Getting Through to Busy People

Plenty of corporate offices, and human resources departments in particular, are guarded like crazy from unknown callers. Many times we are told that nobody is available to take our call.

Your attitude is key, and your telephone personality must be engaging, upbeat and respectful of the busy individual's time. They know if you are listening, confident, and someone they'd like on their team in the first few moments of speaking. Many job seekers get cut off since they sound underwhelming at best and not professional on the phone. Put your best voice forward.

Before giving your name, find out the name of the person you are trying to reach. Once you have an exact name of the right contact, call back and ask directly to speak to that person. Do not offer your name or the reason of your call unless asked. For example, "Hi, is Ms. Anderson in, please?" This will usually provoke a yes or no response. If the answer is no, you will often be asked if you would like to leave a message. Do not give your name and number because it's likely that your call will not be promptly returned.

Instead, you should let the assistant know that you will be away from your phone for a while and will try again another time. If after two or three tries you are still unsuccessful, be sure to ask when it would be good to call back. Do not leave multiple messages.

If you can't get through to the boss, be sure to politely thank the secretary for her time. Make friends at the front line and you'll have a better chance. Immediately state your full name, "My name is Patty Brown, and I am calling to speak to Mr. Johnson about a job opportunity. I was referred by his friend James Smith." Get to the point and instantly establish something in common.

It's not easy to make contacts over the phone. Keep calling, politely but persistently, until you reach the person you need to speak to. If you have to leave a message, leave your name, the time and date of your call, your complete telephone number, and a short message. If you offer to call back at a specific time, be sure to do it. If the boss is constantly busy, ask the secretary for her help. Say, "You are so fortunate to have such a fabulous job. Would you mind giving me some tips how to get through to Mr. Jones. I'm determined to work at the Jones company and was told I'd be a wonderful addition to the team. I would be so grateful for any suggestions you could offer for how to reach him."

Busy people often make promises and are often too busy to keep them. If someone says, call me back or contact me at a later date, be sure to include that in your communication. Say, "I was so grateful that you asked me to call you back and have looked forward to speaking to you for days. Is this a good time to talk?" Or, ask someone you know in common for a favor. Busy people are never too busy to do a favor for a friend. Consider all the options.

Don't give up. Busy people are some of the best people to work for since they are just that—busy—and are likely to have many needs. Be sure to highlight in your conversation how you can benefit them and make their life and work easier, more productive, and successful. They are bound to listen to someone who represents progress, productivity, and a benefit for their company.