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Looking at these, they actually apply to any company I deal with. Hey ho.

Answering an email by phone

My primary method for communicating is by email. If I send an email, I have a trace of when I last spoke to you and about what. I realise most people work differently, and treat phone calls as a “human contact” and feel better about it, but I like traceability and email. Plus, my flat has bad mobile reception. I do not want to have to start using a full multimedia CRM solution to keep track of which recruiters I’m dealing with, but it’s getting that way. Although even that is fouled up by the use of…

Unknown Numbers

When cold-calling clients I realise it might be a benefit if they can’t tell who you are and blacklist you before they pick up, but if you’re calling a client who is going to need to call you back at some point, it’s on the outside edge of unhelpful. Especially if you’re…

Not leaving a message

I use Hullomail instead of O2’s voice mail service. This means that when you phone me, I get a notification by SMS and an email “from” the email address associated with that phone number (assuming you’re not falling foul of the above) with your message as an MP3 attachment. I can then listen to it in the most effecting method for my current circumstances. Unless, of course, you don’t leave a message, in which case I have to guess and phone you back. If it’s an unknown number, I can’t, and if I don’t recognise the number then I probably won’t. Please leave a message after the tone?

(I realise some people don’t like voice mail services. I have a lot of sympathy for them when they’re my friends).

Getting My Name Wrong

When I introduced myself as Nicholas, and when you asked if it was “Nick or Nicholas” and I said “Nicholas” this was a hint. When I corrected you, this was a hint. This is a trivial annoyance, but with re-enforcement it makes me want to never talk to you again.

3 comments
  1. I agree with the last one most of all. I am Jonathan. A Jon is a public toilet.

    I actually disagree with the voicemail thing. If you call me, I know you called. I see your missed call. If you need to get me a message, send a text or an email. Leaving a voicemail to tell me you called isn’t helpful and a waste of everyone’s time.

  2. @yonkeltron that only works if they’re not calling as *unknown*, which appears to be the default state of almost every known recruiter.

    I use a voicemail to text service for the same reason, I like my audit trails.

    I have ground rules for working with recruiters, used when I’m placing people for clients. I may blog them later.

  3. For general companies I’d add that we’re not on first name terms. I’m ‘sir’ or ‘Mr.’ until *I* invite otherwise.

    Asking if it okay to use first name makes me feel like a heel for saying ‘no’

    Oh, and waiters? we’re not ‘guys’ either.

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