Administrative/Clerical: Recording Better Messages and Voicemails

For administrative professionals, recording voicemail greetings and leaving voicemail messages is an inevitable part of the job. Although recording a voicemail can be intimidating, it is an important skill to master. When you learn how to leave clear, concise voicemails, you can better accomplish daily tasks and maintain your professional reputation.

Most administrative professionals spend a considerable amount of time on the phone. For the times when you are on another call or away from your desk, you must record a clear, professional voicemail greeting. Many professionals find this process stressful. Because it will be audible to clients and colleagues, the message must be general enough to cover everyone who calls, but complete enough to be useful. The content of your greeting should be short, friendly, and to the point. In most cases, it is sufficient to let callers know that they’ve reached the office and tell them to leave their contact information. If you prefer a different method of communication for fast responses, however, it is acceptable to mention it in the greeting.

Voicemail greetings are just part of the battle for administrative professionals. On most days, you will also need to plan to leave voice messages for contacts, colleagues, clients, and supervisors. As you are recording a voicemail message, you can keep certain tips in mind to sound more professional. First, it is crucial to use proper grammar. According to Forbes magazine, online communication has led to an abuse of the English language; a professional, grammatically correct phone message can be a welcome contrast.

When you are recording a voicemail on a call recording system, it is easy to stumble over your words or become flustered. To sound more relaxed, prepare what you are going to say before you make the call. Say it out loud once, or, if you’re particularly nervous, write it down using natural, conversational vocabulary. When you know what you want to cover in a message, you will naturally be more confident as you speak. Remember to introduce yourself, state who you work for, and let the recipient know why you’re calling. Include a statement about the next step. Will you call the person back, or would you like him to get in touch with you? By providing all of the necessary information, you can increase the chances that the recipient will continue the conversation at his convenience.

During in-person conversations, administrative professionals usually smile and adopt a friendly expression. When recording a voicemail, it is easy to forget that your facial expressions can affect the tone of your voice. By smiling while you speak into a call recording system, you can create a friendly, approachable message that will draw the listener in and encourage a return call.

Although digital communication is a growing part of life for administrative professionals, recording a voicemail is still an essential task. By preparing adequately and adopting the proper tone, you can leave voicemails that sound polished and invite people to respond.

Nancy Anderson is the communities and article Editor for Beyond.com.  Nancy has 10 years experience in the online job search business with Beyond.  Nancy’s team produces dozens of articles every month for top internet sites.  Follow Nancy and the Beyond team on https://twitter.com/BeyondJobs.

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