GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL PHONE COMMUNICATION

During the course of applying to jobs as well as in your career, you will have many occasions to talk on the phone. How you present yourself on the phone is very important to your success in both areas. The following are some tips and examples to help you give the best impression possible. PHONE CALLS

1. Check Your Surroundings – Before making or answering a phone call, decide whether it is a good time to have the conversation. Do you have a good connection? Are you in a quiet location where you can focus on the conversation? If not, wait to make the call or call the person back. If you are in the middle of a task, you will come across as distracted and uninterested in the conversation.

2. Start on a Good Note – When calling someone, begin the conversation by briefly

introducing yourself and asking if it is a convenient time for the person you’re calling to talk. For example: “Hi. This is Joe Smith, a student at the University of North Florida. We met at last week’s Career Fair. Do you have a few minutes to talk?” If the conversation is going to take more than a few minutes, you should schedule a time for a phone appointment.

If you are answering an incoming phone call, start strong by politely and enthusiastically telling the caller who they have reached. For example: “Good Afternoon. This is Joe Smith.” If someone calls you at a bad time, politely explain this and ask to call them back at another time that is convenient for them. Just be sure to get the phone number that you will be calling them back at and set a time for the call.

3. The Conversation – When talking to someone on the phone, express the reason for your call as quickly as possible. During the conversation, use a polite, professional tone and avoid excessive use of “like” “ummm” “you know” and other fillers. Without body language and other non-verbal cues, the person will be developing an opinion of you based solely on how you speak and what you are saying. If you’re not sure how you sound on the phone, as an honest friend for feedback. At the close of any phone conversation, identify any next steps and exchange contact information if necessary. Do not assume that the number that shows up on caller ID is the best number to call the individual back on. Always ask.

VOICEMAIL

1. Leaving a Voicemail – Leaving an appropriate and effective voicemail is the key to getting

your call returned. Every voicemail you leave should include the following information:

Your first and last name (clearly enunciated)

Why you are calling and/or how you got the person’s contact info. Never assume

that the person knows why you are calling. If you are returning a call, you can say “I

am returning your call about…”

Your phone number which you should state and repeat SLOWLY

You might also want to leave the best times to reach you particularly if you have

been playing “phone tag”

Effective Voicemail: “Good Afternoon. This is Jane Doe. I am calling to set-up an appointment

to have my resume reviewed for STAR 3. Please give me a call back at your convenience at

904-620-2067. Again, my phone number is 904-620-2067. Thank you and have a great day.”

Ineffective Voicemail: “Hey, give me a call back to review my resume.”

2. Your Voicemail Greeting – You should have a professional voicemail greeting recorded on your phone that identifies yourself and states that you will return the call as soon as possible. For example: “Hello, you have reached Michelle Brown. I am sorry I am unavailable to take your call right now. Please leave a message with your name and phone number and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

DO NOT: Do not use the default recorded message that simply states your phone number.

Prospective employers want to know that they have called the right number. Identifying yourself by name lets them know they have.

Use slang or casual language “Hey, leave a message.” Try to be funny or witty. “YO!!! I’m probably doing something fun right now. Leave a

message and I’ll call you. Maybe.” Use ring-back tones. Many people find them annoying and the songs are very

rarely professional.