Fast Dolphin

Fast Dolphin, Inc. 12555 Orange Drive, Suite 4059

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33330 Phone 877-670-0250

Fax 954 252-2395 www.fastdolphin.com

TIPS FOR TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS

This document is intended to give you a few tips to have effective phone interviews with

the end client.

Congratulations! If the end client is doing an interview with you, it means that after a first or

second round of selection of resumes, your skills and experience are probably what they

are looking for and they want to make sure of the following:

If the consultant has the expected knowledge and experience for the project.

If the consultant is fluent in English (or other required language)

The consultant’s availability for the project.

The phone interview has great relevance because it will be here that the client will decide

if the consultant joins the project or not. The following tips help you maximize your chances

of closing a phone interview in your favor.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW:

If the name of the end client is known, you should try to research as much as

possible about the company. The internet provides a great deal of information on

most important companies like: industry, performance of the company in the last 2

years, what is the latest news of the company? What are the plans for the future for

this company? If the particular location or division of the person that is doing the

interview is known, make a particular emphasis in your research about it.

Make sure all the logistics of the interview are in order. This may sound simple, but

it’s important to know all the details of the call beforehand: exact hour of the

interview, if the schedule time is Eastern (EST), Central (CST), Mountain (MST), Pacific

(PST) or other local time in your particular country. Make sure you know you local

time in relation to the interviewer’s time; you can visit sites like

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/gmt-converter2.htm to make all time zone

conversions. Make sure the client has your correct number where you will be

available to take the call. Test your phone line to see if the line is working properly

1hr before the scheduled time of the call. Make yourself available at least 30

minutes before the scheduled time and prepare to be available 1hr after the

scheduled time of the call. If taking the call in your cell phone, make sure it has

sufficient battery life and good reception to take the call. If the interview requires

for you to dial a conference (1 800) number and you are not able to make

international calls, please ask the Business Development Manager to conference

you in to the call.

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/gmt-converter2.htm




DURING THE INTERVIEW

Clearly assess the industry and modules required for the project.

Speak loud and clear. Be confident!

Show interest for the position and be proactive in your comments.

Listen carefully to the questions the interviewer makes. If something is not clear, ask

him for clarification openly. Sometimes the pronunciation of some interviewers is

difficult to understand. You should ask “can you repeat the question again,

please?” Until you understand fully the question. Clarify with questions like; “are you

asking x, y, z?” and then elaborate your answer accordingly.

Have your printed resume at hand as a quick reference so you can answer

immediately any questions related to the activities made in past projects, dates or

modules.

Make relevant and intelligent questions about the project. This gives the interviewer

an impression that he is talking to an interested person, proactive and

knowledgeable that has the experience he or she requires.

Don’t be ashamed to tell the great things about you and your experience. This is

not a time to be modest. This is the time to show off your achievements no matter

how small you think they might be.

Be calm and relaxed. Address the interviewer by their first name, try to have a

relaxed atmosphere and keep the conversation in a comfortable level for both

parties. If the interviewer makes a joke (for example), laugh at his joke. A serious

person might be interpreted as a nervous one or not as proactive as they would

need.

The following is an example of an interview and how to answer proactively. To answer

adequately makes all the difference in getting a confirmation for the project or not.

Note: Do not take these questions literally, they are only examples intended to illustrate

on how you could respond to similar questions.

1. In warehouse management, how do you create a put-away request after

purchase receipt?

In warehouse management you create a put-away request by doing 1, 2, 3

and 4.

After finishing 1, 2, 3 and 4; you do 5, 6 and 7.

I have experience creating a put-away request during my job at X

company

I would be successful implementing that in this project because x, y, z




2. How will you enforce security using stored procedures?

Don't grant user access directly to tables within the application. Instead

grant the ability to access the procedures that access the tables. When

procedure executed it will execute the privilege of procedures owner. Users

cannot access tables except via the procedure.

3. How do you setup an item with "D1" standard cost

Answer as in question 1

4. How do you setup a routing with outside PO and make it as "D1" cost

Answer as in question 1

5. How a payment group is created? (In case you don’t remember)

Right now I don’t remember because I haven’t used that function recently.

But I want you to know that I have used that function successfully during my

job with X company.

I’m positive that after a quick reading I can use it 100% right again

6. Do you have experience using JDE version 8.10?

Yes, I have experience using JDE V8.10 and I have implemented that version

in XYZ company.

7. Have you worked in the US before?

If the answer is no: NO, but I have worked for multinational companies and

all the communication has been in English.

If yes: Yes, I have worked in California for X company for a 6 month period

and I was successful communicating in English 100%.

8. Are you aware that the project is in Houston, TX?

Yes, I’m aware and I’m fine with the location.

9. What experience do you have in X, Y, Z modules?

10. Can you elaborate (ahondar, explicar) on your experience on X module?

11. Do you have experience with security setup in JDE?

12. Can you mention 2 or 3 rules in the setup of x, y, z?

13. Do you have any inconvenient to work in the US?

I have no inconvenient whatsoever working in the US. I can legally work in

the US

Do not give negative answers; “No..”, “I don’t know that module…”, “ I don’t have that

experience”… try always to give an impression that you are the consultant they need,

that you can tackle any challenge, “I have some knowledge of that module and only

need a chance to gain hands-on experience with it..”, “I’m pretty sure I need only a

few days to get up to speed in that particular area…”




At the end of the interview, be mindful of what the interviewer says;

For example, some signs of a good interview are:

- The interviewer asks you at the end; “where can you join the project?”, “when

are you available?”

- Sometimes a longer interview is a sign of interest in your experience and skills as

well.

Some signs of an interview gone badly are:

- The interview was cut short because you were not able to give several answers.

- The say “we will contact you in case we need you” this sometimes is not

necessarily a bad sign, but it gives the impression they want to evaluate

someone else before they make a decision.

When the interview ends, thank the interviewer with something like: I thank you for the

opportunity of interviewing with you and look forward to contributing to this project’s

success

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Notify Fast Dolphin about the interview and your impressions about it.

It is important to take a note of the name of the interviewer, name of the company

and the position for which you are being interviewed and location.

Example of Fast Dolphin notification email:

Good evening,

I just received the call 15 minutes ago (6:15 MST) from Bill Enkamp, he told me that

they are interested in my services, also he mentioned that in the project they will require

to use Discrete and Process Manufacturing, and I told him that actually in the company

where I am working right now, I am implementing both kinds of manufacturing, he

asked me some questions about my experience and knowledge and finally he said that

tomorrow a lady called Jenny (from the Human Resources department) will call me.

Bill asked me if I work for Fast Dolphin, and I told him that yes, and also asked me

where I am living, I told him that I live in Saltillo, Mexico and that I travel from Saltillo

to the project where I am implementing Oracle usually every 2 or 3 weeks if the project

is in the U.S., and every 1 or 2 weeks if the project is in Mexico.

Bill also asked me when I will be available, and I told him 2 weeks notice.

Regards

Gerardo




REMEMBER:

Fast Dolphin and its Business Development Managers are constantly marketing you and

giving you the necessary tools and information for making your interviews successful, but:

THE FINAL SUCCESS IN THE INTERVIEW AND CONFIRMATION ON THE PROJECT DEPENDS ON

YOU!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

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