Ring.. Ring... your future job is on the line

Found some really good pointers on www.jobsearchjournal.com and I thought I'd share a summary of the article: "Five ways to prepare for a phone interview", for those fellow job seekers out there who, like me, may find their careers "on hold" at the moment...

1. Know the company - seemingly apparent, and yet it is true that thourough analysis online (for news about the company, info on the website, etc...) can make all the difference.
2. Know the position - get a job description, highlight it, note why you qualify for the post, and keep it close for when you pick up the phone.
3. Know the interviewer - Google, linkedIn, etc... The more familiar you are with the person you're speaking with, the better prepared you are to know which subjects may be interesting to talk about.
4. Prepare questions - interviewers will usually ask if you have questions at the end of the call and this allows you to get answers to reduce your own uncertainty, eg: "What are the next steps?", "When will I hear back from you?". Keep your questions ready.
5. Review your resume - cross-examining yourself in advance leaves you better prepared to mention the relevant skills, experiences and qualities, and why they qualify you for the position. It also allows you to anticipate resume-related questions that may be asked and answer them.
   

Land lines also beat cells/mobiles, they cut out less, and as with most things in life, better to be overly prepared than to get a nasty surprise...