Each time the phone rings when you're looking for work, it should bring you new hope that a potential employer has taken notice of your qualifications and is ready to invite you to the tryout.
Yet so many job seekers fail to recognize the importance of being accessible while ensuring their phone gets answered in a professional manner. Time and time again, candidates are eliminated from the competition because they can't be reached. Or, even worse, when they are reached, they create a poor impression that turns off recruiters.
MISCONCEPTION
If you have great credentials, potential employers will keep calling if they can't reach you on the first couple of attempts.
REALITY
With time constraints and many qualified candidates available, a recruiter will seldom make more than two attempts to reach you.
Over the years, I have disqualified somewhere between fifty and seventy-five potential candidates because of the rude and terse manner in which their spouse or children answered the phone. During that same period it's also possible that an additional twenty-five to fifty candidates never received my messages regarding an employment opportunity.
The following is a description of three actions that can sour potential employers after they've phoned your home.
1. An unattended phone.
The assumption most recruiters make is that your quest to find a job is important enough to ensure your availability eighteen hours a day. Time zone differences, international travel, and other factors could result in that important phone call coming any time between six A.M. and eleven P.M.
Also, most recruiters have several candidates to screen with the objective of inviting two for on-site interviews. They may try once or even twice to reach you, but after the second attempt, your paperwork will be relegated to the back burner if other screening calls produce viable candidates. The sad part about this scenario is that both you and the potential employer may be missing out on a beneficial marriage.
And by the way, busy signals caused by that teenage daughter or son talking to friends for hours on end can be just as damaging as an unattended phone. Call waiting, then, may be a worthwhile investment if you have a household with teenagers. Time constraints and the abundance of qualified candidates will preclude recruiters from trying to reach you over and over again.
MISCONCEPTION
Off-the-wall messages on your answering machine demonstrate your creativity.
REALITY
Offbeat recordings, as clever as you may think they are, can be irritating and offensive.
Remember, the phone number you provide on your resume must be answered by the fourth ring either by a responsible person or an answering machine with a good, solid message.
2. Unprofessional or emotional answering-machine recordings.
"Hi! I'm Kathy! I'm Billy! And these are our two little cowgirls, Kerri and Tara ..."
Give me a break! I actually heard a family sing this message. Number one, they couldn't carry a tune, and number two, since Billy was being considered to head a tough union shop in a metal-fabricating plant, well . . . I couldn't tell you how the song ended.
Recorded messages should sound clear, short, and professional. If you're the one looking for work, your voice should be on the recording, not your five-year-old son with his dog barking in the background. The longer your recorded instructions, the more likely a potential employer will hear something offensive that could result in a hang-up.
3. Rude and terse family members.
The following dialogue actually occurred between a CEO and the wife of a manager he was looking to hire for a top-level position in a plastics-molding company.
Keep in mind, this woman would have to accompany her husband to outings and major trade association meetings as a representative of the company.
MISCONCEPTION
Family members that take your calls have no impact on the caller's perception of you.
REALITY
Especially in top positions, the manner in which your family takes your calls can have a significant impact on your employer's perception of you.
CEO: Hello ... Is Mr. Kubert there? WIFE: I don't know where he is, but just hold on . . . Will you kids shut the hell up! I'm trying to take a damn message. I said, SHUT UP." CEO: Click!
That's right-the CEO hung up. The wife's extreme demeanor and indifference crushed any chances her husband had of landing the position. Was this fair to the candidate? Probably not, but in the real world, your messenger can be your only link with the employer.
In addition, children, particularly teenagers, can blow your chances for an invitation by answering the phone with teenage slang: "Like, hi . . . the guy is not in and I don't know when he'll be back. I think he's working or something."
Don't be surprised if a potential employer evaluates your character based on your children's behavior. As the saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." Therefore, make every attempt to either train your children how to take these important calls, or keep them away from the phone.
A few final points on attending and answering the phone. It's impressive when the person taking the message acts like the call is not only important but expected. To set this kind of tone, have the message taker repeat the caller's name, company, phone number, and message. Showing appreciation for the call with a thank you goes a long way toward creating a positive, lasting impression.
Remember, in high-level positions where you will be a visible representative in the community, your spouse and family are all part of a package deal. A polite, well-spoken family will increase your chances of surviving the cut. So, take time out with family members to explain the importance of your calls and demonstrate how to take a message. Sometimes it's even helpful to prepare a small printed list that contains critical information, such as the caller's name, the company, the phone number, and the best time to return the call. Keep it right by the phone.
In the end, if you don't feel you can present that professional, polished image at home, it is recommended that you make a small investment in an independent answering service.
You can't get a tryout if you never get the call. And please, please, make certain the person taking your messages gets the caller's name right. I just hate being called Mr. Durrfey.
