Careers In The Time of Corona
DON’T PANIC
Have you watched the movie, Contagion? It is an epidemiological thriller about a novel virus that contains the genetics of bat and pig. The movie was made in the year 2011 but I was shocked to see the striking relevance to the current pandemic we all are facing - Coronavirus.
Interestingly, the story of a deadly virus depicts panic among people as a bigger threat than the deadly virus itself. According to the WHO, to date; we have lost 87,987 lives to the virus and have more than 1,479,168 patients across the world. Some countries are under lockdown, others have declared a national emergency and in India, people are getting booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The situation has gotten really serious. Amidst all this, panicking is something to be strictly avoided. Rather, it is advisable to follow the basic instructions like cleaning hands regularly, avoiding touching the face too often and maintaining social distancing. It is good to be well-informed of the latest developments but please follow reliable sources. Here is a link to the WHO page to look for answers to any questions that you might have.
Moving back to the movie, I think it is worth a watch to be able to understand the cause and spread of such viruses. So, if you have not seen the movie yet then you may want to give it a go but remember not to panic.
So, chances are that your upcoming job interviews might be conducted via telephone instead of in-person. Are you ready to rock it?
TAKE THE CALL
Here are a few suggestions that will come handy while facing a telephone interview:
Be on time: Just like a regular face-to-face interview, be on time. If you are the one calling then call at the appointed time or if you are to receive the call then be ready for it waiting by the side of your phone.
Location is important: Make sure that the room where you are having the interview is quiet and free of any background noise. Do not be in a position to repeatedly apologize to the interviewer because of disturbances.
Be Resume ready: Have a copy of your resume, a pen, and a notebook with you. Be quick in taking important notes and jot down talking points to guide you as you answer.
Short Answers: There will be some obvious questions that you would expect to be asked. For the telephone interview, have a short version of your answers rehearsed. The interviewer is more likely to remember short and crisp points.
Communication, communication, communication: Verbal communication skill is very important and all the more in a telephone conversation. You do not want to end up mumbling or sounding ineffective. Set up some practice interview calls with friends, family or your mentor to improve telephone conversation skills.
(One Up Your Career is a daily advice column from Akshay Datt, founder of Unnati aimed at helping you grow professionally.)
