Voice mail etiquette tips

A relatively new area of professional etiquette that is often misunderstood or underappreciated is voice mail etiquette. Many people are unaware of the importance of voice mail etiquette. Still others do not understand what makes for good voice mail etiquette. The ability to leave an impacting voice mail can be strength, while poor voice mail skills can prevent success with a job search process or a client relationship.

There are many types of situations in which voice mail communication takes place. For our purposes we are going to focus on a couple important scenarios where good voice mail skills are important: Leaving messages for recruiters and leaving messages for clients or customers.

When seeking a job, telephone communication is most often a part of the communication process. Candidates regularly use the phone to return calls from recruiters or employers, follow up on steps in the application process, or say thank you for consideration. Presenting yourself in a professional and concise manner should always be the main objective.

Voice mail messages are also common place in the process of doing business, or any kind. Organizations that rely on clients, or customers, often must use the telephone as part of the communication process. Thus, as an employee, you need to understand what makes a good voice mail message. Maintaining and enhancing client relationships should be the main theme behind a voice mail message for business.

Along with the specific objectives stated, here are a few essential tips for voice mail etiquette that are vital to each of these two situations:

<!–[if !supportLists]–>1) <!–[endif]–>State clearly who you are and your purpose for calling – Voice mails are not about deception. State first and foremost who you are and why you are calling. This lets the recipient know why they should care, and listen.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>2) <!–[endif]–>Let them know both the phone number (speak clearly and slowly) and best times to return your call. Playing phone tag can get frustrating and busy recruiters or clients give up quickly. Let them know how to reach you and times that you are definitely available.

Be concise – If you are not prepared to leave a voice mail message, hang up and call back. It is better to have a prepared message that is to the point than to be caught off guard and leave a long, rambling message. This is a turn off to a potential employer, or a customer. The voice mail should address one to two main points, including why and how to connect personally.

Top Ten Most Important Resume Criteria – Recruiters perspective

From Reuters:

TheLadders.com Survey Identifies Resume Essentials, Experts Offer Advice on How
to Stand Out
NEW YORK–(Business Wire)–
What are the most important pieces of information recruiters expect to see in an
executive-level resume? And how do you design a resume to deliver them
effectively? TheLadders.com, the world’s leading online platform for the $100K+
job market, sought input from the experts, surveying 564 recruitment
professionals on the top criteria they look for in every resume, and asking
certified professional resume writers their advice on how best to package that
information.

RECRUITER SURVEY

Following were the top ten resume criteria named by recruiters:

* Areas of Expertise: Recruiters said that demonstrating a strong area of
expertise is what sets a candidate apart from the pack.

* Relevant Industry Experience: Recruiters want to know instantly that a
candidate has a solid track record of success.

* Leadership Capabilities: Has the candidate managed a business unit? A sales
team? Recruiters in the $100K+ job market are looking for proven leaders.

* A Strong Professional Summary: Akin to the liner notes on a best-selling
novel, a succinct and engaging professional summary is one of the first things
recruiters read on a candidate`s resume.

* Education Credentials: Recruiters want to know where candidates went to school
and how well they did when they were there.

* Professionalism in the Presentation: An effective, well-organized resume helps
recruiters quickly and easily focus on the candidate`s qualifications.

* Strong Quantitative Accomplishments: Candidates must demonstrate quantifiable
accomplishments and results that show how they contributed to the bottom line.

* Technical/Business Skills: What certifications does the candidate have? If a
candidate has a strong skill set in a particular area, make sure the recruiter
has the technical details.

* Stability at a Company (Tenure): Has the candidate job hopped every other year
or do they show a consistent track record on tenure? Commitment is important.

* Summarized Job Descriptions: Rather than providing a bullet list of duties, a
candidate should summarize key responsibilities and focus on measurable
results.

“The job search has never been more competitive and a generic, passive ‘job
description’typeresume simply will not make the cut in this job market,” said
Tina Brasher, Certified Professional Resume Writer. “Due to the large number of
resumes they receive, recruiters need to see an instant connection when reading
your resume. What areyour quantitative results that set you apart from your
competition?What have you accomplished and for whom? How did you
positivelyimpact the bottom line? These are the most important points that you
need to show to make your case.”

“The vast majority of people facing career changes are immensely better
qualified than their self-written resumes reveal”, said Bryan Newman, Certified
Professional Resume Writer. “An important key to writing a successful resume is
to tell the reader what you have accomplished that makes you a better candidate
for the job than others in your field. Recruiters look for candidates whose
resumes are crafted around a solid list of career achievements.”

Since TheLadders.com launched its Resume Service in 2006, a team of executive
resume writers, who have been certified by at least one of the national resume
writing associations, have written more than 25,000 executive resumes for its
members. Additionally, Wendy Enelow, author of 30+ books on executive resume
writing, cover letters and interviewing, provides these resume writers with
ongoing training and guidance on marketing the executive level candidate.

Happy April Fools!

Hope everyone has a great day!

If your dream job was a parking spot

Would you fit like this?

Or this: