How do you make a good first impression when your first meeting with a potential employer is over the telephone? We say it’s all about good phone interview preparation.

Prepare yourself and your environment

Research the company just as you would if you were meeting face-to-face. If the employer has set a particular time to call, get ready to pick up in a location where distractions and noise can be kept to the minimum. Make sure that any questions you have prepared are accessible. You may want to grab a pad and pen to jot down notes as the employer talks.

Manage missed or inopportune calls

If you don’t know when to expect the call, plan what you’ll do if it comes at an inconvenient moment. Make sure you have a professional-sounding voicemail message on your phone and be ready with a polite request to re-schedule if the employer calls at a difficult time.

Follow up with a ‘thank you’

When the interview is over, don’t forget to send a follow-up email, just to thank the employer for their time.