<p>How would you handle this situation? You’ve applied for a position in which you are very interested and for which your experience is a perfect match. You aren’t asked to interview for the job but are later contacted to interview for another position (at the same company) that sounds like it’s a bit out of your league. In all honesty, I’ve never done many of the high level tasks associated with this new job.</p>
<p>At tomorrow’s phone interview, do I bluff my way through (not my nature, BTW)? Should I be honest that the position to which I had originally applied was a better match for my experience (probably non-productive since that one has been filled). How do I make the best of this and possibly get to progress to an in-person interview?</p>
<p>Thanks, all!</p>
<p>I would assume that they could tell from what I’d already submitted that I hadn’t done everything this job entails, and I would do my best to present myself as someone who is capable of learning to do the job. (I’m assuming that you believe you can learn to do this job well.)</p>
<p>It is not unlikely that they’re interested in you precisely because you don’t already have the skills but they think you can learn them – you’d probably be less expensive than the person you are imagining they want to hire. (Besides, they can train you to do things exactly the way they want them done, and they don’t have to worry that you may prefer to do them somebody else’s way.)</p>
<p>Do you have an interest in this new position? If not then you should probably kindly tell them that you’re not particularly interested in this position but are very interested in the other postion and might be interested in some other positions.</p>
<p>If you’re somewhat interested in this position however, and might be interested in pursuing it I suggest you express confidence in your ability to handle new challenges including areas where you might not have a wealth of experience. It’s not a matter of bluffing or being dishonest but rather, considering how you can leverage your past experience, possibly even in areas not directly related to these new tasks, to apply them to these new ones. Remember that ‘no one’ performed these high level tasks until they were at some point moved into that position.</p>
<p>You need to leave the interviewer with a few take-aways - </p>
<ul>
<li>That you’re interested in the position</li>
<li>That you have confidence that you can do well in the position (because if you don’t have the confidence then they likely won’t)</li>
<li>That you can handle the new position - possibly by leveraging your past experiences, by your ability to learn new items, by your drive, by your enthusiasm.</li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks for such solid advice. I appreciate it. Yes, I am interested in this position and believe I can handle it in time. I also believe that what they’re asking for is the equivalent of four fulltime jobs-- but that’s today’s corporate America.</p>
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<p>Do not do this as you are basically questioning the good judgement of the person who thought it would be a good idea to interview you about the second job.</p>
<p>ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad gave some great advice. I would add that you should treat this as you would an in-person interview in that the basic rules apply of sitting up straight, paying attention, etc. All of that conveys on the phone. You also have the advantadge of printing up materials ahead of time that will prompt you in ways to put your best foot forward.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Also close your email and smile. Those come across the phone too. Have some good questions not stuff from the web.</p>
<p>Remember the power of being a really good listener. That means being secure enough to be silent for times that may seem too long. As long as you “listen actively” and then respond really specifically and interestingly to what was said - you will make a good impression.</p>
<p>Also, maybe jot down specific technical jargon, models, technologies that might be applicable to the job. It’s easy to freeze in an interview. Use the luxury of the phone communication to keep a little cheat sheet handy.</p>
<p>I like that suggestion, sewhappy, and in fact made an outline and some notes tonight.</p>
<p>My H has done many job interviews by phone. He spreads all the papers across the bed so can refer to them easily without shuffling among papers. He keeps his resume right in the center, along with the “outline and notes” as you made. Those are very important.</p>
<p>At the start, he asks everyone their name (if it’s a group interview on the other side) and jots down their names. Then he uses their names during the conversation.</p>
<p>These are some advantages of a phone interview! The big down-side is you can’t see anyone’s face, so he uses this question – Sometimes not everytime: “Does that answer your question?” If they’re ready to move on, they say “yes” but if not they ask more on the same topic. It’s one of those things that’s very hard to read without face contact.</p>
<p>Thanks, p3t. Very good suggestions.</p>
<p>I never voluteer any information and at the same time I am always honest. I feel that I am very good at interviews, has had huge experience (currently at job #9). The current position is the best. I got it after telephone interview while I missunderstood who actually called me for whole duration of interview. I thought it was another company that I had applied at the same time. Apparently, it did not come out during interview. More so for “not volunteering information” strategy. Basically, I am trying listen more than talk and only answer direct questions with very direct and short answers.</p>