Phone interviews are pretty common these days. It gives the hiring managers a chance to be selective on resumes, while not taking too much time out of their day for a face-to-face interview. That said, they are just as important, if not more important than the second round because you have the opportunity to make a great first impression over the phone. If you pass the first round, on the day of your scheduled interview, the interviewer will go into the meeting with a positive impression of you from the start… can you say ADVANTAGE?!

Here is some expert advice:

1. Do your research. Just as you would before the usual in-person interview, check out the company website and READ the information on the pages. Google the company and search for any news about them. Have they merged with anyone else? Recently bought out?

2. Keep your resume in front of you as a reference. This way, when they interviewer asks you a specific question about your resume, you’ll be able to answer quickly and concisely.

3. Jot down notes for yourself. Beforehand, make notes of your accomplishments, skills, real life examples of how you’ve used your skills in a work environment, and questions for the interviewer about the company (you can always add another if one comes to mind during the interview.)

4. Make sure you’re in a quiet location during the call with excellent phone service. Do not eat or chew gum. Surrounding yourself with distractions is a recipe for disaster.

5. Take your time. Remember to be clear and concise. Since you do not have the benefit of reading the interviewers body language, make sure you don’t drag out an answer and go on a tangent.

6. Send a Thank you. At the end of the phone interview and in the mail! Make sure you get the full name and correct spelling of the interviewer and the address where they’re located.

Get your pen and paper ready to take notes and you’re good to go!