Stop Playing Phone Tag

It doesn’t matter what your role is or what industry you work in. If you work in corporate America, there are going to be times when you need to speak with someone over the phone. For one, it’s often far more efficient than a 10+ email reply chain. I’ve had 2-minute phone conversations that accomplish more than 5 or 6 emails. Your feedback is immediate. Your answer won’t arrive 5 hours later. You can ask follow up questions and get immediate answers.

Now that we’ve shown that in many instances, phone calls are the superior form of communication, how do we life hack it and make the process more efficient? We live in the most productive nation the world has ever known, and if you want to accomplish more, every second counts.

We’ve all been there; someone calls you, leaves a message, you call back and get their voicemail. They call you back and you guessed it, you miss the call. Both exhausting and frustrating at the same time!

The answer is simple. Schedule your calls ahead of time and send a calendar invite to confirm. I’ve been doing this since 2010 and have never looked back. If someone leaves me a voicemail and email, I respond to the email and say “Dear X, thanks for reaching out. I’m free at Y and Z time on X Day. Please let me know what looks good on your end and I’ll send a calendar invite to confirm.” In the location field, I either put my # or their #, so they know who’s calling who. Even better, it’s on your calendar in the morning so you can schedule your day around appointments. My Outlook sends a reminder 15 minutes before the call so I can wrap up whatever it is I’m working on.

This is not new or earth shattering but when put into practice, it should make your workday a tad more enjoyable.

Conor Nicholson is the Founder and CEO of NSS RPO, a consulting firm that provides on-site and virtual recruiting professionals. Contact NSS RPO to learn about how we can help your organization meet and exceed it’s hiring goals.