As you know, the current job market is tight for job seekers. The companies have a distinct advantage in the hiring process because there are so many possible candidates for each job opening.

In the past, if you lived within driving distance of the company, you would get an in-person interview if they liked your resume. Today, phone screen interviews are much more commonly used to reduce the number of candidates for in-person interviews.

Hiring managers want to be sold that you are a match for the opening.

Here are three tips to help you succeed in your next phone interview.

1. RESUME: Always have a copy of your resume in front of you during the interview. That will help you verify your work history dates and job titles. If you are fuzzy or hesitant on your background, the interview may be over before it even starts.

2. ENERGY: Always be more energetic than normal. Enthusiasm is the magic ingredient in all interviews. Your energy level is even more critical on the phone because you don’t have the benefit of eye contact and body language to help you communicate. During an in-person interview, body language is 65 percent of the communication. It’s difficult to see a smile by telephone! An employer will gauge your genuine interest in the company by your verbal energy and intensity.

3. CLOSE: You must ask for the order. At the end of the conversation, the employer may ask, "Do you have any final questions?" This is your opening to say, in your own words, "I want this job." You must tell the employer that you are very interested in the position and would like to join their team. Ask what the next step is or when they will have a decision?

Once the interview is finished: Call your recruiter/account manager and tell them the details of the interview. Take notes. Also jot down the name of the person on the phone. Follow up with a thank you note to your recruiter/account manager to pass on to the person interviewing you.

COURTESY: ONE OF OUR NEW CONSULTANTS! • Prepare for technical, interpersonal and situational questions.

• Think about how your past experiences will benefit you in this environment.

• Make sure that you know your own strengths and weaknesses. Write down four or five strengths and one or two weaknesses. Prepare short examples of some accomplishment that you have achieved using this strength. With the weaknesses, think of a specific situation where you have turned that weakness into strength, or have overcome the weakness.

• If you are answering "open-ended questions", your response should be comprised of four parts:

• Clarify that you understand the question

• Provide a brief but thorough response (about 2-3 minutes in length)

• Ask for permission to go into further details and example to support your response. We ask this so that we are not perceived as long-winded or insensitive in our initial response.

Usually, the interviewer will want you to elaborate. • Confirm with the interviewer that you answered the question to their satisfaction.

• Because you will be on the phone and cannot see the physical response of the interviewer after one of your responses, you should ask the interviewer if your response was what they were looking to hear. Hopefully, the interviewer will be satisfied or will help to clarify the question and the desired response.

• Be aware of "dead air” when no one is speaking. Take that opportunity to ask a valuable question that will allow you to provide further insight into your strengths, your interest in the opportunity and your fit for the position.

• Prepare examples to demonstrate your experience. Interviewers will use these examples to form their judgments about your competency. Most interviewee's talk in generalities. Be prepared to give specific examples of your utilization of the required technologies for a given project. In addition, be prepared to describe how you will compensate for any gaps in your skill set with respect to the required technologies.

• Make sure that you are uninterrupted during the interview. Turn off call waiting features on your phone and, if possible, do not interview on a cell phone where there is a chance that you may lose connection or run out of battery power.

• Remember to have a copy of your resume in front of you, a pen and something on which to take notes. • Listen actively and respectfully.

• Speak loudly and clearly. If this is a conference call or if you are interviewing with someone who is on a speakerphone, confirm that everyone can clearly hear you. Also be aware that on some conferencing systems there is a delay if two people speak at the same time.

• Smile (even over the phone) and show enthusiasm. By showing your interest you increase your chance of further consideration for the position, plus people like a smile. Having a smile on your face changes your attitude and makes your responses more positive and enthusiastic during the interview.

• If appropriate, ask for an email addresses. This will allow you to send a Thank You email to the interviewer and provide you with an opportunity to show professionalism, confirm interest, and highlight your expertise for this position one more time.

• Finish strong and confidently. Let everyone know your interest in the opportunity.

• Ask for the opportunity or a chance to meet person before hanging up.