Telephone Interview
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Telephone interviews are screening interviews: and are an approach used increasingly by companies to maximize the recruiter's time as well as save on travel budgets. From the recruiter's standpoint, the purpose of the telephone interview is to eliminate imperfectly qualified candidates so that only a few are left for personal interviews. Your mission in a telephone interview is to be invited for a personal face-to-face interview. Some tips for telephone interviews:

Anticipate the dialogue
Write a general script with answers to anticipated questions you might be asked. Practice a mock interview in a tape recorder until you are comfortable. Then replace the script with cue cards that you keep by the telephone. Focus on skills, experiences, and accomplishments.

Be prepared to think on your feet
If you are asked to participate in a role-playing situation, give short but concise answers. Accept any criticism with tact and grace. This is a test to see how well you think on your feet.

Salary issue
If you are asked how much money you would expect, try to avoid the issue by using a delaying statement or give a broad range with a $15,000 spread. At this point, you do not know how much the job is worth.

Push for a face-to-face meeting
Sell yourself by closing with something like: "I am very interested in exploring the possibility of working in your company. I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you in person so we can both better evaluate each other. I am free either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. Which would be better for you?"

Surprise interviews
You will not be your best with a surprise interview. Always try to set an appointment to call back. For example: "I have a scheduling conflict at this time. Can I call you back tomorrow after work, say 6 PM?"