When Looking For a Job- Mind Your Phone Manners

When you are sending out resume after resume, getting your phone to ring can be an accomplishment in itself, but be sure that your phone manner isn't causing employers to pass on asking you for an interview. When you think about it, you can imagine being a hiring manager with a stack of people to call to schedule an interview. If you are less than confident about the candidate after leaving them a message, it is very easy to just skip to the next person on the list. Don't let this happen to you.

Here are some tips for making your phone employer friendly:

• Keep your voice mail greeting simple- When employers call, don't subject them to 30 seconds of your new favorite song before they get to the voice mail greeting. Call tunes can be fun for friends, but when you are hoping to get calls from potential employers, take it off your phone. Also, record a simple greeting stating your name and number and asking the caller to leave a message. Remember that sometimes, this is the first impression an interviewer will have of you. Make it count.
  
  
• Don't let other people answer your phone- When a hiring manager is calling to schedule an interviewer, the last thing they want to have to deal with is a small child answering the phone. Or worse, someones grandparent or college buddy who thinks that the caller must be a friend who is joking and who doesn't understand what the caller is trying to say. To avoid these situations, be sure to guard your phone when you are looking for a job. It would be awful if someone from the company you are dying to work for called you for an interview and they ended up talking to your friend who kept asking if they were someone who was at the keg party last night. Just don't let this happen to you.
  
  
• Keep a professional manner when answering your phone- When you answer your phone and you hear a professional voice asking for you, don't respond with a confrontational “Who is this?”. It will turn the employer off fast. They want to get the feeling that you are a professional who is well versed in handling simple customer interactions like answering the phone.
  
  
• If you aren't able to talk, don't answer- It is better to let an employer leave a message than answer your phone when you aren't in a place to talk. They don't want to hear you arguing with your child, checking out at the grocery store or be put on hold while you place your order at the drive thru. If you aren't in a position to have a professional conversation, call them back. Most busy professionals understand and will appreciate you making sure that you are able to devote your attention to them.

Having a great phone manner is a skill and it takes some thought and practice. Follow these tips and think about what your phone manner says about you.

Have you had any bad phone experiences? Let me know in the comments.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Take a look at PhillyJobs.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

When to veto your voicemail message

Whether it’s your home or cell phone, a potential employer is likely to reach your voicemail at some point in trying to contact you. It can even be the first impression you make after your resume and cover letter. What you say or don’t say could be the difference between a hello and a hang up.

• It’s tempting to have the anonymity of the standard prerecorded message, “Hello, this is ###-###-####. Please leave a message. BEEP!” But the computerized conversation can be cold and impersonal. You may as well be anyone off the street if you in fact exist at all.



• The opposite tactic of being too personal can backfire too. Avoid messages referring to personal drama or finances. The last thing you want human resources to hear when calling to arrange an interview is, “Hello, this is (your name). I’m screening my calls so if you’re a bill collector or my ex-spouse, don’t bother. Everyone else can leave a message.”



• Steer clear of practical joke messages faking emergencies or fooling the caller like, “Hello (pause) Hello (pause) I can’t hear you because I’m not home.” No one wants to work with someone who goes out of their way to make other people feel dumb.



• While you and your whole family find Junior’s cute little voice absolutely adorable saying “Mommy and Daddy can’t come to the phone now” a potential boss will likely hear it as foreshadowing for calling in when Junior is ill and asking for last minute vacation days.



• Remember that time is money and you’re wasting both for a recruiter if you play an entire song before getting to the beep. Likewise it could be an automatic rejection if your music selection is extremely loud, offensive, or profane. As a job seeker, even if it is clever to use Lionel Richie’s Hello as an intro it’s best to skip the musical messages altogether.

In general it’s best to stick to a simple professional standard like, “Hello, this is (your full name). I am unable to answer my phone at this time. If you will please leave your name, number, and a brief message I will return your call promptly. Thank you.”

Make sure you speak in a clear and even tone. The interviewer will take note of your strong phone skills before you ever speak to them.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Visit PhillyJobs for the latest in area job openings.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner, annd wor from home mom.

Using Your Cell Phone during an Interview? Are you crazy!

I was shocked to read a blurb in my Woman’s World Magazine that indicated that 50% of all interviewees either answered a call or were texting during an interview!!! Even without considering professionalism, common courtesy would dictate that you would turn your cell phone off or even leave it in the car!

If there is a family emergency and you are expecting a phone call, tell the interviewer that right from the start. Put your cell phone in plain sight and put it on vibrate. Only answer the emergency call and totally ignore any other calls.

Can you imagine how distracting a ringing cell phone is for an interviewer? Can you imagine what they are thinking about you when the phone rings? I know I would be wondering what you were doing there if you were not interested enough in the job to turn your cell phone off! And texting while in an interview? I cannot even imagine someone doing that. If I were the hiring manager and someone was texting during an interview – or even had a cell phone in their hand – I would thank them kindly for coming in and would show them the door.

It always seems to be the silly things that get us on that all important interview. A ringing cell phone; not being prepared; not dressing properly (can you imagine wearing a business suit with flipflops?!!); not listening; being late; bad-mouthing a former employer – all common sense things that we continually mess up.

Common sense folks – common sense. Put yourself in the interviewers shoes and think about how you would feel if someone was sitting in front of you trying to text or answering their cell phone while you were trying to discuss their future! I bet you wouldn’t like to be treated with such disrespect!

Are you looking for a career in Philadelphia? Check out www.phillyjobs.com

By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer