It’s everywhere! It’s here… here… and here!

Phone calls don’t happen anymore. Never. Ever. But really?!? I’m not so sure about this!

Yes, the world has shifted and every single thing we do requires an internet connection or a pin number, but the telephone will always be there to offer a more personalized means of contact. And it’s also more aggressive, which is extremely beneficial in the business world! Speaking to someone over the phone makes it impossible for him/her to ignore your question simply by saying “Sorry, I didn’t get that message. There must be something wrong with my BlackBerry…” You need an answer asap? Pick up the phone rather than sending an email or text. It could be days before you get a response and when you do it will almost always open with “I apologize for the late response; it’s been a crazy week!”

But these days phone calls are viewed as intrusive and interruptive. It seems like the only time anyone hits the call button is when there’s an emergency (I don’t know what people did when they had a flat tire before cell phones… learn how to change one? No, thanks…) and I’ll be honest, I’m guilty of hitting the silent button every once in awhile when I’m in no mood to chitchat (note: DO NOT hit ignore, the caller will know!), but I still believe in the good old fashion phone call when it comes to business matters. It’s faster and more efficient. No need to decipher a typo or a run-on sentence.

In our line of business we are on the phone constantly. In order to screen resumes we must speak to potential candidates on the phone to gather all information necessary before taking the next steps. It would be almost impossible and extremely time consuming to email back and forth with a candidate about his/her resume.  It would take half a day of constant email correspondence to obtain all the detail we need on one person’s work experience and skill set. A ten minute phone call would suffice to screen a candidate and schedule an in-person interview.

So when it comes to mindless chatter, don’t call. It’s 2011, people don’t have time for that anymore, but a text every now and again will work. You’ll get a response next time I’m on the elevator with a stranger and need something to do. If you have a business matter to discuss, call me!