Hiring Manager Calls Applicant To Tell Her She Needs A More ‘Appropriate’ Voicemail
There are many reasons why a hiring manager might choose to overlook you during the hiring process, and if it's a job you were very interested in, it can be upsetting to lose out on the job.
But have you ever not been hired because of something as simple as your outgoing voicemail recording? One woman did, and she's shared the recordings on TikTok where they've gone mega-viral.
Job Applications
Ask anyone — it's a tough job market out there. From scouring job boards to countless applications and interviews that go nowhere, it's a brutal market, and the hunt for a new career can often take months.
There are many reasons why a hiring manager might not end up choosing you for a job, but the realization that you weren't picked can sting.
The TikTok
Zanaya Jones, also known as @zanayajones8 on TikTok, recently went viral for the voicemail she received from a manager following a job application at a local grocery store. The video is only 19 seconds long but has already amassed nearly 22 million views.
The caption on the video reads, "The time I didn't get hired because of my voicemail".
Harris Teeter
Zanaya applied for a job at Harris Teeter, which is a supermarket chain in the South Atlantic states and Washington, DC. The chain employees 35,000 people, and Zanaya was hoping to become one of them when she submitted an application.
But instead of a job interview, a manager at the company did reach out to her, but not with the kind of news she was hoping for.
The Voicemail
"Yes Miss Jones, I recommend if you apply for a job and you expect somebody to call you that you have a more appropriate response on your voicemail," a manager from Harris Teeter says in a voicemail message. "So, thank you for applying, and no need to give us a call back at Harris Teeter. Thank you."
So what was the voicemail that triggered such controversy?
Zanaya's Voicemail
In a separate follow-up video that has also garnered over eight million views, Zanaya shares her personal outgoing voicemail message that she believes is why she didn't get hired.
"Wassup, wassup, wassup," Zanaya begins in a singing tune. "What's up y'all, it's your girl Zanaya...I'm sorry I couldn't answer the phone, please leave your name, number and you know all that."
What Did Users Have To Say?
Naturally, users had a lot to say about Zanaya's job hunting experience, and her two combined videos received over 40,000 comments. Most users failed to see anything wrong with her energetic voicemail and loved that she had personality. But many people saw it as a blessing in disguise.
"It's not even bad! Working for someone that uptight would have been a nightmare!" one user commented.
