The receptionist of a company holds the key to letting you through to the person you would like to speak to. As someone who currently plays the role of a gatekeeper, I thought I would hand out some free advice:

Address yourself

SAY YOUR NAME!! This is my biggest pet peeve of answering phones. People call all the time saying, “Hi, is ___ there?” In what world would a gatekeeper let you in without even knowing your name, let alone why you are there? State the reason for your call

When you call for someone and speak to a receptionist, chances are they are going to ask you why you are calling. This happens especially in recruitment because recruiters are on the phone all day. If the gatekeeper is telling them someone is calling for them, they want to know who and why.

Be nice to the receptionist

Be friendly. A simple “How are you today?” can go a long way.

Appreciate that people cannot always call you back right away

If the person you were calling is unavailable and you have to leave a message for them, bear in mind that they may have an abundance of people to get back to and may not be able to call you back immediately. If your matter is urgent, let the receptionist know. Odds are there is someone else in the office who would be happy to help you.

If I had my way, every call would go something like this:

“Hi Samantha, it’s _______ here. How are you today? I am after Sarah, in regards to the Accountant position she is advertising. Is she available?” “Hi Samantha, my name is Elizabeth and I saw your advertisement for an HR Manager and I am just looking to get a bit more information. Who would you recommend I speak to?” It’s simple. It’s easy. It makes the gatekeeper happy and it gets you through the door. If you’re a candidate looking for a job or a client looking for that perfect candidate, why not try getting through the gatekeepers at people2people, by giving us a call?