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Outgoing VM message - which podcast?

Submitted by aeryn on Tue, 06/29/2010 - 14:54.
in

This is driving me crazy, I can't figure out which episode I'm recalling. The comment I'm thinking of is regarding the message to leave on your outgoing voicemail. Keep it short and sweet, "Hi this is Jane, please leave a message." I can't remember anything else about the episode other than I liked it.

I think it may have been a CT podcast because the comment was directed at "our younger listeners" to not use a message you would use with your friends. I thought the topic was interviewing or job search, but searching titles and descriptions didn't turn up what I'm looking for. Pretty sure it was within the last 12 months.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

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tlhausmann's picture
Submitted by tlhausmann on Tue, 06/29/2010 - 18:32.

How to Leave Voicemail

In the cast How to Leave Voicemail there is a discussion of "our younger listeners" and how leave a good voicemail message.

However, for a discussion of what to have on your answering machine, I believe the topic came up in the Interviewing Series. Keep it short and professional.

Solitaire's picture
Submitted by Solitaire on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 12:32.

Idea

I like to update my outgoing voicemail message regularly to say where I am (roughly), when I will be back and who can be contacted in my absence. I'll generally update it daily when I have extended meetings, and definitely if I am out of the office for a day or more.

It goes something like this:

"You've reached the voicemail of "insert name here". I'm meetings today from 10am to 2pm. In my absence please contact "person or department x" on "1234 5678". Or please leave me a message and I will get back to you on my return".

I find it very aggravating when I call others, leave a message and they don't call me back and I don't know where they are and how long they will be.

The first thing I do when I get back to my desk is pick up my voicemail and return the calls.

I hope this is of some help.

aeryn's picture
Submitted by aeryn on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 02:24.

 @TL - Thanks for the

 @TL - Thanks for the reply. I'm listening to How to Leave a Voicemail now, but I don't think that's the episode I'm recalling because I hadn't downloaded it before today (and I keep all past eps). Same for interview series - don't have it, so that's not where I heard it.

@Solitaire - Thanks for the input, that's pretty much what I do. I'm looking for the specific podcast episode for other information though.

I made a note to "relisten to job search podcast" (in hindsight, the lesson learned is to reference the actual NAME of episode) and the voicemail comment is the only detail specific to the episode that I can recall.

Maybe it's time for an MT marathon to try and find it. 

 

asteriskrntt1's picture
Submitted by asteriskrntt1 on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 17:06.

I am pretty sure there is no podcast on your voice mail

In the My Space Casts (and maybe others), M&M touch on leaving digital footprints via voicemails and how to leave a professional voice mail message when leaving a message, not recording your own outgoing message.  Don't leave messages in anger or in a threatening manner or saying stupid things as in this digital age, the messages go onto a server somewhere and are likely there in perpetuity.

Some basic rules (and your company may have its own rules) on leaving an outgoing message:

  1. A clear introduction of YOURSELF.  Hi, this is Bob Jones of National Marketing
  2. Date and/or schedule.  Don't do this if you are one of those people who rarely update their VM.  It leaves a horrible impression when you hear a message like "Hi, this is Bob Jones for Tuesday, March 5) and the date is now March 13.
  3. Ask for the information you need "please leave your name, number and the nature of your request.
  4. This is iffy but was one I had to use as I supported a nation-wide system of sales people "If you are someone I don't deal with on a regular basis, please spell out your name slowly, your company name and then repeat your phone number"  You have no idea how many calls I could not return as I had no clue who the person was due to them leaving me a horrible not understandable message.