'Informal chat' telephone call, pre-application?

Tete_en_l'Air

You know on a job advert it will say something like "For an informal chat about the position, please call...."? I've been told that this is a good idea to make a good impression - making yourself stand out and getting your name remembered for when the applications are being looked at.

But what sort of things should you be saying/asking? I've seen a job advertised that I'd like to apply for, and am thinking of maybe making that call but I don't want to do it for the sake of it as I think that would probably do more harm than good. Has anybody ever had success/failure doing this, or are there any employers who would recommend it?

We had one guy calling our office last year when we had a vacancy, asking if there was already someone lined up for the job, because if there was he wouldn't bother applying. I'm pretty sure that's NOT the sort of thing you should be saying!

thegirlintheattic

Asking intelligent questions about the company/what the role involves that cannot be gained from the internet or adverts, is what you should be asking.

However for most jobs there is nothing you really need answering.

While you could make a good impression, on the phone your likely to let your guard down and could end up shooting yourself in the foot! I'd avoid.

an9i77

I think it could work quite well if you use the call to glean info about the company /role which you can then use to think about how your particular experience will fit, so if you get an interview you can use this info as part of your prep. You will have an advantage over other candidates who've not had the informal chat, as you'll have a clearer idea of what they are looking for. Although I agree that if you are not careful you may shoot yourself in the foot. But I think you'd have to stand out as a particularly bad potential candidate for them to remember you and think 'we're not going to interview that person based on what he said in his informal chat'. Could work both ways though - if you have a particularly good informal chat they may well remember you amongst a sea of applications and shortlist you!

Savvy_Sue

You could ask how they prefer to send the application pack out (if that's not already 'given' information). And then you could ask how the vacancy has arisen: someone left / got promoted, or company growth, or whatever. And you could ask if they are likely to stop accepting applications early.

And if there's anything that might stop you taking the job, they might be inviting you to call about that. For example, we have some jobs which need shift work, so if you phone and ask about that I'm likely to check that you have your own transport, and that if not you're happy that you can get yourself there at non-standard hours.

It's a two way process: we don't use it to filter who we interview (although those of us fielding the calls might like to do so!) but we do use it to put people off who are clearly not qualified / unlikely to WANT the job!