How to Set Up Professional Voicemail Inboxes

How to Set Up Professional Voicemail Inboxes image via Blitz Just like the importance of conducting yourself professionally in person and over email, you want to make sure that if an employer is trying to contact you, that they receive a professional greeting, even if you aren’t able to answer the phone right away. Here are some tips for creating that perfectly professional greeting. Short, sweet, and simple: When someone is trying to reach you and they can’t get you on the line, they want to leave a message right away and get on with their day. If your voicemail greeting goes on for minutes on end, chances are they aren’t going to stick around until they hear the beep. You don’t need to have your whole life story in your voicemail greeting, you just basically need them to know that they reached the right person and that you will be getting back to them as soon as you can. This is the part where people like to get funny, maybe by saying, “hey, Im out and definitely avoiding you,” which is funny if your friends are calling, but not if someone you want to work for is trying to reach you. You don’t need to say why you cant answer or where you might be, you simply need to say your full name, that you are sorry you can’t come to the phone, and that you will get back to them as soon as you can. Practice: Before you officially pick a greeting, why not practice on making your voice even and understandable? I know that my voice rises when I speak on the phone, and I tend to speak faster, so I practice in the mirror to slow down my voice and make sure that I am speaking as naturally as I can. It may sound silly, but the tone in which you say something can either play the professional status up, or it can bring it down. You can’t change what your voice naturally sounds like, but you can work on controlling it to make sure you sound calm and collected when recording your message. If you aren’t sure, have a friend listen to it and give you pointers. It’s always disorienting listening to your own voice, so you might not be able to catch if you sound weird because you’re hearing your voice or because you are actually speaking in a strange manner, but someone who knows you well will be able to clear it right up. Be inviting: Your message should sound inviting and happy, so the person leaving the message doesn’t get scared off. Don’t be unnaturally over the top happy that they are leaving you a message, but definitely try and get a happy tone into your message, and show them that you value their time and the fact that they are leaving you a message. A good way to do this is to maybe add, “Have a wonderful day” at the end of the greeting. It’s short, so it won’t contradict the first point, and it makes the message more personal. Another form of contact: This is optional, but you can also leave another form of contact on your voicemail, like an email, that the employer who is calling can utilize. This will show that you want to get back to them as quickly as possible, and you are giving them multiple ways to do so. This isn’t necessary, but can be a good step if you want to squeeze a little more into the voicemail without going overboard. Okay, so what does it look like when you put all the steps together?: Example: “Hello, you have reached Megan N. Turner. I’m sorry that I can’t get to the phone at the moment. If you would please leave your name, best way to reach you, and your message after the tone, I will get back to you as soon as possible. Feel free to also shoot me an email at mturner@gmail.com. I look forward to speaking with you. Thank you and have a wonderful day!” Let’s look at another one: “Hello, you have reached Mark Hannel, content writer at Uloop News. My apologies for missing your call. I will be happy to get back to you as soon as I am able. Please leave me your name, number, and a brief message, and you’ll be hearing back from me shortly. Thanks and have a great day!” These of course are very basic templates. Feel free to make your voicemail fit you just keep it professional. Good luck!