J.T. and Dale talk jobs: Plan ahead for sudden, surprise phone interview

J.T.: I advise my clients to always be ready for a phone screen, starting the day you submit an application; after all, you just never know when a recruiter might call. In the event that you aren't prepared, you have to quickly evaluate your options: You can wing it and hope you do well; or you can ask to reschedule but risk the recruiter's moving on to other candidates.

DALE: And that's not the only risk. If you're the one approaching companies, you're selling yourself, which makes you a salesperson with one product. So picture this: You run into a guy who's a car salesman - say it's Hondas. You tell him: "I'm in the market for a Honda. Let me ask a few questions." What would you think if the guy said: "I need to get my thoughts together. Let me get back to you." Is that someone you'd want to buy a Honda from? Of course not. You want him to be someone who loves Hondas and is eager to help you fill your need - someone full of questions and answers. That's why you should be doing mock interviews and be ready to zing away with both.

J.T.: I get your point, but there's one exception to zinging. If you don't feel you know enough about the company, tell the recruiter you have an appointment and ask if you could call him or her in an hour. This will at least buy you some time to prep and hopefully still keep you in the running.

DALE: Then again, questions are the answer. You just say: "I've been impressed by your company and I made notes, but I don't have them with me. Would you rather I called you back or that we just press ahead?" They'll choose the latter, but by asking the question, you've scored points before the interview even starts.

Dear J.T. & Dale: I heard that more contract jobs (aka temporary) are popping up. What's the best way to approach a temporary agency for a job? - Manny

DALE: The best way to approach any career conversation is to consider what's in it for the other person, as in, "What's the staffing person looking for?" Well, someone who's easy to place. The natural tendency is to think you'll be that person by saying, "I'll take anything." NO. Imagine the agency person calling the client and saying: "Get excited! I found you someone who'll take anything!"

J.T.: Dale's point is that lots of people are knocking on the doors of temporary agencies these days, and most of them are looking for any job they can get. And, yes, that's the problem! Temporary agencies want to place talented people who are strategic in their careers, which means people who have career goals and target employers. If you know what kind of company you eventually want to work for, go to staffing companies in your area and let them know that you have a plan.

DALE: Being specific about types of jobs and employers may seem to reduce your odds of getting an interview, but it's just the opposite. Let's go back to that phone call from the staffing company to the client, but this time saying, "I found someone who's not only qualified, but who has a target list of three companies, and you're at the top."

J.T.: If you want to expand your availability, do it by letting the staffing company know you are open to taking entry-level jobs with specific employers. That's good for the staffing company because it knows you are more likely to stick with a job in a place where you ultimately want to get hired. Plus, if you do get a job offer, they'll get a commission -making them even more excited about the idea of placing you there. Make it easy for them to recommend you.

Jeanine "J.T." Tanner O'Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. com. Visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email.