Stephanie Chappell Disbrow: Professionalism by TelephoneAs part of her job as a talent acquisition specialist, Stephanie Chappell Disbrow often has to conduct interviews by telephone. Although her preference is for face-to-face meetings, when looking for talent in another state, this is not always feasible. In her experience, telephone professionalism is a topic that many people struggle with. For an interview to be successful, the candidate must behave in a professional manner. The first thing we need to understand is that anyone who conducts business over the telephone must act as if they are providing a service to a customer. When we think about calls we've made in the past where we received great customer service on the other side, we want to replicate that tone and behavior. To do this, we must always speak with respect. This means that we should never raise our voices, say inappropriate words, discuss inappropriate topics or be denigrating. A good tip is to imagine yourself talking to your grandmother. If you don't feel comfortable telling him something, don't tell the person leading your conversation.