Professional Voicemail Skills Still Matter

Are you one of the people they were talking about on NPR recently? Please Do Not Leave A Message: Why Millennials Hate Voice Mail is taking a look at the way that leaving a message is fast falling out of favor as a communication mode. You don’t have to be part of the Millennials to hate voice mail because it can be a sudden challenge you don’t do well. But there’s a problem with refusing to deal with voice mail because it is used in business all the time.

If you are searching for a job, there’s a good chance you will need to leave a voice message. If you are contacting your manager or a client, there’s an equally good chance that voicemail will be involved. The game of Phone Tag came about because of the way busy people can’t always pick up the phone and being able to text doesn’t exactly replace it.

If you know you struggle with sounding professional at the sound of the recording beep, you can learn how to deal with it and do it right. Think about the goal of your call and have a message prepared if you have to leave a voice mail. If you have to write it down before you make the call, that’s practice for the next time you need to use the skill.

The same basic rules that apply to a phone interview apply to a business call, and therefore also apply to a business voice mail. 

• Don’t make a call from a noisy environment. Go to a spot that is quiet and allows your voice to be heard.
• It should be obvious that nothing is in your mouth, right?
• Be prepared to state your name, phone number, the reason for the call, and repeat the name & number. Keep it short.
• Speak clearly and don’t try to cram too much into the message. You can tell them more when they call you back.

Whether you are leaving a message for business or as part of your job search, this is one business skill that you really do need to make sure you can do even if you hate voice mail.