There is so much talk on forums about phone calls to and from employers!

When I started writing my resume, I made a mistake and wrote my phone number in the format I'm used to: +375 17 followed by my home number. However, when American employers call from the US, they need to know the international access code and the country code. So, instead of +375 17, I should have written 011 375 17 plus the number (011 is the international call prefix). Just a heads-up!

The most convenient ways to call an employer!

Of course, Skype is second to none. It's cheap and convenient. You just top up your Skype credit and call! There is plenty of information on the internet about how to use Skype!

Regarding the conversation itself, communicating by phone. The connection can sometimes be pretty bad, and it might be hard to hear. So, the best way to learn to understand Americans by ear is to watch American movies with subtitles! I can say with confidence that if it weren't for American TV shows, I wouldn't have understood a thing when they called me.

Moving on...

The call itself is a huge stress! At least the first time, for sure!!!

When they told me they would call in 5 minutes, my heart literally sank into my boots! I stopped feeling my limbs entirely, and my hands even started shaking. I forgot all the English I knew. I opened an electronic dictionary on my computer just in case, but then realized it was pointless. How would I have time to type anything? I just hoped I could understand what they were saying.

The phone rings. Ding-ding-ding! I picked up on the second ring.

-Hello! (a cheerful voice, like from a movie)

-Hi! (I'm sitting there, smiling stupidly to myself)

-Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah for about three minutes...

-I'm sitting there trying to catch the meaning, at least the general idea, and I think I understood and answered something.

And afterwards, when they said "bye!", the first thought that hit my brain was, "I want more! I want to keep speaking English!"

The emotions are unforgettable!!!!

Oh, guys, we are going to talk so much English during our time abroad, oh, we're going to talk so much!