Telephone interviews
Tell me, is it normal for organizations in the US to hold telephone interviews as the first round of the hiring process? Even when the organization and candidate are local? 
All the first interviews I’ve had so far (both of them!) have been telephone interviews. In each case I’ve progressed through to an on-site interview. However, both those were distant (Cleveland, Buffalo). I have an interview at the end of today with a local organization, just a handful of miles away, but they want a telephone interview. I suspect there’s a standard process, but it does seem a little strange to someone who, when hiring, would much rather sit down and look a candidate in the eyes!
Meanwhile the leaves continue to fall in a thick blanket. As and when we buy a ‘proper’ house our shopping list now has a new entry -no massive maple trees, unless someone else offers to collect them every Fall.
Tags: leaves, telephone interviews
November 5th, 2008 at 9:39
It’s definitely normal for the first interview to be over the phone. All of my job prospects interviewed me over the phone first, whether they were local or not.
I found phone interviews convenient while I was searching but still employed, because I was able to schedule the interview over my lunch hour.
It’s just a fair way to interview job applicants who are both in town and out of town. By interviewing everyone over the phone first, it puts everyone on an even playing field.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:06
Thanks for the comment. I figured it was standard, but still think it is strange. That’s probably a cultural thing. In the UK all my first interviews were face to face, even if it meant both parties driving halfway to meet at a motorway service area (highway rest stop). In the US I suspect the sheer distances that can be involved dictate a different approach.