It’s a new year and that means new beginnings. It’s a good time to drop bad habits and to make the good things in your life even better! As we heard in Part 1 of “Is Your Voicemail Greeting Betraying You? It could be costing you a job!!”, your voicemail greeting can make or break you when it comes to getting an interview. I’ve actually been so turned off by inappropriate voicemail greetings that I’ve changed my mind about offering that candidate an interview! Like I said before, there can be a world of difference between the “message” you record and the “impression” it leaves! Here are some more examples of what I have heard and how I (and I’m sure many other recruiters) reacted:
1) NOISE MAGNET:
The Message: Party sounds, traffic or industrial noises in the background. Boom! Boom! Thud! Thud! This is _______ leave a message. Boom! Boom!” – Beep!
The Impression: You have poor judgment if you recorded a voicemail greeting in such a noisy environment. Why wouldn’t you take the time to review what you recorded? You are not very professional and you may bring that same lack of professionalism into the workplace. I’m moving on to the next applicant.
2) THE SLOTH:
The Message: (Sigh) Hi … This is _______ leave a message. (Sigh) Not like it really matters (Sigh)” – Beep!
The Impression: You lack motivation and you’ll likely bring the same low energy into the workplace. I’m moving on to the next applicant.
3) THE SPEEDSTER
The Message: “Hiyou’vereached ___, leaveamessage” – Beep!
The Impression: Wow! That was way too fast for anyone to process. If we hire you, the team may have challenges communicating with you and you’ll get frustrated with having to repeat yourself numerous times. If you do not take the time to communicate so that you can be understood, how will you function in a team environment where communication is the key to success?
The Bottom Line: Don’t let your voicemail greeting betray you! You’ve spent time and energy perfecting your resume and it has done its job… it made the recruiter want to contact you for an interview! Please do not let a lousy voicemail greeting ruin your chances of getting the interview!
My Challenge to You: Again, I encourage you to write down your voicemail message and practice it a few times before you record it. Then, find a quiet spot and record a greeting that will reassure recruiters that they’ve made the right decision to contact you for an interview.
