Have you ever received a call from a company asking for a couple of minutes for a phone interview? Most of you may not be prepared on handling this situation, as well as answering the series of questions thrown by the interviewer. However, with proper briefing and training, an applicant will be able to overcome this kind of screening. Indeed some job seekers join toastmaster’s clubs simply to practice for such eventualities. Telephone screening interviews seem to be more than the norm and increasing in eventuality for most job seekers in these tough economic times we have in 2010.

Some pass their application through friends, relatives and, professors. But most of them use the power of internet to find their ever first job. Majority believe that they will immediately found a job using the knowledge gained from schools and universities. However, knowledge is not enough to succeed. A good deliberation of your skills through interview gives additional advantage on winning a job.

Most companies use phone interview to reduce the number of applicants accommodating per day. Through this method, the company saves time and effort in entertaining aspiring individuals one by one. In addition, an applicant also benefits from phone interview screening. This is the best chance to shine and show skills to the employer through speaking over the phone.

There are few things to remember to succeed and finally landing a job. First rule is to prepare for the interview in advance through interview role playing. The voice must be clear and answer must focus on how to be an asset to the company. Voice recording is preferred prior interview to check if it needs more energy, as well as the tone. Relax, do not be nervous. Think positively and show confidence on all of your answers.

At the end of the interview, ask for the subsequent process of your application. With this approach, you have shown a positive attitude towards your future employer. You have also shown eagerness, as well as your interest to be a part of the company. Make a call two days after the interview to thank the interviewer. There’s nothing wrong of spending time to call them again. Remember that the interviewer spent time during your interview, so, why not calling them back again.

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Consulting firms requires grace under pressure interviewers may introduce stress, usually through silence or confrontational questions, to see how you react. Answer pleasantly and calmly, ignoring the provocation. They frequently include case questions, in which you’re asked to think through some “real-world” problem, usually one with which you’re totally unfamiliar! Use them as an opportunity to demonstrate how you approach problems.

Second interviews involve often a daylong series of discussions with potential supervisors, co-workers and other managers or department heads. In disciplines like education, you may be asked to bring a portfolio or to prepare and deliver a class while being observed by other professionals. Some organizations also administer tests or give tours. The JobConcierge Best Executive Recruiters list is a free list of recruiters and headhunters who help anyone find jobs, including executive jobs and executive level jobs.

Maintain your enthusiasm with each new person you meet. A group may interview you. If possible, learn the name and title of each member of the group before the interview. This will allow you to know with what orientation or area of interest each person approaches the meeting. It is best to know this in advance of the interview day. Handle this situation in much the same way as if there were only one interviewer, taking care to direct your answers toward each person in the group. If you are asked the same question for the sixth time, remember that the person who asks has not yet heard your answer. When you arrange the visit, make sure that you understand who will pay for travel arrangements, how they are to be made, and what records you need for reimbursement.

Occasionally, second interviews include group interviews in which several applicants for the same position are presented with a problem to solve or subject to discuss as a group. The interviewer merely observe. In this case, keep in mind that you are being evaluated in terms of how you interact with the other members of your group. Recognize that you will be visiting a working organization and the people you see may not be able to devote exclusive attention to you. Don’t take it personally if an interviewer takes a call; pick up the thread of the conversation when the interviewer is free again. On-site interviews often include meals. Follow your hosts’ lead, both in ordering and in deciding whether to talk about work-related or casual topics. These meals are part of an evaluative process, whether or not they appear informal.

Close the interview with the same enthusiastic and energetic style with which you approached it. Send a thank-you note following each interview. Be aware of signals that indicate that the interview is over. An interviewer may stand or express appreciation for your time. This is your clue to close the interview. Express your enthusiasm for the organization and, if you are interested in the position, ask the interviewer when a decision will be made and when you may call. Maintain eye contact and return a firm handshake if a hand is extended. JobConcierge collected some of the best job search advice on cover letter tips, career change advice, networking advice, video resume tips and ranked the best articles on the executive job search website.

JobConcierge offers executive jobs - real people who search 300 job boards and submit applications to take care of your entire online job search. The site is known for its best executive search firms

So, why investment banking?

If you ever hope to enter the field, you’ll need to have a great answer to this question - because it’s something that every single interviewer will ask you.

But other guides do a poor job of guiding you on how to answer this question.

-You want to be a lifelong learner.

-You’ve done well in finance classes.

-You like a fast-paced environment.

And if you want to sound exactly the same as everyone else, feel free to use these types of responses.

So if you want to succeed in interviews, you need to be more personal and give answers that make an interviewer remember you and more likely to “go to bat” for you in the future.

You can accomplish this with the “Big Picture” method or the “Slice of Life” method.

If you’re a career changer, you don’t have a finance background, or you can’t think of anything specific that made you interested in finance, use the “Big Picture” method.

The outline is: Background in One Industry + Experience in Finance = Success in Achieving Long-Term Goals.

So maybe you’re an engineer and you want to do investment banking so that you can go into venture capital one day; or maybe you came from healthcare and you want to do investment banking so that you can advise healthcare companies on major financing decisions.

Don’t know what you want to do in the long-term? Not a problem - just make up goals and be consistent with what you say.

The “Slice of Life” method is better if you’ve had solid finance experience.

Here, you start off with a specific event that made you interested and then explain how that interest developed over time.

-You saw your parents day-trading when you were younger, so you then decided to start trading your own account, following the market, and doing a few investment internships.

-You went to a summer leadership camp and met top female executives at investment banks, which sparked your interest in the field.

Feel free to combine both of these methods, as well - just make sure your story doesn’t go on for 5 minutes.

Aim for a 20-30 second elevator pitch and you’ll be ahead of 90% of prospective bankers.

Riyan Richter blogs about the career search process, how to successfully network, and how to get into the finance industry at Mergers & Inquisitions, the web’s leading resource for investment banking and answering the why investment banking question in interviews.