How to Leave a Voicemail for a Job Interview [3 Methods]

You apply to a job you found online only to hear nothing several days later. You begin to wonder if they saw your resume at all. Even worse, you wonder if someone in HR saw it but did not pass it along to the actual hiring manager.

How do you make sure you’re not a fit? The only real way to find out is to have a conversation with someone. Majority of applicants never even place a phone call because they have a fear of rejection. Sometimes, I think we would rather move on to the next opening than face rejection.

What you must realize is everyone faces rejection when seeking work. You can’t be an ideal fit in every situation. Decide you would rather find out you are not a fit then sit and wonder if they ever saw your resume in the first place. This is where voicemail comes into play.

How to Leave a Voicemail for a Job Interview [3 Methods]

Let me say up front your ultimate goal should always be to get them on the phone first. This is why I recommend calling a few times BEFORE you ever leave a voicemail. Once you leave a voice mail message you have given over the power to them.

How do you make several calls without annoying them?

I knew that was your next question, right? The answer is simple. You use *67 on your phone before you dial the number. This will hide your caller ID. Now listen, do not abuse this. You shouldn’t call 10 times in 10 minutes. You will still aggravate the hiring manager because they will assume it is the same person. You don’t want to be that person! If you cannot get them on the phone, use these ideas.

The “Be Direct and Straight to the Point” Method

The first method is pretty obvious. You want to be very professional and tell them exactly why you are calling. Also, be clear on leaving your phone number. State it slowly and clearly. You also want to leave a tease as well. Here is a sample script:

"Hi Sarah, this is Brad Mills. I’m a CPA with public accounting experience. I heard about your opening for a Sr. Accountant role. I’ve heard nothing but good things about XYZ company and would be open to a confidential conversation about it. I’d be happy to provide my resume if I had your email address. Feel free to call me at 123-456-7890."

The “I Just Emailed My Resume to You” Method

Another method is to leave a professional voice message letting them know you just emailed your resume. If you have great verbal skills, this can help you stand out among the pack. Here’s an example:

“Hi Sarah, this is Brad Mills. I’m a CPA and recently heard about your job opening. I just sent you an email with my resume attached. Feel free to give me a call at 123-456-7890. Look forward to speaking with you.”

The “Short, Yet Curious Voicemail”

This last method has the highest call back percentage. If you want to speak to the person via phone, this is the way to do it. However, I would use this with extreme caution. You must be smooth and savvy to carry this out. The goal is to leave your info (nothing more) and let curiosity get the best of them. It would go something like this:

“Hi Sarah, this is Brad. Give me a call back at 123-456-7890.”

You will get a call back majority of the time on this one. What you don’t want to do is leave several of these types of voicemails in one day with different people. If they call you back and you have to remember who they are or why you called, your credibility is shot. You want to be prepared, friendly, and to the point.

Jonathan Milligan Jonathan has been blogging since 2009 and is still in awe that the Creator of the Universe desires to have a relationship with him. His passions include spending time with his kids, reading, March Madness, surprise get-a-way trips with his wife, and watching funny YouTube videos.