Phone interviews have this magical way of magnifying any nervous tick and making the articulate candidate completely incoherent. Unfortunately, this necessary evil is the starting place of many interviewing processes.

Here are a few simple pointers to keep in mind if you are asked to sell yourself over the phone before meeting the company in-person.

Create a short accomplishment cheat sheet with examples of successes in your previous positions that may relate to the job. It’s also helpful to keep a bullet-point list of information to remember about the company, key competitors, industry information and the hiring manager’s background.

Smile. In front of a mirror. It sounds cheesy, but it helps and it’s contagious. A company wants to hire a positive, energetic person. During an in-person interview, your body language gives the interviewers many clues about your personality. The phone interview leaves the interviewer only with your voice.

Photo credit: Matias Dutto

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