One thing I did realise is that it is tough out there. Hundreds of graduates are desperate for entry level roles and many young people have been made redundant from struggling organisations. All the more reason to do everything you can to come across well in your first interaction (I am not going to cover CVs here although the errors here are worth a whole post).
I had some terrible phone interviews and in the end I classified the worst into the following categories. Do your best never to be classified as follows.
The Hunter
This person was out in the wild with the sound of the jungle seeping down the phone. Usually they were on their lunch break and standing next to a busy road or in the middle of a town centre. Every fifth word was punctuated with the sound of a car, a screaming baby or a dog barking. One guy bumped into a group of work colleagues and proceeded to have a 60 second conversation about where he was going for lunch while I was on the end of the phone (McDonalds in case you were wondering).It sounds obvious but find somewhere quiet to do your call from or don't do it at all.
The Moron
Amazingly only around 60% of candidates had any idea what my company did. 60%! If you do not research what the company does and are not able to talk about it for a couple of minutes then you are a moron. Fact.In some instances it was so bad that I had to end the call there and then. Why would you apply for a role that you have no idea what it entails? What kind of passion does it show? Spend at least the length of the scheduled interview time researching the company and the person who is interviewing you.
Desperate Dan
Desperate Dan doesn't always rear his ugly head during the interview, sometimes it is a spectacular encore. For example, one candidate who didn't get the role wrote two letters to me outlining how I had made a huge mistake and how it would have a large impact on the future direction of the Fortune 50 organisation I work for (bear in mind this was a graduate position). Unfortunately for the candidate this campaign moved to Twitter and the person in question implored me (and the world) on Twitter to reconsider.The result? Blacklisted from graduate positions in the organisation and branded as a moron. Be gracious in defeat and don't burn any bridges. The person interviewing is taking a lot of things into account during the interview process and it is probably best for you both that you are not put into a role you are not right for.
The Theoretical CEO
This is the person who has a marketing or business degree, probably including a masters, and has read every book in the world. They quote the marketing greats extensively and are jam-packed full of jargon. They are seconds away from bursting onto the scene and making CEO in a matter of weeks.There are positives here - the ambition and the knowledge - but generally this candidate has no idea how to practically deliver marketing day to day and is going to come down to earth with a bump. Theory is great, but if I am hiring a graduate I won't somebody who is going to roll their sleeves up and get dirty down the marketing mines. I also need someone who can take constructive criticism and continually evolve.
If you don't have any practical experience convince me that you are desperate to get down to some hard work and that you know you are not the finished article.
The Politician
This is the candidate who hears a hard question and just decides to answer an imaginary question that they would prefer to answer. Some are so good at it that you actually forget the question you asked in the first place.While this can be a useful skill in life it is not good form in an interview. If you give me a random answer I am just going to keep asking you the same question until I get what I need. I definitely don't want to spend the next three years in meetings with you trying to search for the truth.
Happy hunting!
