Phone interviews are the new way employers are screening candidates and there are some important things you should keep in mind to avoid getting cut in this first round. If you have the opportunity to schedule the time of the phone interview, be sure to schedule it when you know you will be able to give them your full attention.

Make sure you have your resume handy in case they ask you specific questions regarding your employment history. Be sure it is the same copy you had sent out to the employer who is calling. Your interviewer will be looking at your resume throughout the interview, and you want to be sure you know exactly what he/she is talking about. It will help make the interview run smoothly if both parties are looking at the same guidelines of your history. You don’t want to be caught off guard by not being able to detail your dates of employment or positions.

You should also take advantage of the fact that this is over the phone. Have prepared answers ready to some basic questions, or at least some key bullet points of your career highlights. Use your notes to help you say exactly what you want to say. Underline areas on your resume that you might want to elaborate on. Remember, so far your resume is the only tool your caller has to know who you are, so it is up to you to verbalize your strengths.

Also in your notes, you should jot down a few things that you can refer to in case questions that require company knowledge come up. You will be remembered more than another candidate if you show interest and knowledge about their company.

Make sure you have your schedule on hand too. If your interviewer is interested in setting up an actual face-to-face interview, do not waste time looking for your schedule to be able to set up a time. The last thing you would want to do is succeed in a phone interview only to tell them to call you back because you are not sure when you can meet them.

Lastly, plan a closing statement ahead of time to avoid awkwardness when ending the call. Add any final remarks about your experience, restate your interest in the position, ask what is the next step in the process, and what is their potential timeframe for filling the position.

Again, take advantage of the fact that they can’t see you! Make a checklist of these tips to remind yourself when you are on that phone interview!