It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, the callback. 

OK, so you’ve sent out your résumés and cover letters and received no responses.  It’s depressing, to say the least.  Believe me, I know.  Then, it happens.  You pick up the phone and you hear an unknown voice telling you that the company has received your résumé and would like you to come in for an interview.

How do you respond to that unknown voice?

Well, the answer may not be as simple as you’d think.  Of course, your first reaction is to say, “Yes, I’ll be glad to come in,” or something to that effect.  While there is nothing wrong with immediately agreeing to an interview, I think it best to ask a few questions, first. 

I will tell you that there have been times when I have sent out so many résumés that I had no idea which company was calling about which job.  If you are submitting a reasonable and necessary number of résumés per week (at least 20) you will soon find yourself in the same predicament.  So, my first response to that unknown voice is to say something like, “Thank you for calling.  Can you tell me what position you’re hiring for?  I’ve sent out several résumés for several positions and it’s difficult to keep them all straight.” 

I have found that most people are more than happy to refresh your memory as to the position for which they are interviewing. 

Next, if there was no compensation level mentioned in the job posting, I think it is a good idea to ask the salary range for the position.  Again, most people are happy to answer this question.  It is possible that the person calling you may not know the salary level for the position however I have found that this is rarely the case.

There may be times when the unknown voice will answer this question with, “I’m sorry, we do not give out that information over the phone.”  When you hear this, a red flag of caution should go up in your mind.  It has been my experience that good companies do not want to waste their time interviewing people who will turn them down because the salary is too low.  More often than not, I have declined an interview with companies that do not answer this question.  It’s a personal decision. 

Assuming that you like the answers you’ve received, agree to the interview and then ask (1) for the address of the company including zip code, (2) for driving directions, (3) for parking instructions, (4) for the name of the person or persons who will conduct the interview, (5) whether or not to bring additional copies of your résumé or any supplemental documentation, (6) for a contact telephone number in case you need to reschedule or cancel, and (7) the name of the person to whom you are speaking. 

If you are given a choice as to the time of your interview, I strongly recommend that you choose a time that is as early in the day as possible.  Interviewers tend to get a bit tired at the end of the day.  Moreover, I prefer to be the person they compare other candidates to instead of the reverse.

Finally, remember to be enthusiastic and gracious during this phone call.  While you want to ask pertinent questions, you do not want to give the caller the impression that you are an interrogator rather than a job seeker.    I strongly suggest that you practice asking these and other questions in a light and friendly manner.  It takes practice but I am confident that you will soon get the hang of it.

Congratulations on getting your “foot in the door.” 

Mark