The voicemail. This technology is often shunned by the younger generation in favour of texts or emails but it still plays an important part in our professional communication. Whether you’re interested in a job opportunity, following up with a company, or calling in sick for work, leaving a voicemail message is likely to be something that you will have to do often throughout your job search and career.
No one should be calling during the holidays, and yet some people do. When you’re out for the holidays, create a voicemail greeting that communicates the cheerfulness of the season while still staying professional.

8. “Thanks for calling [your name] at [your company]. I didn’t mean to send you to voicemail but I am either on the line with another client or on the go. Leave your name, number, the reason for your call today and the best time to call you back. I’ll speak with you shortly! ” Your caller probably wanted to reach you, not your voicemail. Advise your caller that you’re simply on the line with another caller and you’ll be right with them.
Users often don’t invest enough time into their messages, resulting in incomplete, unprofessional, or otherwise under-whelming greetings. Sure, crafting a greeting doesn’t sound all that complicated; however, there are a number of pitfalls users can fall into—i.e. informality, terseness, sincerity, lack of direction, and more. While none of these sound too catastrophic, they are often interrelated. As such, they tend to worsen any problem. For example, humor can cause informality, worsen ambiguity, and weaken sincerity. That being said, users should strive to avoid ALL these pitfalls.