Telephone interviews are usually used as the first stage in the screening process.

Although people sometimes get nervous about them, they're actually a chance for you to make a great first impression.

Being offered a phone interview is a really good sign. It means the company is seriously considering you for the job. It also saves you the time and expense of travelling to a face-to-face screening interview.

Telephone interviews are normally quite basic, without too many trick questions.

Typically, a company will want to get to know you a little - get a feel for the personality behind the CV. They'll probably ask you a few questions about your CV, work experience, skills, background and why you want the job. It's easy to prepare for this type of question, before they call you.

It's really important to take a telephone interview seriously. It's more than just a chat: the interviewer will be deciding whether to invite you to a face-to-face interview. You should treat it as seriously as any other type of job interview.

To prepare for a phone interview, it's critical to:

1. Set the call up for a time when you're able to relax and not be disturbed.
   This might mean asking to be called outside of office hours.
   

2. Don't do it at work.
   You'll be too nervous to do yourself justice. And what would happen if your boss walked in?
   

3. Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview.
   Sit upright in your chair and hold the phone as you would at work. All of this helps you present a professional image. If you're at home, in your jeans and lounging on the sofa, you could come across as being too laid back.
   
4. Really listen.
   You can't see the interviewer, so you'll need to concentrate on their tone of voice and what they're saying. You won't get the visual clues that tell you what they thought of your answer, so you'll need to put in the effort to listen to their response. You might be surprised how much information a "pregnant pause" can give you.
   
5. Think about your body language.
   Try to imagine the other person sat on their end of the phone and move your body as though you were looking at them in a normal conversation. If you would normally smile, then smile. This will help you avoid sounding "wooden" on the phone.

In summary: as long as you take it seriously and prepare well, you should breeze through the telephone job interview and make it to the next round of recruitment. Good luck!

Clare Jaques is Director of InterviewStuff.com

Clare is an international consultant, trainer and coach, specialising in business communication skills.
Her considerable recruitment experience has led her to become the Job Interview Expert for Monster