How you speak is the most critical component of your message - it communicates more than what you say. After you've answered the three basic questions and have asked to be connected, few secretaries will probe further if your manner is as convincing as your words.
Ideally, your words and tone of voice are businesslike, communicating the expectation that you'll get what you want. Your request is stated in a way that gives the secretary direction and does not leave room for too much discretion.
By conveying assurance and conviction, you're not only more likely to get through to the decision maker. You're more likely to persuade that person to meet you.
Body Language
You're more likely to be persuasive if your body, as well as your mind, is well positioned. Relax. Good posture helps you breathe easily and relax your muscles. Lean forward slightly, with uncrossed arms and legs in an open posture, receptive to what the other person is saying. It's the same "good listening" posture you use in face-to-face meetings.
Phone conversations shut out visible cues-the other person's eyes and facial expressions-which tell you so much about what they're thinking. That forces you to listen even more carefully. When you do, you can? 'hear'" the body language. Tense muscles, a tight mouth, and hunched posture result in a strained voice. So keep your mirror nearby-and smile! What do you sound like? How you sound, as well as what you say, will make the crucial first impression on the person you call. Have you ever listened to yourself on the telephone? Try taping a conversation with a friend, explaining what you're doing, of course. The sound of your own voice may surprise you. Is it pleasing? Is it too soft? Is it too loud? Nasal? Boring? or energetic? What about the pace of your conversation? And your diction? Should you slow down a bit? Pause between thoughts and sentences so that it is easier for others to follow you? Are you talking too much?
Write It! Then Practice? Practice, Practice!
Write out your answers to the three screening questions. Then tape it. Role, play with a friend. Revise and rehearse until you feel comfortable and sound convincing, not "canned."
Then, do a reality check. Call three companies, any companies. If you're not getting past the secretary, revise your script and practice. When you do, you'll probably be amazed, like participants in Sale to Success telephone labs, by how quickly you get past the gatekeeper. Participants simply answered the three screening questions authoritatively, and then said the "magic" words: 'Put me through, please'. Presto! They were talking with the decision maker!
Meetings and Messages
"She's in a Meeting"
The person you're calling is never there, she's either in a meeting or in another office. What's the best way to handle that? Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat! Ask the secretary when she would advise you to call back. Be very appreciative. Take notes. And follow through.
If she's on another call, you might avoid more telephone tag by holding briefly, perhaps mentioning to the secretary that you'll hold for half a minute while you do some work. But don't give the impression that you have all day. You don't. Be sure to communicate that you're busy and your time is valuable. You are. And it is!
What Message Do You Leave?
Waiting for them to call back is never fun. When you're unemployed, it's not only terribly disheartening, it's counterproductive. If you're expecting a call, you'll hesitate to use the phone. That puts your job search "on hold" and wastes your valuable time.
You want to do the calling, why? Remember that you are-or soon will be-calling at least ten people every day. Picture this. You've had a good start this week-called 22 people on Monday and Tuesday. Now, it's Wednesday and you're getting ready for an appointment. Just as you step out of the shower, you hear the phone and pick it up. A voice says, "It's Sue Namie returning your call." "Sue Namie," you repeat, trying frantically to remember which company she's with. And who referred you. "Yes," she continues, sensing your hesitation. "Sue Namie from Tsunami Insurance. I have a message that you called,"
By now, you've caught your breath. But you still don't remember who referred you to Sue Namie. Wrapped in your wet towel, you scramble to find your notes. But by the time you do, it's too late. You have lost those precious few seconds when you could have sounded confident and well organized. It's a clinch but it's true: You have only one chance to make a good first impression. That's just as true on the phone as it is in person.
Why risk it? There are so many elements in your job search that you can't control. But you can manage this. You can take charge simply by calling when you're ready.
The message you should leave: your name, but not your phone number. Why leave your name? You want the other person to remember it. After your 43rd call, she'll be curious. Who is this Humphrey Humperdinck, anyway?
Preparation and polite persistence pay. You can convert the secretary into an ally by respecting her and helping her do her job. Be prepared, practice. Then call! Expect to be connected. Put me through, please, stated authoritatively after you have answered the three screening questions, will work. You'll be connected to the decision maker.
