What gets a candidate past the phone screen?
“Candidates who are able to pass the screening questions, so they meet the recruiter's expectations against the hiring criteria.”
“It's even better when you can introduce your background with the job description in mind, so you frame the experience that is relevant for this job.”Xiaochen Guo
The introduction he describes is the answer to “tell me about yourself”, usually the first question on the call. There are worked examples in how to answer “tell me about yourself”.
How does the recruiter tell real interest from a candidate who just wants a job?
“Someone who has researched the product area, knows the high-level architecture and features, or has tried the product themselves.”Xiaochen Guo
Research here means the product and the team, the same thing “why do you want to work here?” is asking about.
When is a gap on the CV a problem?
“A gap without a real reason, like building a business. Hiring is afraid that it would be hard to adjust back to work if the person wasn't working during the gap.”Xiaochen Guo
For how to say the reason out loud, see how to explain a career gap.
Which logistics questions matter, and how should you answer the salary one?
“Usually salary, location and the number of days in the office.”
“Salary is scary, but the recruiter just checks it against the company range, so it's safe to make a request. It's important to stay flexible if you really want the job.”Xiaochen Guo
Know the company's range before the call. Posted pay and reported levels are in our company guides.
What is an instant no?
“Lack of motivation, an extremely high salary demand, and irrelevant experience, like someone who has only been a people manager, without tech knowledge.”Xiaochen Guo
What does the recruiter write down for the hiring manager after the call?
“Notes including the recommendation from the recruiter, strengths, and experience highlights: why the person is relevant.”Xiaochen Guo
Before the call
A checklistThe answers above, as things to have ready:
- An introduction that starts from the job description and leads with the experience it asks for.
- Something specific about the product: its features, how it is roughly built, or what you found when you used it.
- The real reason for any gap on your CV.
- A salary request inside the company's range, and how flexible you are on it.
- Your answer on location and on the number of office days.
Not sure your experience matches what the job asks for? Run the free scan. It reads your resume against the posting and shows the gaps before a recruiter does.