Phone interview for opera company

[reneelibra]

My stage manager mentor suggested I apply for an ASM position at an opera company out of state.  I graduated from school very recently (spring) and am surprised to see an email asking for a phone interview.  I stage managed four operas at the university and was an ASM for two other productions with local opera companies. 
I am nervous because I still feel very inexperienced even if I am very capable.  I am asking if anyone has any advice for phone interviews, (I have never done one), if it is different because I currently live out of state, and if there are any questions I should not forget to ask.   Very excited, but incredibly nervous.   

[BLee]

1) Have a copy of your resume and any materials you submit to the company prior to the interview. They may ask questions related to these materials and you want to have the information right in front of you. Same advice applies to any questions you have to ask them. Write them down so you don't forget to ask. And write down the name of the person who calls you so you remember.

2) Try to have a distraction-free space with minimal noise and aim for a good phone signal if you are using a cell phone. There is nothing worse than getting disconnected mid-interview.

3) Take a deep breath. Plus, try to schedule the interview when it is most convenient (rather than having them call randomly when you may or may not be under idle conditions). I've heard the advice that if they do call out of the blue you could allow it to go to voicemail and then call them back when you are best prepared. You could also argue that this could be risky if the situation is first-interview-first-offer.

Best of luck!

[Maribeth]

Think about any questions you might have about housing/transportation relating to an out-of-state position. If you got the job, would you be relocating to that area? Do they offer housing, or do you have to find your own? Do they reimburse travel?

I think one of the hardest things about phone interviews is that some interviewers pause after your answers to write them down. I have to fight my instinct to keep talking to fill the lulls. I try to give a clear answer, and then give them a chance to respond or write my answer down before continuing. (They are not always like this- I much prefer a more conversational interview).

Best of luck on your interview! Be prepared and calm, and you'll do great.

[Jessie_K]

Smile when you greet your interviewers (they can hear it).  And repeat people's names back to them.

Don't just say "thank you" say "thank you NAME"

Good luck!

[DeeCap]

I agree on the smiling; they do hear it. Also if you can stand up while talking on the phone. I've heard that it makes you sound more confident.

Good Luck!

[nick_tochelli]

Be nice and loud and clear! Also, don't speak too fast. Huge part of our job is communication so it's best to make sure they can understand what you're saying. I say this as the master of the mumbles. it's actually a family trait and hard for me to remain clear when speaking. Damn Scottish blood.....

I've really only had one purely phone interview. Other times it was phone interview after a face to face, or phone call to set up an interview...I've had a skype interview before. That was interesting...

As Maribeth said, this is also an opportunity for you to interview them too. Have a list of questions prepared you might want to ask: Responsibilities of the ASM at this company, daily routine, union/non, transportation if its provided or not or is housing within walking distance, any stipends for relocating artists....anything you would ever want to ask someone before relocating to another state.

[bex]

Since this company is out of state for you, MAKE SURE you guys are talking about the same time zone! I had one interview scheduled where I didn't realize the company was in another time zone (I had never been to Ohio before! I honestly thought they were in Central time.), and another where after learning from that first mistake, I made sure to specify the time zone in the email where we scheduled the interview and then the person interviewing me forgot and called me an hour early. That was definitely nerve-wracking.

[ejsmith3130]

The majority of interviews I did before I moved to the Philly area were phone interviews. Personally I think they can be really great- you can be super prepared and have all your information in front of you and still be in your pjs!

Prepare as you would for any other interview- do your research about the company and have a list of questions. What is great about a phone interview is you can have your computer open to their website while you are talking to them so you can quick reference things. Keep a pencil and paper with you too to write down dates and any answers to questions you have.

I like to also have water or hot tea while I interview- that way I can take a drink if my voice gets scratchy or whatever.

Personally I try to stay seated while on the phone, but in a good chair at a table (Kind of like a regular interview) I find when I stand, I pace and start talking too fast. This all depends on your personal habits though.

Time Zones are really important as has bex stated before. I have totally run into that problem and been woken up with an interviewer calling at 9am (6am my time!) Needless to say, I did not get that job.

And about your experiance: Don't undersell yourself. I got my first ASM opera job professionally after a phone interview with only shadowing experiance prior. A lot rides on your personality and confidence I think- they will be looking for someone that they want to work with, and it looks like you know what the job entails anyway.

Best of Luck, and when in doubt- breath out!

[SMAshlee]

Having been the interviewer for a couple phone interviews (for stage managers at a theme park), it really is important that you are confident about your skills and smile.  Your personality and professionalism really show through more than you may think over the phone.

Chances are good there will be some lulls or empty air time while the interviewer makes notes; don't feel like you have to fill the space.  Babbling usually makes your answer unclear. 

Like everyone else has noted, do your research on them.  You are interviewing them as much as they are you.  Write down questions you have for them before hand, and write their names down as they give them to you during your interview.  Names go a long way.

My biggest issue was when interviewees didn't answer the entire question.  Many questions are set up as two or even three part questions!  It's ok to ask them to repeat the question if you need to. 

Break a leg!

[KMC]

Coincidentally, right after I read this thread I found this article posted on LinkedIn.  It may be helpful and includes some interesting tips I hadn't considered previously.

Top 10 tips for a succesful telephone interview

Point 3 expands on Jessie's point below that your actions and mood will come across in your voice:

3) Sit in front of the mirror.
 
This may seem a little odd but quite simply it will give you an indication of how you are coming across. Do you look animated? Is your head up? Perhaps most importantly are you smiling? If not then try to focus on doing so, this may translate in you feeling more confident and therefore sounding more positive!  Alternatively you could try standing up and walking around. If you are more comfortable walking and talking then ensure you are in the right environment to do this. Many people feel they are more animated when upright and this allows for a greater level of focus.

[reneelibra]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

My phone interview is set for next week, we had to do some planning because we are in different time zones! (I can only imagine how terrible that scenario would be).  I suppose that means I have time to plan, I will write down my questions, because I will get nervous.  I just hope none of them are 'dumb' questions that put me in a negative light to not be taken seriously.  It's hard not to be overwhelmed and jump too far ahead.  My mind keeps wondering about the future if this became more than a what-if scenario.  Moving away?  Getting a chance to work in what I want to do? 

[ejsmith3130]

In regards to questions- practice with a friend! Have them ask you questions that they think you might be asked and see what you say. Practicing answers out loud will help you sort through your thoughts BEFORE you are on the phone, and will make you sound more clear and consise with your answers.  It shows that you have put some thought into this.

Good luck!

[MatthewShiner]

Like any interview, be prepared for the questions that are always asked . . .

Tell me about yourself?
Why do you do theatre?
Why stage management?
Hardest show?
What do you do well?  What do you need to improve at?
Why do you want this job?
Where do you want to be in five years?
Where do you want to be in ten years?

There are big "getting to know you" questions - and I too always ask them in hopes to getting to know the person - at the end of the day . . . a person wants to get to know the person as well as possible.   What is hard about the phone interview is you want be able to read their face to see if they are reading you the way you wish to be read - it's one of the reasons humor is hard over the phone (or email).  This is where you have to be careful not to ramble; sometimes you can see in a person's eye they get it when you are in person - but over the phone, you don't get all the non-verbal communication feedback.

Relax and enjoy!

[reneelibra]

Had my interview today.

The stage manager was very nice, we went through my resume he told me that I did not have enough experience yet.  He wants to see that some experience working in union theatres with union stage hands.  He gave me feedback, explaining that he liked that he found out that I have been a performer in opera and thinks that I should add that to my resume.  He said it stands out and balances his team because everyone comes from a different background.   (I used to have that in my resume but I assumed it made me look unprofessional and was excited when I finally had enough stage management experience to remove it).  Anywho, he told me to do summer internships and I asked can I ask for your opinion on that?  We talked about a few opera summer programs.  He told me to keep his number and call me in the future.   

He also said my reference gave a 'glowing' recommendation of me.  Although, I did not get the job I feel a little more support to send out my resume to some more local companies in the hopes of gaining experience.  Thank you everyone for your advice and support!

[PSMKay]

Excellent! Thanks for reporting back! Now write down the steps you took to prepare, and make them into a checklist. Next time you'll have a guideline to follow to ensure you're as comfortable going in (if not moreso) as you were today. Keep it up!