Tag Archives: interviews

Phone Interviews: A Few Tips To Get Started

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Everyone knows by now that I am a huge iPhone fan, but this post actually isn’t directly about that particular phone. It’s a post about interviewing by phone. I thought I’d share a tip or two about this, since I had to learn on the fly. I paid my dues heavily when I first started out in this biz. Now, you can benefit from my mistakes! In that spirit, I’d like to share a few things with you here:

  1. If you are going to interview by phone–prepare. Take at least 15 minutes before you call (or get the call) to go over what you know about the person and their related business or company. Pull up their webpage on your computer if you can. Jot down a few notes. It makes a huge difference if you are ready to go.
  2. Jot down a few questions in case it’s hard to get things started. You don’t have to use them, but it can help if you get stuck.
  3. Have them tell you a little about themselves to get things warmed up. Let them ramble a bit and then take notes on anything you’d like to come back to later.
  4. If you get someone who rambles too much, don’t be afraid to re-direct the conversation. Be gentle, but firm.
  5. At the end of the interview, check your facts. Go over statistics and figures to make sure you have them right. Ask them to spell their name and title. This is extremely important.

Just a few thoughts to get you going. Joe and I will be touching on this subject more as the New Year progresses, so stay tuned for more interview tips!

Networking For Freelancers–A Different Approach

When I was early in my freelance writing career, I totally misunderstood the notion of networking as it applied to writing. I stayed well within the confines of the writing community, trying to make connections with editors, fellow writers, photographers and other people who work directly within the world I was trying to break into.

At this point, if you aren’t asking why I say that is a mistake, you’re definitely reading the right article. It’s so easy to get tunnel vision about these things, but once you get a bit of perspective all becomes clear. Continue reading Networking For Freelancers–A Different Approach