More and more employers are deciding to interview people over the phone, especially if the prospective employee lives in another city or province.

Telephone interviews have some unique advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that you have to sell yourself using only words and the tone of your voice. You won't be able to impress them with that great smile of yours or that new outfit you just bought!

But if you prepare properly for the interview, you have the advantage of being able to have notes right in front of you, and you have the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Most of the tips about preparing for and handling in-person interviews will also apply for telephone interviews. But there are some extra things you can do for the telephone interview. These tips were adapted from a brochure put out by Alberta Advanced Education and Career Development.

Plan ahead. If you think a telephone interview is a possiblity, be prepared for it by having your resumé and any other notes at hand and practice making short, interesting answers to possible questions.

Don't drink, smoke or eat during a telephone interview. Is there anything more annoying than listening to someone eat while they talk to you on the phone? Give the interviewer your undivided attention. You wouldn't do these things at an in-person interview, so don't do them over the phone.

Dress appropriately and sit up straight. Sound strange? Your mental set is important. You are more likely to conduct yourself in a business-like manner if you act like you are at an in-person interview than if you are laying on your bed in your pajamas.

Answer questions in short answers. Short sentences are more easily understood over the phone than long orations. They also give more opportunity for interchange between you and the interviewer, which helps both of you maintain your interest.

Practice your answers to anticipated questions with a tape recorder. This will help you see how you sound over the phone, and whether your voice shows interest and enthusiasm, or whether it is a dull monotone that will put the interviewer to sleep.

Restate the question. Don't answer a question that you haven't fully understood. This will also give you time to prepare an answer and prevent long silences on the phone. Dead space is much more noticeable on the phone than at an in-person interview. Don't do this too often, though, as the interviewer will quickly become tired of repeating himself or herself.

Answer questions courteously. A note of irritation or frustration in your voice is much more noticeable over the phone, and can't be offset by positive body language. Try to sound relaxed and confident.