The Hidden Step
www.necouncil.org/the
hidden
step
I called an applicant not too long ago. This applicant had applied for a po-
sition and the company was very interested in speaking with him. When I
called this applicant to give him the good news, grandma picked up. She
and I had a diffcult time communicating as she did not speak English. I
tried my best to leave a message before the phone disconnected. I never re-
ceived a call back from that applicant. I do not think he even knows I called
yet I contacted the number on the applicant’s re-
sume.
When composing your resume (which will be
covered at Step Four of this program), the contact
information must accomplish the following:
1. The phone number must ring to you. You
should be the only person answering the phone
when the call comes in.
2. Answer the call when you are ready to speak.
Answer the call only when you are in a quiet
place, where you can focus and have access to your “Phone Interview Pro-
fle” (PIP). If you are not in a place where you can focus and speak, do not
answer the call and allow it to go to your answering machine. This is why it
is a good idea to acquire a dedicated line for your job hunting calls.
3. The recorded message dedicated to receiving employer messages should
be recorded with a professional message.
Preparation Step Twelve
Your grandma cannot answer the call
12
preparation steps