Help! Applied for a job and no call yet...

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 12:18 AM

Hi everyone...

Last week on Thursday I applied for a job as Administrative Assistant at a telecommunications company. Mr. ***(person in charge) asked me to drop off my resume on Thursday, so I did. I met with him, he shook my hand, I made sure to smile and make eye-contact, he quickly looked over my resume and said it looked great and that I should expect a call quickly, as they needed to quickly fill the position. He said I would first do a phone interview, then probably be called in for an interview.

So now it's Monday, and I thought he would have called by today...so I'm starting to worry that perhaps I wasn't what he was looking for?

So here are my questions:

1. I know this may sound silly, but what exactly does a phone interview entail? This is my first "real job" so I've never actually been through this process before, I've only ever been called in for an interview.

2. Should I call tomorrow (Tuesday) and inquire about the review of my resume? Or should I wait another few days? I don't want to seem pushy or be a pain, but I also don't want to miss this opportunity. I was told by a friend to make sure (if I called) to call in between 2-3, never before noon and never after 4. Does this sound about right? Also, I cannot find the company number online, or in the phone book for whatever reason, I only have his cell number given to me by the friend who referred me. I am nervous about calling his cell phone--is that disrespectful?

Thanks everyone, any advice would be appreciated...I'm really nervous about this...and please do not feel bad speaking the truth, I really won't get offended, I just lack experience in the interviewing process.

Thanks again!

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 12:40 AM

anyone? please?

Jill · Sep 30th, 2008, 12:50 AM

call in AM and say u were checking in to c the status of the job and that u r very interested.cant hurt!

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 12:56 AM

Thanks Jill. You're right, it's not like it can really hurt. If he wasn't going to hire me he was going to regardless. Thanks!

Jill · Sep 30th, 2008, 12:59 AM

^no prob,Good luck!

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 01:17 AM

^^^Thanks!

Can anyone tell me what a phone interview is? Is it actually an interview over the phone, or is it basically just setting a time for an interview?

luvhautecouture · Sep 30th, 2008, 01:34 AM

I know someone who had a phone interview. She didn't tell me much, but from what I heard, you do need to answer questions like a face-to-face interview

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 01:36 AM

^^Thank you! yes, I just googled phone interviews and got a list of commonly asked questions.

Thank you for your response!

PrincessCayenne · Sep 30th, 2008, 02:25 AM

When I conduct phone interviews it's usually a precursor to an in-person interview so I'll ask why the person is interested in the position, relevant experience, how it will contribute to their future goals...if the whole interview is meant to be over the phone then you could probably expect more specific questions pertaining to job duties, scenarios, past employment experiences etc.

I'd say to call tomorrow AM or Wednesday AM...I know that I can be a bit forgetful when I'm hiring sometimes (i.e. I had a closing date of Sept 19th for a position I'm currently hiring for and just contacted shortlisted applicants about interviews today...so if the hiring person is fairly busy it may have slipped their mind or fallen to the bottom of the to-do pile)
Hope that helps and GOOD LUCK!

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrincessCayenne

When I conduct phone interviews it's usually a precursor to an in-person interview so I'll ask why the person is interested in the position, relevant experience, how it will contribute to their future goals...if the whole interview is meant to be over the phone then you could probably expect more specific questions pertaining to job duties, scenarios, past employment experiences etc.

I'd say to call tomorrow AM or Wednesday AM...I know that I can be a bit forgetful when I'm hiring sometimes (i.e. I had a closing date of Sept 19th for a position I'm currently hiring for and just contacted shortlisted applicants about interviews today...so if the hiring person is fairly busy it may have slipped their mind or fallen to the bottom of the to-do pile)
Hope that helps and GOOD LUCK!

Thank you so much! That helps a lot! So you would suggest calling in the morning instead of the afternoon? I want to make sure I don't call at a bad time.

SunnyFreckles · Sep 30th, 2008, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jill

call in AM and say u were checking in to c the status of the job and that u r very interested.cant hurt!

Exactly. I ALWAYS suggest this. Call, call, and call some more. Not every day, but every three or four days...

That shows them that you are very interested!!!

Good luck...let us know how things go!

LAltiero85 · Sep 30th, 2008, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunnyFreckles

Exactly. I ALWAYS suggest this. Call, call, and call some more. Not every day, but every three or four days...

That shows them that you are very interested!!!

Good luck...let us know how things go!

Thank you SunnyFreckles!!!

lunatwinkle · Sep 30th, 2008, 03:42 PM

I totally encourage you to call them back! Just tell them that you're following up on the status of the position. Employers actually LOVE applicants who follow up with them; it shows them that this candidate really wants this job, and is organized. Plus, they might be really busy with other HR stuff.

Try to find a company phone number if possible. ITA, it would seem weird and a little unprofessional to call a cell number as a follow up. Did you get his business card? Do they have a website? Since you got his cell from a friend, would that friend know the company's public phone number?

Like PrincessCayenne said, the phone interview is usually a precursor to the in-person interview. If the interviewer likes you, then they'll bring you in for the in-person interview. It make sense of you think about it from their perspective, you don't want to waste time meeting with all these different candidates when you could weedle through the pile in 10-30 minute phone call to each.

Phone interviews usually consist of general questions: Could you explain a little about yourself? Why do you want this position? Why do you think you would be a good fit? How does your past experience contribute to our company? etc etc. You can totally find all these types of questions online.

Hope that help LA!

IntlSet · Sep 30th, 2008, 06:45 PM

I review resumes and invite candidates in my office for interviews, and I personally would be put off by someone who called just two business days after submitting their resume. We literally receive a dozen resumes a day, without even soliciting them. When we do, we get overwhelming responses. It may be the same for this company.

Chances are, you calling them to see if they "reviewed your resume" just two business days after dropping it off is going to get a "No, we haven't, but we'll call if we're interested." It doesn't seem assertive to me, it just seems anxious and pushy.

Hope you wanted an honest response! LOL I don't mean to be harsh, but that's my opinion.

All the very best luck to you.

redney · Sep 30th, 2008, 06:59 PM

I've been in the corporate recruiting field for a long time and I think this situation is slightly different vs. a random person who emailed a CV to a jobs@xyz.com company address who is then calling to follow up, since the OP said she gave her CV to the boss personally and he said he liked her CV and they would call her soon for an interview.

Without knowing all the details, my assumption is that the boss gave OP's CV to the HR/Recruiting person or whomever is responsible for the phone screens...in my experience when the hiring manager or boss gives me a CV to include in phone screens, it catapults to the top of my pile to call, since I know hiring manager/boss is going to ask me for status on that particular individual sooner than asking about the entire candidate pool. So I'd want to act proactively to get in touch with the individual to either schedule and/or conduct the phone interview quickly.

OP, I'd feel comfortable calling to (1) express your strong interest in the job/company; (2) ask if there is further information they need from you for consideration; and (3) ask if it's possible to schedule a phone interview.

Even if you get the boss on the phone, he'll either give you the name/number of the person handling the phone interviews (and then follow up with that person offline) or likely schedule it himself if he's the one doing the interviews.

Either way, you will have demonstrated your interest in the job/company and your proactiveness following up. You say this job is an Admin Assistant? Being unafraid to follow up appropriately is a pretty good characteristic to have for this job, don'tcha think?

Good luck and keep us updated!!

Sep 30th, 2008, 12:18 AM	#1
LAltiero85 Team Edward ♥ Location: PA	Help! Applied for a job and no call yet... Hi everyone... Last week on Thursday I applied for a job as Administrative Assistant at a telecommunications company. Mr. **(person in charge) asked me to drop off my resume on Thursday, so I did. I met with him, he shook my hand, I made sure to smile and make eye-contact, he quickly looked over my resume and said it looked great and that I should expect a call quickly, as they needed to quickly fill the position. He said I would first do a phone interview, then probably be called in for an interview. So now it's Monday, and I thought he would have called by today...so I'm starting to worry that perhaps I wasn't what he was looking for? So here are my questions: 1. I know this may sound silly, but what exactly does a phone interview entail? This is my first "real job" so I've never actually been through this process before, I've only ever been called in for an interview. 2. Should I call tomorrow (Tuesday) and inquire about the review of my resume? Or should I wait another few days? I don't want to seem pushy or be a pain, but I also don't want to miss this opportunity. I was told by a friend to make sure (if I called) to call in between 2-3, never before noon and never after 4. Does this sound about right? Also, I cannot find the company number online, or in the phone book for whatever reason, I only have his cell number given to me by the friend who referred me. I am nervous about calling his cell phone--is that disrespectful? Thanks everyone, any advice would be appreciated...I'm really nervous about this...and please do not feel bad speaking the truth, I really won't get offended, I just lack experience in the interviewing process. Thanks again! __________________ Last edited by LAltiero85; Sep 30th, 2008 at 12:23 AM.*

Sep 30th, 2008, 12:40 AM	#2
LAltiero85 Team Edward ♥ Location: PA	anyone? please? __________________

Sep 30th, 2008, 12:56 AM	#4
LAltiero85 Team Edward ♥ Location: PA	Thanks Jill. You're right, it's not like it can really hurt. If he wasn't going to hire me he was going to regardless. Thanks! __________________

Sep 30th, 2008, 01:17 AM	#6
LAltiero85 Team Edward ♥ Location: PA	^^^Thanks! Can anyone tell me what a phone interview is? Is it actually an interview over the phone, or is it basically just setting a time for an interview? __________________

Sep 30th, 2008, 01:34 AM	#7
luvhautecouture Chanelaholic	I know someone who had a phone interview. She didn't tell me much, but from what I heard, you do need to answer questions like a face-to-face interview __________________ I love ballet and tpf! watch these... http://youtube.com/watch?v=V51lNCWtWLQ http://youtube.com/watch?v=i9WmKre5O2I I LOVE my new/first job

Sep 30th, 2008, 12:50 AM	#3
Jill	call in AM and say u were checking in to c the status of the job and that u r very interested.cant hurt!

Sep 30th, 2008, 01:36 AM	#8
LAltiero85 Team Edward ♥ Location: PA	^^Thank you! yes, I just googled phone interviews and got a list of commonly asked questions. Thank you for your response! __________________

Sep 30th, 2008, 02:25 AM	#9
PrincessCayenne Member Location: Vancouver, BC	When I conduct phone interviews it's usually a precursor to an in-person interview so I'll ask why the person is interested in the position, relevant experience, how it will contribute to their future goals...if the whole interview is meant to be over the phone then you could probably expect more specific questions pertaining to job duties, scenarios, past employment experiences etc. I'd say to call tomorrow AM or Wednesday AM...I know that I can be a bit forgetful when I'm hiring sometimes (i.e. I had a closing date of Sept 19th for a position I'm currently hiring for and just contacted shortlisted applicants about interviews today...so if the hiring person is fairly busy it may have slipped their mind or fallen to the bottom of the to-do pile) Hope that helps and GOOD LUCK! __________________ "Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well." Vivienne Westwood __________________________________________________ _____________ Banned for: 30 days

Sep 30th, 2008, 03:42 PM	#13
lunatwinkle Nicole <3 tPF! Location: SF Bay Area, California	I totally encourage you to call them back! Just tell them that you're following up on the status of the position. Employers actually LOVE applicants who follow up with them; it shows them that this candidate really wants this job, and is organized. Plus, they might be really busy with other HR stuff. Try to find a company phone number if possible. ITA, it would seem weird and a little unprofessional to call a cell number as a follow up. Did you get his business card? Do they have a website? Since you got his cell from a friend, would that friend know the company's public phone number? Like PrincessCayenne said, the phone interview is usually a precursor to the in-person interview. If the interviewer likes you, then they'll bring you in for the in-person interview. It make sense of you think about it from their perspective, you don't want to waste time meeting with all these different candidates when you could weedle through the pile in 10-30 minute phone call to each. Phone interviews usually consist of general questions: Could you explain a little about yourself? Why do you want this position? Why do you think you would be a good fit? How does your past experience contribute to our company? etc etc. You can totally find all these types of questions online. Hope that help LA! __________________ COME MEET MISS DUSTY!!! And the rest of the family here! Click on my profile to view my small but well-loved handbag collection!

Sep 30th, 2008, 06:45 PM	#14
IntlSet Bonjour! Location: Chicago	I review resumes and invite candidates in my office for interviews, and I personally would be put off by someone who called just two business days after submitting their resume. We literally receive a dozen resumes a day, without even soliciting them. When we do, we get overwhelming responses. It may be the same for this company. Chances are, you calling them to see if they "reviewed your resume" just two business days after dropping it off is going to get a "No, we haven't, but we'll call if we're interested." It doesn't seem assertive to me, it just seems anxious and pushy. Hope you wanted an honest response! LOL I don't mean to be harsh, but that's my opinion. All the very best luck to you. __________________ http://drinkmorechampagne.wordpress.com/

Sep 30th, 2008, 06:59 PM	#15
redney Lovin' Life!	I've been in the corporate recruiting field for a long time and I think this situation is slightly different vs. a random person who emailed a CV to a jobs@xyz.com company address who is then calling to follow up, since the OP said she gave her CV to the boss personally and he said he liked her CV and they would call her soon for an interview. Without knowing all the details, my assumption is that the boss gave OP's CV to the HR/Recruiting person or whomever is responsible for the phone screens...in my experience when the hiring manager or boss gives me a CV to include in phone screens, it catapults to the top of my pile to call, since I know hiring manager/boss is going to ask me for status on that particular individual sooner than asking about the entire candidate pool. So I'd want to act proactively to get in touch with the individual to either schedule and/or conduct the phone interview quickly. OP, I'd feel comfortable calling to (1) express your strong interest in the job/company; (2) ask if there is further information they need from you for consideration; and (3) ask if it's possible to schedule a phone interview. Even if you get the boss on the phone, he'll either give you the name/number of the person handling the phone interviews (and then follow up with that person offline) or likely schedule it himself if he's the one doing the interviews. Either way, you will have demonstrated your interest in the job/company and your proactiveness following up. You say this job is an Admin Assistant? Being unafraid to follow up appropriately is a pretty good characteristic to have for this job, don'tcha think? Good luck and keep us updated!!