It’s no secret that many companies opt to conduct interviews over the phone. This is especially true for first-round screenings and conversations with locum tenens workers who might not live in the area. And while phone interviews are certainly convenient, they do come with some unique challenges. Here are some of Odyssey Staffing’s tips for hosting a successful medical phone interview.

Get Personal

When preparing for a phone interview, it’s important that you don’t just gather details on the individual being considered for the job. You also want to prep information to share about the company in question, and even yourself as the interviewer. Tell the candidate about the broader goals of the business, as well as your own experience working there. The idea is to ensure the company is a good fit for the individual, and vice versa, while ensuring the rest of the conversation functions as a dialogue.

Share Your Goals for the Call

Before picking up the phone, it’s important to have a clear idea of how you want the interview to progress. For this reason, you might want to draft an agenda for the call that covers all the main topics of conversation. Key areas might include an introduction to the company, position roles and responsibilities, and employee background info. For best results, share the agenda with your interview subject and invite them to raise additional discussion points. By sharing the goals of the call upfront, you boost the odds of both parties staying on point.

Have a Conversation

The best, most revealing interviews are dialogues, rather than question-and-answer sessions. Rather than asking interview subjects to respond to a list of questions, invite them to elaborate on their traits and abilities by posing open-ended queries. For example, instead of asking for a candidate’s GPA, ask them to share a memorable experience from medical school. Hiring managers can learn a lot from the type of information candidates choose to share about their work histories and backgrounds, as well as the details themselves.

Let Odyssey Staffing Assist With Your Candidate Search

An expert in recruitment services, Odyssey Staffing has been helping companies find the best candidates for all their open positions since 2005. From locating prospects to helping you conduct successful interviews, we do it all. For more information about our staffing services, call us or contact our team online.