Research

Consider how much research you did in the initial stages of applying for the role, you may now want to think about doing a little more research about the company or a re-cap on the research you have already done. A telephone interview will usually be one of the first steps to get to know you, so think about treating it how you would treat a face to face interview. It's better to over prepare than not prepare at all and this way you can give a great impression from the start. Have you considered how professional you sound on the phone, have you had feedback on your telephone manner? This would be a great start to making a good impression. Ask a family member or friend the call you and give you feedback on how you sound on the phone.

Refer to your CV

Your interviewer will be asking you questions about your CV and experience. It would be worthwhile to have it in front of you so you don’t get caught off guard and unprepared. Consider keeping it at arm's reach to ensure that you always have it to refer back to. This way you will be as prepared as you can be for questions about your experience and work history.

Think about your surroundings

Consider your environment, a quiet room away from any distractions would be best. Try and avoid noisy environments, dogs barking or children crying as this may not be the best background noise for you or your interviewer. Being in a place with minimal distractions will enable you to feel more focused and relaxed. Try and think of this interview as you would a face to face interview, for example eating, chewing gum or smoking perhaps wouldn’t give off a great impression. It may be a good idea to keep a glass of water close by to help calm nerves. If you don't have a strong mobile phone signal, it may be worth calling on a landline. 

Take notes  

Like you would in a face to face interview, take some notes! Consider how much you interact with the person interviewing you, you could do this by asking any questions you may have. The notes you take could be useful later down the employment process, if you remember things they said in this initial interview, this may work in your favour later on in the employment process. Make sure you are concentrating, taking notes can sometimes get in the way of your concentration, so try to find a balance between taking the right notes and listening to what is being said.