Your phone vibrates. You see and recognize the number. It’s the call for an interview for your dream job. The one you’ve wanted for so long. The adrenaline spikes. Excitement!
But, are you even ready for this call?
We hesitate in using terms like “dream job” normally, but there are all kinds of dreams. Some dreams are amazing, others a bit mundane, some are wacky and hard to explain. Then there are the nightmares. Interviews can be the same.
So, “dream job” can stay because it could really mean anything.
But, this particular call is for a job you really want. How do you handle it?
If you haven’t prepared for this call and practiced out loud how you will communicate, then you have opened a can of random. The emotional spikes will throw you off your game faster than you even begin to realize. Managing those emotions takes practice.
First, take a deep breath. Think carefully if you are in a good place to answer it at all. If you are in a crowded place with a lot of noise, perhaps let it go to voicemail and call them back.
If you’re in a meeting at work, it is not a good time to answer. Don’t panic if they don’t leave a voicemail. You have the call back number. Schedule your phone interview for a time when you will be prepared and uninterrupted.
This is how you make sure your “dream” is a good one and not a nightmare.
