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In reply to the discussion: People leaving voicemail recordings that say, "I'll get back to you at MY earliest CONVENIENCE" [View all]Sarah Ibarruri
(21,043 posts)phrase that basically means, "I'll call you back when I fucking feel like it." There is a business etiquette, and using terminology that reflects badly on one, is definitely frowned upon.
Why is it illiteracy? Because the term, "please call me at YOUR earliest convenience" is the correct term (implying that you will go out of your way for the individual, and do not wish to inconvenience him/her). I suspect people who are less than aware, educated, etc., might simply be not applying it correctly, not know how to apply it correctly, and think that it's just as fine to say, "At MY earliest convenience" (implying that "I will call when I'm f****g ready to" .
Here's a segment of an article by a job recruiter precisely on that.
Leaving a Voicemail GREETING utilizing at MY earliest convenience
Rule: NOT Acceptable
BAD
Lets say John decides to change his voicemail GREETING. And the voicemail message he just heard me leave was stuck in his head. He figures he can just modify the phrase at YOUR earliest convenience, and change it ever so slightly to: at MY earliest convenience.
It is very acceptable for me to leave a voicemail MESSAGE for John asking him: Hey John, please return my call at YOUR earliest convenience.
However, its NOT ok for John to modify that phrase (most often in a voicemail GREETING) to at MY earliest convenience.
Heres where the problems begin
John proceeds to record this voicemail GREETING:
Hello, you have reached John. I am unavailable to take your call. Please leave a message and I will get back to you at MY earliest convenience.
WRONG!!! (Loud game-show buzzers should be going off in the background).
WRONG, WRONG, double WRONG!
John, buddy, you cant do that!
By recording a greeting on voicemail that uses at MY earliest convenience John has unknowingly thumbed his nose at all of his callers that heard his recorded greeting.
Look at it closely. If you use the phrase at MY earliest convenience, on your voicemail GREETING, you are telling your callers that you will call them back at MY earliest CONVENIENCE. That means youve said to them in effect
Ill call you back when its CONVENIENT for ME.
When Im good and ready.
Whenever I feel like it.
John may as well have recorded this voicemail GREETING:
Hello, you have reached John. I am unavailable to take your call. Leave a message and Ill get back to you whenever I feel like it
whenever it works for me
whenever its convenient for me. You know
at MY earliest CONVENIENCE.
John, say it isnt so! We thought you were such a good guy!
John would do better to keep it simple with regard to recorded voicemail greetings. He would do just fine with this very appropriate voicemail GREETING:
Hello, you have reached John. I am unavailable to take your call, but your call is very important to me. Please leave a message and I will get back with you as soon as possible.
http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/at-your-earliest-convenience