Phones these days are so much more than phones. They\u2019re calendars, computers, and sometimes a credit card. But a phone is also a communication device, one that allows people to call you. And when you can\u2019t take their call, your voicemail is there to help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While you could use the preset voicemail greeting, it\u2019s pretty bland, so you\u2019ll want to record something new. And if this is the phone number you use for work (or your job search), you want to make sure you have a professional voicemail greeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A professional voicemail greeting is the message that plays when someone calls you but you\u2019re unable to answer. It\u2019s similar to the auto-response message you can set your email to send when someone emails you while you\u2019re out of the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though many business communications<\/a> are written, sometimes a phone call is the better option. And since your voicemail answers the calls you can\u2019t, it can act as the first glimpse a caller gets into your professional side<\/strong>. Having a professionally crafted greeting indicates that you\u2019re a pro<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you record your voicemail greeting, create a script. You can write it out or have it in your head, but a script ensures you include all the pertinent details and don\u2019t pause mid-message to figure out what to say next!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, practice a few times or listen to the playback before finalizing the greeting. You want to speak slowly and clearly because while your greeting may sound fine when you say it out loud, how the voicemail recording picks it up and plays it back may sound garbled or too fast to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, keep your voicemail greeting short and sweet<\/strong>\u2014between 15 and 30 seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Include the important details your caller needs, including your name! While that may seem like overkill, sometimes callers aren\u2019t sure they dialed the correct number. Opening your voicemail greeting with your name reassures the other person they called the right number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If this is a professional voicemail greeting for your job, you can include additional details, like your company name or your work hours. If you\u2019re a job seeker, your name may be all the essential detail you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Express either your thanks for the phone call or your regret for not being able to take the call. While you can include both sentiments, it may be a bit awkward, so it\u2019s generally best to stick with one or the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give the caller a brief reason why you can\u2019t take their call. While most voicemail greetings include phrases like \u201cI\u2019m away from my desk\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m on another call,\u201d you may need to adjust the greeting if you\u2019re gone for an extended period (like on vacation<\/a> or medical leave<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Explaining why you aren\u2019t answering helps set the caller\u2019s expectations on when they can reasonably expect your response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While your phone or voicemail system will likely log the call, there\u2019s no guarantee that the number it records is correct. And depending on your situation, you may need more information than, \u201cPlease call me back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give the caller a brief instruction on what information they should leave you. This ensures you get the proper call-back number (or another contact method) and gives you an idea of what and how you need to prepare when you respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n State when the caller can expect a return phone call. Even something a little vague, like, \u201cas soon as I can,\u201d is better than nothing at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re unavailable for an extended period or someone has an emergency, include some information on an alternative contact or a method for reaching you immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are a few examples of professional voicemail greetings for various situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hi! You\u2019ve reached [Your Name]. I\u2019m sorry I can\u2019t take your call right now. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief reason for your call, and I\u2019ll return your message as soon as possible! Thanks!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Hello. You\u2019ve reached [Your Name], the [Your Title] at [Company Name]. I\u2019m currently away from my desk assisting other clients. Please leave your name, phone number, and a detailed message, and I\u2019ll call you back as soon as I am able.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Hi! This is [Your Name]. I\u2019m on vacation between [dates of vacation] and returning to the office on [date of return]. If you\u2019d like, you can leave a message with your name and phone number, and I\u2019ll call you when I\u2019m back in the office. Or, if you need immediate assistance, you can contact [name of alternative contact] at [phone number or email]. Thanks!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Hello. You\u2019ve reached [Your Name and company information]. I\u2019m out of the office beginning [start date] and returning on [end date]. While I\u2019m out, you may contact [name of alternate contact] at [phone number or email]. I will be checking email periodically, so you can email me at [email address]. Thank you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Your voicemail greeting does more than take messages; it sends one too! Make sure your voicemail greeting is professional<\/strong>, and you\u2019ll set the right tone in your job search and career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whether you’re an active job seeker, currently employed, or simply out of the office, here’s what to say in a professional voicemail greeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":24829,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"old-site-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-advice"],"last_modified_at":"","edited_by":"Jessica Howington","acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/87"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24779"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25144,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24779\/revisions\/25144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Prep Your Greeting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to Say in a Professional Voicemail Greeting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Essential Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Thanks or Regret<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Give a Reason<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Information You Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When You\u2019ll Reply<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alternative Contacts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Professional Voicemail Greeting Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Active Job Seeker Voicemail Greeting<\/h3>\n\n\n
Current Worker Voicemail Greeting <\/h3>\n\n\n
On Vacation Voicemail Greeting <\/h3>\n\n\n
Out on Leave Voicemail Greeting<\/h3>\n\n\n
Sending a Message<\/h2>\n\n\n\n