As anyone who has contacted our office will tell you, we hold many, and sometimes long, telephone conversations with you. The nature of our business makes this mandatory.

Exploring a position in the Middle East is, for many individuals, a leap into the unknown. You ask many questions about the work, the culture, the social life, etc. In return, we ask personal, and yes, intrusive questions about your health, your possible criminal record, and personal factors motivating you to investigate a position abroad.

“How Offline Conversations Can Help Your Career,” written by Nicholas Sawarna for Workopolis, the Canada-wide job board, elaborates on the many benefits of real-time conversations. I am lifting key points from his article:

… (W)hile there are certainly advantages to digital communications, why are we in such a rush to ditch our human touch? …

Despite instant delivery, an email or text message can stay stagnant for minutes, hours and even days before a response is issued. If you have a time-sensitive issue … it might be best to talk offline. …

For more complex issues, a long chain of emails can quickly become confusing. ... With all answers and questions being conducted in real time, a problem can be solved in one unbroken exchange as opposed to navigating an online puzzle.

Shows your true colours

As more and more companies migrate towards all things digital, showing true personality in the workplace can be difficult. From sending awkward messages to employing a poor choice of words in an email, there are numerous ways you can appear unprofessional or unsure in a digital exchange. …

... The tone of your voice and natural fluidity of conversation helps clarify your mood … As an added bonus, an offline conversation is also an opportunity to show off your personality and demonstrate your ability to ask and answer questions in an intelligent manner. …

Get straight to business

… Suggest a phone call or in-person meeting

… (G)et right down to any prepared questions ... This saves time and leaves space for follow-up queries.

Thank them

After your meeting or call, send a brief message thanking the person for their time, highlighting some key points you discussed. This … leaves a digital open end you can pick up in the future if more information is needed.

As Nicholas Sawarna’s article discusses, the power of telephone or in-person communications cannot be discounted. When speaking with us, you want to be assured that the information you are receiving is reliable and up-to-date. And as you know, questions often beget more questions. You need to be confident that you can return to us with any questions or concerns and trust the information that you receive. We prefer to be a telephone call away.

Visit the Workopolis website to read the full article “How Offline Conversations Can Help Your Career.”