Practically no one gets called to an in-person interview without first jumping through the hoops with one or more phone interviews, aptly referred to as phone screens. Up to 20 people will be screened before the 3-5 who are asked to come in person are contacted. This means that you can expect to smile through many phone calls before you reached the promised land of My Next Great Opportunity. So let’s get started on how to WIN at this crucial skill; like so much else in life, it is a learnable skill.

A recruiter from a company WILL call you out of the blue; they will be prepared and you will, mostly likely, be caught unprepared. Companies do this deliberately to ensure that they catch you off base, assuming that you will blurt out something that they can use to eliminate you from consideration. Do NOT take this badly because at this point in the process, everyone is looking for what is wrong with each and every candidate. Don’t let the truth rattle you. With my help, you will pass through all the tests and end up with the position that is right for you – this one or a better one later on.

When someone calls to do a phone screen, BE PREPARED WITH: Great! I am so glad that you called and I want to talk to you. I am on a conference call that is just winding down. I will call you back in 5 minutes, what number should I call? Be sure to say this with a lot of enthusiasm and talk rapidly; this is a signal that you are stating a fact, not opening up a negotiation. Always give yourself a chance to take some centering breaths, get out the job description and your resume, and review the key points that they care about. If you are one of the top candidates on their list, they will call you back.

Rehearse good answers to common questions ahead of time. Write them down. Repeat them until you totally believe your responses. It's all about letting them know how wonderful you truly are! For example, when discussing salary, you might say: I have done research on local salaries on salary.com and glassdoor.com and the range for this job title seems to be xxx to xxx. I am sure that your company pays market rates, so let's decide if there is a match first and we can discuss salary specifics when we have a match.

If it’s an unusual job title, be prepared to say: It’s been hard to research that job title on the salary calculators. Similar positions seem to be running xxx to xxx.

If they ask you what you are making now, be prepared with: I am not working as a XXX in the Seattle market, so my current salary is irrelevant. I have done research on local salaries on salary.com and glassdoor.com and the range for this job title seems to be xxx to xxx. Remember, it's proper negotiating stance to politely repeat yourself, as many times as necessary until your phone screener accepts your response.

If you get someone playing hard-ball, try saying: I am earning market rate in my current market and intend to earn market rate in any future market. Does your company pay professionals a professional salary? (Do not pause for an answer) Of course you do! Then we're agreed so, tell me about the culture at XXX....

If your last job was military: The civilian equivalent of my current position is as a Senior Accounting Manager. I have done research on local salaries on salary.com and glassdoor.com and the range for this job title seems to be xxx to xxx.

Bottom line: Stay calm; stay on message. Don’t deviate. And smile. Even when you’re on the phone, your vocal tones will convey that you are relaxed and confident, and exactly what this company needs.