This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager.
A reader writes:
I work in New York City. I do not drive to work. Every time I start interviewing, I run into an issue with the dreaded phone interview. Even if I ever worked in an office that was large enough for me to commandeer an office or a conference room for a private call, I personally don’t think it’s appropriate (nor prudent) to conduct a phone interview in my office.
I always try to set them up for the morning and go in late, or afternoon and have a “doctor’s appointment,” but often I do not have that option and they want to speak in the middle of the day.
My solution to this has been to head to a Starbucks, a pocket park when it’s warm enough, or a hotel lobby (when I worked in midtown). I always begin the phone call by brightly and positively stating, “I am in a coffee shop, so if you hear any background noise, that’s why.” Sometimes this goes well; sometimes it does not, and people complain about background noise, even when they say they can hear me just fine. I always use headphones with my mobile phone so there is less chance of noise bleed.
Recruiters and HR people don’t understand why I can’t just pick up their calls in the middle of the office, why I need notice to set up a phoner, or why there is background noise when the only time a hiring manager can speak to me is at 1:30pm.
My question to you is – what do other people do?? Is there some magic to this that I am just not thinking of? I understand and appreciate the need for the phone interview, but I can’t always afford to take a day off work for a 20-30-minute call, especially since it’s pretty much de rigeur these days. I work in a very tiny office right now (which is showing signs of financial instability) and I know this is going to start happening again. Maybe your readers have some ideas?
Nope, that’s pretty much what people do. Some people will take the calls in their office with the door closed or in a empty conference room, but you’re right that it can feel a little awkward to do that, and you risk work-related interruptions. Some people will even take the calls in a stairwell or parking garage, where of course you risk being overheard.
If you drive to work (which you don’t), taking the call in your car can work well.
Beyond that though, coffee shops and parks are pretty much your options.
Reasonable interviewers will understand that you have a job and limited options for where you take these calls. You might try altering your start-of-the-call explanation though, to emphasize that you’re not just randomly in a coffee shop but went there intentionally, by saying something like, “I stepped out of my office and into a coffee shop to take this call. I hope there won’t be much background noise, but you may hear a little of it.”