are looking for, what kind of background and qualifications are needed.If it is headhunting that is needed give them a list of your competitors.Explain at length the skills and expertise you require from the person you need to hire.

A quick elimination round saves time.Many companies opt for a preliminary screening.. It gives an opportunity of having an informal discussion about the position before the actual interview. This takes very little time and can save a lot of time for you and the candidate.

courtesy:Jobnet magazine, issue 181

Re -publication or dissemination of the contents of this article are expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Author

Posted under Management Resources/ HR

Recruitment Consultant : A recruitment consultant is responsible for helping employer clients to recruit staff for job openings.

IT Recruitment Agency: On behalf of a major and well-respected blue-chip clients, actively seeking to recruit a number of IT Professionals within various functions.. 

Posted under Research by Jobnet