Is Anybody Home?

Many people are used to being “plugged in” 24/7. But when you communicate with
potential employers, you may want to think through your options carefully before deciding
what numbers to give out on your resume and cover letters.

1. If you work a traditional 9-to-5 job, it may be most convenient for you to use your
office phone number as your primary contact (assuming that your employer doesn’t
monitor your calls and that you’ll have enough privacy to respond to a call from a
prospective employer).

2. If it’s too risky for you to use your office phone, cell phones are another option. If
so, give some careful thought to how and when you normally use your cell phone,
because you certainly don’t want your seatmate on the train or the kid behind the
Starbucks counter listening to your phone calls with prospective employers.

3. If you decide to use your home phone number as a primary contact, make sure that
your phone message sounds professional rather than cute or overly friendly. (I’m
still recovering from the woman who sang opera arias with her husband on their
answering machine.)

4. If you share your home with other people (especially children), they will need to be
instructed to answer the phone courteously and to always take messages.

5. E-mail offers another expedient way to communicate with employers. It is usually
prudent, for the sake of privacy, to use your personal e-mail account rather than an
office address.

6. Take the time to create a new e-mail address that reflects your professionalism.
Potential employers don’t need to know about the sexual preferences, drinking
habits, or favorite hobbies that are often reflected in personal e-mail addresses.