Leaving the right message before the beep

While we're on the subject of how your choice of words affects potential employers' perception of you, we should also discuss voicemail messages. If you don't have a dedicated business line, recording a clean, clear, and concise voicemail message can save you a lot of grief. "Hi, you've reached (name) at (number). I can't come to the phone right now, so leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible" will do the trick in most cases -- there isn't any need to get creative unless you're involved in a creative industry, and even then, care should be taken to assure that a caller knows who they've reached. I've been greeted by vague, obnoxious, incomprehensible, and non-existent voicemail messages countless times. Not only can these make it difficult for whoever is calling to get back to you, but, depending on the message's content, it may reflect poorly on you in other ways. Just keep it simple, and you'll keep everyone happy.

Labels: professional decorum, voicemail

Posted by Brian on 6/20/2009 04:58:00 AM
| | Comments (2) | Permalink