Could Voice Mail Be Sabotaging Your Job Search?

I recently phoned a client who is actively looking for work and his answering machine picked up. I was greeted by a chorus of young children singing "Here Comes Peter Cottontail." The musical greeting was bad enough, but it's October - the Easter Bunny has long come and gone!

This is just one example of the many greetings I, recruiters, and employers encounter when calling job candidates. Apparently, having ones children (or pets!) record the greeting is popular, because I have encountered many variations of this theme. Another popular greeting is the one that came programmed with the phone that sounds like a robot stating "Please - Leave - A- Message" without inflection, emotion or critical information. (I rarely oblige, as I am not certain I have reached the correct household).On some occassions, I have encountered a "greeting" informing me that the recipient has "call blocking" and I am not permitted an opportunity to leave a message. Is it any wonder some job seekers rarely are called for interviews?

Next time you are away from home and you know that there is no one there to answer the phone, call your number and listen - with a critical ear - to your greeting. Do the same with your cell phone number if you are also using this on your resume or other job search documents.

Is this the first impression you want to give a prospective employer? While you are in job-search mode, monitor how your phone is answered - by voice mail and other's in your household - and ensure that employers perceive you as the type of professional they are hoping to hire.

"Hello, you have reached 301-555-1212. This is Jane Doe. Your call is very important to me; so please leave your name, number and a good time to reach you and I will return your call within 24 hours. Thank you."

Posted by Norine Dagliano

Comments

[Julie O'Malley]

Thanks for a necessary reminder. It sounds so obvious, but it's so easy to overlook these seemingly small details! My other favorite is when the candidate uses a goofy or inappropriate email address on the resume.

[Thad Greer]

Hi Norine...
You make an excellent point regarding voicemail--something I've been meaning to address on my blog for some time now.

I do a lot of recruiting for sales professionals and I find it very odd when I call a sales professional's cell phone and get the automated robot-reply. I think to myself, "Does this person not receive calls from customers and/or prospects? Would they want their client wondering whether or not they had dialed the right phone #?" And if a sales professional doesn't take calls on their cellphone from clients, that's another red flag in and of itself.

In regards to those individuals that either allow their children to record their voicemails or sing along with them, what they fail to realize is it's the "little foxes" that spoil the vines. You may think it's cute to have your kids record your voicemail but most people do not. Now, I know a lot of people will read this and think "Loosen up man, they're kids for crying out loud! Have a little fun!" Companies want to hire professionals, not camp counselors. You're a representative of your company. If that happens to be jungle-gym's or inflatable bouncing castles, then by all means get the kids to do it. Anything other than that, you can't go wrong with your recommended generic, yet effective script.

Thad Greer

[Paul Copcutt]

Its important to ensure that whatever voicemail you leave its on brand for you. Its only relevant to leave a message saying I will get back to you in 24 hours - if that's exactly what you do.

All too often you get the voicemail that is 5 days out of date and says I will get back to you by the end of business day - WHICH ONE??!!

When I was a recruiter in the UK (remember this was quite a number of years ago) the most absolute worst voicemail I ever heard was a candidates doing an impression of a black slave answering the phone for his 'Master' - how stupid is that?