As schedules and deadlines become more constraining, telephone interviews have become more popular as a way to make quick judgments on job applicants without the face-to-face process. Often the person conducting the telephone interview will be a recruiter or non-decision maker that is tasked with cutting the applicant pool to a more manageable number. Keys to a successful telephone interview are to smile and be pleasant, speak distinctly, take notes, and again, close for the next step in the process which gains the interviewee some measure of control.