by Angela Copeland | Mar 9, 2015 | Advice, Newsletter
One of my biggest pet peeves is bad voicemail messages. I’m not when my distaste for voicemails started, but it has really ramped up in the past few years.
Maybe it’s because we’ve started using e-mail and text messaging so much. Our standards for leaving a voicemail may have been forgotten.
But, your ability to leave a great voicemail will still impact whether or not you’ll get a callback. Leave a bad message and the receiver will delete it. This could impact your job search, you current role, and even personal relationships.
Here are a few tips for leaving an awesome voicemail message:
- Be brief – The worst kind of voicemail you can leave is one that’s too long. Practice leaving short, concise messages that get to the point quickly. I prefer to keep mine at twenty seconds or less. If you’re leaving two-minute messages, there’s a good they aren’t being listened to all the way through.
- Leave your full name – So often, I hear voicemails similar to, “Hey! This is Jack. Give me a call back.” There are many common first names. Leave both your first and your last name, so the receiver can identify you. Even if your name is unique, the person you’re calling may need to look you up to remember who you are or how you’re connected. Unless you’re calling your grandma, don’t assume the other person will know who you are by just your first name.
- Leave your phone number – This one is becoming a bigger issue every day. Have you ever forwarded your desk phone to your cell phone? Have you ever used a Google Voice line? In both of these scenarios, there’s a chance the receiver’s caller ID won’t pick up your phone number. I know it may sound crazy, but it’s true. In fact, I run into this issue with my own business line. Because of my setup, if a client calls me, I won’t see their phone number. I won’t get into the setup details of why I’m doing it this way, but suffice it to say, I get lots of voicemails with no phone number in them. When you don’t leave your phone number, you’re forcing the receiver to do research to figure out how to get back in touch with you. It greatly reduces the likelihood that they’ll call you back.
- Explain why you’re calling (briefly) – Help out the person you’re calling. Let them know why you’re calling, and be straight forward. This morning, I received a general message to the effect of, “Angela, this is Jill. We spoke last year and I’m calling to reconnect.” I searched everywhere for Jill and couldn’t find her in my records or online. I was honestly hesitant to call her back at all. When I did, she wanted to sell me something. It was completely disappointing that Jill didn’t leave her reason for calling in the first place.
- Look for patterns – Let’s be honest. With the changes in technology over the past twenty years, different people communicate differently. Certain age ranges seem more likely to want to text over calling, for example. Also, different kinds of jobs make someone more or less able to take calls in the middle of the day. If you notice that a person responds better to e-mails, you may want to skip the phone and go straight for e-mail. And, if you really need to get in touch with them, consider setting up a time to talk via e-mail. For me, this kind of communication is especially effective. Given that I’m in client meetings all day, it’s rare that I’m able to pick up the phone when it rings. I know this is also true for many other people.
Those are my five tips for more effective voicemail messages. Give these a try and your colleagues will thank you. And even better, they’ll call you back!
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Mar 9, 2015 | Job Posting
ServiceMaster is seeking a VP of Communications in Memphis, TN.
Responsible for the direction, development and execution of comprehensive Business Unit specific communications supporting the Company mission, principles, and objectives. This position is also responsible for working cross-functionally within the communication department to develop and create a culture of effective corporate communication.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the ServiceMaster job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 9, 2015 | Job Posting
Home Advisor is seeking a Vice President of Software Development in Golden, CO.
We need an experienced thought-leader to help shape our software development methodology, lead the charge on best practices for our application architecture, and mentor/guide a team of software developers. We’re a Java shop, and we’re looking for someone with a solid web-based software engineering background a passion for team development and leadership, and a focus on best practices. Previous management experience is a must.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Home Advisor job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 8, 2015 | Job Posting
Vanderbilt University is seeking a Director of Foundation Relations in Nashville, TN.
The Director works as part of the Foundation Relations team, with a primary focus on creating, expanding and directing relationships with private foundations and other charitable entities that have the capacity to give/award support at the six-figure level or higher.
To learn more, or to apply online, check out the Vanderbilt University job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 7, 2015 | Job Posting
Starbucks is seeking a Director of Fraud Analytics & Investigations in Seattle, WA.
This position contributes to Starbucks success by formulating and implementing an enterprise-wide fraud management structure, aligned with business goals. Responsible for developing and managing global fraud risk strategy and policy. This position will identify and implement a metric reporting structure to track fraud risk effectiveness based upon increased revenues. This position also partners with functional leaders within Operations, Finance, I.T., Human Resources, and Legal to create a global loss prevention program . Responsible for building a five year roadmap for global fraud prevention program across the enterprise.
This position will also manage and direct the investigations team, fraud IT implementation, reporting, budgeting and deliverables along with achieving year over year fraud loss reductions and recoveries. This position is responsible for conducting confidential internal and due diligence investigations.
To learn more, or to apply online, check out the Starbucks job description.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 6, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “The Value of Honesty.”
I’m not going to lie; recently, I’ve been on the receiving end of dishonesty in a business setting. The person could have easily told the truth or apologized, and it would have been no big deal. But, they didn’t. In order to save face, they stepped right up and said something that was clearly and definitely not the truth.
Maybe I’m naïve, but it always surprises me when people aren’t honest, especially about little things or things that are well-documented through email. I guess if they don’t get called out on their lie, they assume they’ve gotten away with it. But, as someone who pays attention to these things, I notice the inconsistencies and take note of them – as do many other people.
And, when the person does get caught, brushing off the error as a “miscommunication” just doesn’t repair the damage.
To read my entire column, and tips on remaining honest in your job search, visit the Memphis Daily News site here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 6, 2015 | Job Posting
Tractor Supply Co. is seeking a Director of IT Operations and Shared Services in Brentwood, TN.
This position is responsible for all systems operations, monitoring and administration which includes Tier 1 & 2 help desk functions, monitoring of systems, the incident management process, deployment of hardware and administration of servers and enterprise applications.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Tractor Supply Co. website here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 6, 2015 | Job Posting
The Wounded Warrior Project is seeking a Combat Stress Recovery Manager in Seattle, WA.
The Combat Stress Recovery Manager position is designed to provide ongoing support and expertise to wounded warriors dealing with invisible injuries through comprehensive assessment, planning, implementation and overall evaluation of individual warrior needs. The overall goal of the Combat Stress Recovery Manager is to manage the regional combat stress program by developing mental health resources, referral networks, and supporting outreach to warriors living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and combat stress. The Manager works collaboratively with the Regional Director to establish relationships and secure internal and external resources for warriors. Additionally, the Manager will be responsible for regional planning and oversight related to hiring, training, budgeting, and maintaining key performance indicators for the Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP) team.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Wounded Warrior Project website here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 5, 2015 | Job Posting
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is seeking a Director of Total Rewards in Seattle, WA.
Responsibilities:
- Leading the development and implementation of the foundation’s total rewards strategies and support programs in the U.S. and internationally that will enable the foundation to attract, develop, retain, and motivate top talent
- Developing and implementing strategic foundation-wide compensation & rewards philosophy and subsequent programs and policies
- Leading the research, design, communication, and implementation of the Total Rewards strategy.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Mar 5, 2015 | Job Posting
Nissan is seeking a Senior Planner in Franklin, TN.
Responsible for the management and planning of large scale frequency based instructional program for Nissan dealership employees and management. Position manages all logistical vendor activity and provides leadership in all areas including program strategy, deployment planning & communications, KPI measurement & tracking, budgetary control, and coordination with instructional design team. Position will create strategy to manage reach and frequency of the training to ensure alignment to and optimize impact against overall objectives of sales satisfaction, advocacy, and loyalty. Responsible for operational development of product launch & sustainment of training programs through the design, development, and implementation phases. Provides leadership support, coaching, guidance, training and development to Training Operations staff and related contractors. Contributes to building brand value and achieving enduring profitable growth.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Nissan job posting here.
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