Also (having transferred from Lucent to VZ the hard way because my sales dept. couldn't figure out how to sell anything I wrote)...
a) acquire (or create) your own website;

post examples of your programming;
c) direct any interested respondents there for proof of your capabilities;
d) wear a suit to the interview.
(Shocking, I know, for this field. But given the people I myself have seen come in for a position in my division, this alone warrants making the first cut when I interview the candidates HR has sent me.)
~SDC~