Here's how you can ace a technical phone interview.

Review fundamental concepts of your field (e.g., data structures, algorithms, system design) Be prepared to explain key concepts clearly and concisely Brush up on the programming languages relevant to the job

Practicing leetcode.com for the lower tier SE jobs isn't a bad idea, and can even be helpful when applying for higher tier jobs as well, but don't get confused that this is all you need. I phone screened a lot of people and I was always less interested if they could give me the code for a given well known algorithm and more interested if they could take a not necessarily well defined problem and create a solution. Also, don't rely on knowing a single data structure and applying it everywhere. I don't want to see a hash table or hash set unless you actually need it.

Work through coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, CodeSignal Practice thinking out loud while solving problems to get used to communicating your thought process Focus on understanding algorithms, optimizing solutions, and explaining space/time complexity

This can be challenging even for the best candidates on a phone screen. Likely, your nerves are up, you've no idea what you're going to be asked, and talking over smart phones or even teleconferencing can be difficult when you consider accents. If you have a tendency to just run at the mouth, this is a key thing to stop doing. Most communication issues can be resolved if participants are patient and everyone gets a chance to stop the conversation and ask something, even if just asking for repeating something.

Speak clearly and confidently, even if you're unsure about something Explain your thought process as you work through problems Ask clarifying questions to ensure you fully understand what's being asked Admit if you don't know something, but express eagerness to learn

Break down problems into smaller sub-problems Discuss brute force solutions first, then optimize Consider edge cases and test your solution with examples Analyze time and space complexity of your approach Be open to hints and feedback from the interviewer

Often, companies have some specific software they use for enabling a shared space for code during an interview. If this is the case, the recruiter should tell you this before you have the interview and you should absolutely take an hour before the phone screen to see everything you can about the software in question. Often interviews are meant to take the full hour scheduled and if you're fumbling with the software for code or screen sharing, you're losing time.

Practice coding on a whiteboard or in a basic text editor Use a hands-free headset to get used to talking while coding Have a friend or peer conduct mock interviews and provide feedback Time yourself solving problems to get a sense of pacing

Often, you'll not be able to contact your interviewer if you're going through a recruiter. However, it's a good idea to write down the name of the interviewer and tell the recruiter that you appreciated that person interviewing you.

Thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity Ask about next steps and when you can expect to hear back Send a follow-up thank you email reiterating your interest If you don't receive a response, politely reach out for an update after the stated timeline

Research the company beforehand and have thoughtful questions prepared Dress professionally even though it's a phone interview Convey enthusiasm for the role and company throughout Be honest about your experience and skills Don't be discouraged if you struggle with a question - stay positive and focus on the next problem

Most companies have a policy against interviewers directly giving feedback about how you did. Even if you did quite well, demanding immediate feedback on how you did will turn off interviewers from you. Also, be honest about your abilities. I've never expected candidates I interview to be experts on a given language or technology and yet I hear people claim it all the time. To a person, everyone I've seen claim to be an expert has done something like use the c++ memory allocator for c or not understand the underlying methods behind different join types when discussing SQL. Finally, know what's on your resume. Phone screeners have nothing else to go on so it's common to pick things from your resume to ask about.