I just contacted a job seeker a few minutes ago. Her voice mail message said, “Hi this is ….. If this is Stacey, the answer is still no.” What the heck?

What if I’m an employer whose name is Stacey? Whether you’re looking for a job or not, your voice mail brands you. In this case, if I had an opening, would I reconnect with this person? NO.

On another voice mail I heard drinks clinking in the background and a message that said, “Hey, we’re not here right now, we’re out on the deck having margaritas.” How nice for you. Too bad you were having margaritas when you could be setting up a job interview.

Or how about the old machines? What do you hear? Beeeeeeep. Click. Guess there wasn’t any tape left or the digital chip went out. Now I can’t leave a message.

Or the very worst, and yes, two job seekers had this issue – no voice mail or answering machine! After several tries and finally connecting I asked what gives. One said he didn’t want to waste money. The other didn’t want the hassle. Hmmm. I guess they both got their wish. One’s not wasting money – but he’s not making more money either. The other won’t have to worry about being hassled — by potential employers. They more than likely won’t call back.

Challenge: Check your voice mail on your cell phone and your home phone. Is it professional? Can it be clearly understood?