10 Tips for Mastering Professional Phone Calls

by Casey Covel · Published November 1, 2023 · Updated November 1, 2023

While texting, instant messaging, and emails allow us to connect with anyone instantly, it’s just as critical to master your phone conversation skills. Why? Because 84% of employers require or allow their employees to use their cell phones on the job (and the other 26% use an established business phone only!). Whether you’re self-employed or working for NASA, you’ll use your phone a lot, so learning how to master it now will pay off later. Strong phone communication skills help maintain good relationships with customers and your team, ensure that work is done consistently and efficiently, and keep miscommunications and mistakes from happening.

Because you don’t have your body language to rely on and must only communicate with words, phone calls might seem intimidating—but they don’t have to be. By keeping these ten tips in mind, you’ll navigate phone calls with confidence and ease:

1. Identify Yourself (and, if needed, the Other Person)

If you’re calling someone or receiving a call from someone you don’t know—meaning not a friend or family member—it’s critical to identify yourself. Otherwise, the person on the other end won’t know who they’re talking to.

Why is this important? Imagine your academic advisor calls you. They have confidential information they’re only allowed to share with you. Identifying yourself lets them know it’s safe to do so.

At the same time, it’s important for you to identify who is on the other end of the phone. Usually, the other person will identify themselves, saying, “Hello, this is Jessica Smith from Eastern Florida State College’s Academic Advising office…” However, if this isn’t the case, asking, “May I ask who’s calling?” after you introduce yourself is perfectly polite.

2. Ask Questions

Never be afraid to ask for clarification. Questions are welcomed in a conversation. They show you’re paying attention and engaged. You must have all the information you need by the end of the call, so make sure you get it by asking for clarity.

3. Take Notes to Stay Tuned-In

Take notes during the call. This is for your personal benefit. Not only does it help you keep track of important points in the conversation, but it also allows you to retain the information you discussed afterward.

4. Listen more than you Talk

If you’re calling someone at EFSC, for example, you probably need help with a math problem, financial aid application, or career guidance. Communicate these needs, but understand that listening will benefit you most. The person you’re speaking with has all the information you’re looking for; make the best use of your time by allowing them plenty of opportunity to speak so that you can learn.

5. Set Up a Professional Voicemail

Think of voicemail as a recording that represents you when you’re not around. Especially as you move into college and the professional world, it’s important to re-evaluate your voicemail and ensure it conveys your desired image.

Start by introducing yourself by name—again, it’s important to let the caller know they’ve reached the right person.
Keep your message short and to the point—this way, the caller can get to the voicemail quickly.
Avoid slang, profanity, or other informal language in your voicemail. You might have an old voicemail that you recorded mostly for friends to hear, but consider that this voicemail might not make a great impression on an employer calling to interview you, or a school considering you for a scholarship.
When you record your voicemail, it’s important to speak clearly and slowly enough that your words are easily understood. Don’t yell your message into the phone, but make sure it’s audible. To test this out, give yourself a call from another phone and see what kind of impression your voicemail leaves.
Record in a quiet place without excessive background noise so that your voicemail is easily understood.

6. Return Calls Quickly

If someone leaves you a voicemail that needs to be returned, be sure to do so within 24 hours—or the same day, when possible. This shows respect for the other person’s time and needs.

7. Ask Permission Before Using Speakerphone

Have you ever put someone on speakerphone in a public place and instantly regretted it because of something they said out loud? Or perhaps you were the person on the other end, not realizing you’d been put on speaker! Either way, it’s important not to use speakerphone without asking permission from the other person, especially in college and business contexts. Often these conversations involve highly confidential information that shouldn’t be overheard.

8. Stay Focused

Don’t eat, drink, or multitask while on the phone to show respect to the other person. We all live busy lives, but doing other activities while speaking with someone on the phone gives the unspoken message, “You aren’t that important. I have other, better things to do with my time than speak with you.”

9. Mind Your Background Noise

Sometimes a phone call arrives at an inconvenient time. It’s considered polite to ask if you can call the other person back—just be sure to give them a specific time or day when you plan to do so. (“I’m in a noisy area right now. Can I call you back in one hour at about 3:00?”)

If you expect a call by a certain time, avoid talking while driving, wrangling kids or pets, or being out in a noisy, public place. Noise can be distracting and make it difficult for both caller and recipient to focus on the important information being shared.

10. Try Smiling

To give a positive impression, try smiling when you speak on the phone. If you’ve ever spoken to a Disney World representative, you can almost “hear” the smile through the phone. This is because the action of smiling naturally “lifts” your voice. A smile tells the other person, “I’m happy to speak with you. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me.”

Ready to take your next step as a professional?

Want to discuss phone etiquette, formal interview clothing, business best practices, or other professional development services like job searching, career planning, or resume writing? Contact your nearest campus’s Career Center for an appointment. We look forward to helping you succeed this semester!

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Casey Covel

As a Career Center Coordinator on the Cocoa Campus, Casey helps students chart career paths and land dream jobs. She earned national honors while completing her A.A. degree at EFSC, graduated with a B.A. in Human Communication through UCF and holds memberships in both Phi Theta Kappa and the National Society of Leadership and Success. An award-winning writer on matters of faith and pop culture, Casey’s hobbies include sipping tea, wielding chopsticks, gaming in the realms of Tellius and Hyrule, growing her action figure collection and squinting at strange words.