So, your phone interview is fixed. Congratulations!! But now what? Well get yourself prepared with the following phone interview tips.

In the present scenario where jobs are no longer restricted by political and geographical boundaries, many companies today are conducting phone interviews to shortlist candidates before calling them in for a face-to-face interview.

A phone interview has many advantages both for the employer and the candidate. It is generally shorter than a face-to-face interview, which allows the interviewer and the candidate to save their time.

Here are  8 phone interview tips that will help you to ace your phone interview –

1. Choose a good spot:

Companies generally tell you ahead of time when they will be calling you. Choose a room where you can speak without any distraction. Shut out other noises coming from TV and radio, take the kids away and lock the room from inside. Ask your family members not to disturb you when the meeting is in progress.

2. Keep all your documents handy

Get a hard copy of your resume and cover letter and keep it handy. Keep pen and paper with you to take down notes. You can even keep your laptop on in case you want to refer to the Internet. But take care to be cautious — don’t hammer away loudly at the keys of your laptop.

3. Be in a positive frame of mind

This may seem little odd, but smile! Though the interviewer cannot see you, it is not hard to sense your mood over the phone. If you are happy, feel bright and enthusiastic, this will reflect in your voice. Some experts also suggest dressing up for the interview. If you think this will put you in the right frame of mind for the interview, feel free to slip into formal clothes.

4. Do your homework nicely

You have already visited the company’s portal while writing your cover letter, so you have a knowledge of what the organization is about. This may be a great time to go back to the portal and brush up on that knowledge. If you know the name of your interviewer, you could also look for him or her on the Social Media to learn more about him or her.

5. Ask intelligent questions

After the interviewer is done with the interview, he/she will typically ask if you have any questions. This is a great opportunity for you to showcase your intelligence. You could ask questions on the job role you are being interviewed for, company branding or its strategy to beat market droop. Asking these questions tells the employer that you are serious about the role and the company.

6. Don’t bring up salary

It is too soon to bring up salary and perks at this stage. The company is still analyzing your suitability for the job. Salary discussions  are generally taken place in the final stages of the hiring process. So hold yourself till that point!

7. Ask if the interviewer has other questions

Asking the interviewer if he or she has any other questions is a good way to round up the conversation. This will give the interviewer a chance go back to the list of questions and see if something has been left out. If there are no more questions then ask what  will be the next step in the hiring process.

8. Say Thank You

Don’t forget to say thank you, even if the interview didn’t go well. A few experts even suggests sending a short thank you note to the interviewer a day after the interview.

You may spend a lot of time talking on the phone, however that does not equip you to ace a phone interview. So keep these points in your mind to get one step closer to the job.