Every day, recruiters leave dozens of voicemails for potential job candidates. When you get a message from a recruiter, use these best practices to ensure your response puts you in the “call back ASAP” pile. Here are 5 applicant best practices when responding to recruiter voicemail that will help you get the job assignment.
Recruiters leave so much voicemail because applicants they want to talk to are not available – and for good reason. You, the candidate, may be working during the same business hours. If you are not working , you are out looking for a job, on other calls, networking, or perhaps in an interview. No applicant or job candidate is sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring.
Understanding your audience (the recruiter) and these best practices will help you return that recruiter call, and ensure you are put on the top of the “call back ASAP” list of applicants.
- Take careful notes as you listen to the message several times. Write down the message and the questions the recruiter asks. This way you can prepare effective answers. The recruiter needs to know very specific information in order to consider you. Like, where the job is located, your salary/pay history, or other questions about key skills you need.
- Develop a clear response script for the recruiter. Write it down. Do not answer questions the recruiter does not have interest in knowing. Read your response, read it again, then rehearse it. This takes discipline. Rehearse your response until you truly feel ready to call the recruiter back. Without rehearsal, you will sound tentative and lack confidence. Now rehearse it again.
- Prepare a short voicemail script, in advance. In case you have to leave the recruiter a voicemail, leave a shorter, crisper response that answers the questions, briefly, and indicates you are highly motivated to have a conversation as soon as possible. Rehearse your voicemail message. Keep it to less than 1 minute, 30 seconds is best.
- Cheerfully remind the recruiter who you are and the job they called you about, and the date and time that they left a message. Don’t expect the recruiter to remember you by your first name. They are using technology to keep track of their outreach calls. Recruiters are balancing multiple candidates and multiple job orders, and you need to make it very easy for them to want to talk more to you.
- Promptly follow through on any requests. If the recruiter asks you for an updated MS Word version of your resume, send it immediately. If the recruiter has directed you to an online ATS to submit a resume or complete an application, don’t hesitate. The job they are filling may require your application be queued into the ATS at the client. It may be time-stamped. Follow up with a call or message to the recruiter using steps 1-5 above once you have completed that.
The underlying message is to make it very easy for your recruiter to make the connection. Recruiters are your ally, and if you treat them well, prepare your answers, and be confident in delivering them, the recruiter will remember you.
Barton Staffing Solutions recruiters actively work with dozens of applicants each day. It is clear which candidates are motivated and prepared, and which are not. When there is urgency around a job order, the prepared candidates get all the recruiter focus. Modern tools have made it easier to manage the activity. However, if you want your recruiter to remember you, make their job easier by following best practices like these.
