How to Ace a Telephone Interview & Get the Job

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Step 1: Arrange a good time
Arrange a time when you can speak freely without interruptions. That means no kids, dogs, or nosy co-workers anywhere nearby.

Tip
Keep your resume on hand in case an employer calls unannounced.

Step 2: Give good phone
Take the call on a landline; cell phones are vulnerable to poor reception and dropped calls. If you have call waiting, check with your phone service about suspending it during scheduled interviews. Whatever phone number you left as your contact, make sure its outgoing message is professional.

Step 3: Prepare notes
Unlike an in-person interview, you can have notes in front of you. Take advantage by setting up information cheat sheets about the company and your interviewer. Organize your notes in bulleted points so you don't sound rehearsed, and prepare answers to common questions, like, "Why do you want to work for our company?"

Tip
If your interviewer is in another part of the country, check their local news so you'll have some timely icebreakers ready.

Step 4: Know your salary needs
Know your salary requirements. Because phone interviews are sometimes a way to narrow an applicant pool, many prospective employers begin the dialogue with that discussion.

Step 5: Rehearse
Record a mock phone interview with a friend so you can correct any verbal tics like speaking too fast or saying "you know" too often.

Step 6: Make silence golden
Make sure you're far away from anything that could make a distracting sound, and be sure to mute your computer, cell phone, and PDA to avoid interruptions.

Step 7: Give a performance
Sit or stand up straight during the interview, wear something professional, and smile when you speak. You may feel silly, but speech experts say it will make you sound more alert and self-possessed.

Tip
Use a headset if you can. It will allow you to move around and make the gestures you normally make when you speak, which will help you come across as more relaxed and confident.

Step 8: Shut up occasionally
Don't be a blabbermouth. The interviewer is likely taking notes, so give them some time to do so.

Step 9: Send a thank you
End a phone interview the way you would end an in-person one – by sending a written note or e-mail thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in the position.

Did You Know?
A candidate who flushed the toilet during a phone interview made a top-10 list of the worst job-hunter blunders.