Put your best foot forward on the telephone

When speaking to a potential candidate on the telephone, there are two signals that tell me that someone is not appropriate for my client.

The first is someone's energy level on the phone.  Good energy level, personal warmth is proper etiquette for many of us but I still run into this situation all the time. If someone has no spark in their voice, creates awkward pauses, speaks abruptly or has no sign of passion for what they do, I know immediately that they are not a fit.  My clients pays me for the best in the marketplace and candidates who possess all the desirable qualities and they are not prepared to sacrifice on any let alone on an important trait.  I simply move on to another candidate that has all the criteria that the client desires.  Even leadership roles in areas like finance and information technology now demand strong communications people as these areas are far more visible than they were in the past.

Secondly, combative or defensive people are also red flagged. This usually occurs when someone is being called out of the blue on a certain opportunity. It is understandable that someone can be standoffish at first as we are all used to salespeople calling us for unwanted services, but if after I have clearly and quickly stated who I am and why I am calling, this defensiveness needs to disappear.  If someone cannot understand that I can bring value to them than their executive logic comes into question.  Likewise, if someone cannot understand the value of networking and building their network, then their strategic thought process comes into question.  Finally if they don't understand why I would be calling them, then their ability comes into question as obviously they are not wise enough to understand how people can leave their jobs in search of better jobs. 

Farewell,

Mike