You've collected resumes, selected candidates and are ready to talk to top contenders. What's your next step? It could be a telephone interview. With overwhelming constraints placed upon hiring managers in the legal field, phone interviews can be an effective time-saver, enabling you to quickly identify the most skilled candidates. Following are some guidelines to help you prepare for the phone evaluation:

Timing Is Everything
Estimate how long you'll need to effectively conduct a telephone interview with job applicants. Without a guideline, you may spend too much or too little time on the process. If the candidate isn't available and you need to leave a message, set a specific time for when he or she should return your call the next day. This can be a good test of initiative – candidates who fail to return the call or do not contact you by the designated hour to make alternative arrangements demonstrate either a lack of interest or a lack of commitment.

Have a Candidate's Resume on Hand
Review the resume and cover letter carefully before you call a candidate, and note any questions you have. Keep these materials on hand when you're talking with the applicant, and jot down his or her responses and your impressions.

Develop a List of Questions
For comparison purposes, ask the same or similar questions of each candidate. You'll likely see a pattern emerge among the applicants who are a good fit for your firm. Here are a few good questions to ask:

• "Tell me a little about yourself and your work history."
• "Do you specialize in any specific practice areas? What type of cases or legal work have you handled in your previous jobs?"
• "What interests you about this job?"
• "What skills can you bring to the job?"
• "Can you tell me about your current job?"
• "What sort of work environment brings out your best performance?"

While phone evaluation is no replacement for an in–person interview, it can be the ideal vehicle for narrowing the field of possible candidates for job openings at your firm. The key is to be consistent and optimize the time you spend with each job hopeful.