To not answer an unknown number

[Patentreegml]

I am a supply teacher, furloughed, and looking for jobs around the Chester area.

I have just had an unknown number call me which said it was from Birmingham. I didn't answer as usually I wait for unknown numbers to finish and then google the number.
Google did not have any info on the number.
No voicemail was left.

I'm just worried incase it was important.
But I can't think who would ring me from Birmingham.
But surely any job application callbacks would leave a voicemail?

[MikeWills]

Regarding your point about job callbacks leaving voicemails: you're right that most would likely do so. However, there's always the chance of human error or some other reason a message might not be left.

[Rosebel]

I don't usually answer if the number is withheld or I don't recognise it. I have done lately as I'm pregnant and both hospital and midwife are private numbers.
If I was applying for jobs I would answer just incase as they may not bother to leave a message and just call the next person.
I understand it's difficult because of what you've been through but now you're left wondering.

[dobbyssoc]

@Serin if answer a withheld number if I had a relative in hospital or if I was expecting a call but wouldn't normally

[Xenia]

A call is a request not a demand. My father always had the answerphone on as otherwise patients many of whom were very mentally ill would be on the phone 24 hours a day and he would not be able to treat any patients. I on the other hand have business clients so pick up the phone and I have 2 landline numbers (my mobile is always on silent).

The Government's track and trace is trying to do a lot of calls and so are scammers pretending to be track and trace who are able to show the genuine Government number so for many it can be wise not to assume all callers are genuine.

[ultrablue]

but once again, I haven't applied for teaching jobs in Birmingham and I can't imagine schools in my area ringing from Birmingham

I kept getting a call from a Yorkshire number eventually answered it and it was actually one of the college's my Son had applied for in Sutton Coldfield

[Serin]

I work for the NHS and its bloody annoying when relatives don't answer. Why put yourself down as NOK and then not be ready to answer a call from the hospital.
Just wastes everyone's time.

[user1471447863]

"If it's important they'll leave a message"
It might be important to you but not to them. If it was your recruiter they might just move to the next person on their list and offer them the job instead of fannying about with someone that won't answer their phone.

[chatterbugmegastar]

I were actively looking for a job and sending out applications I'd answer all calls.

This

If it's a troublesome number you can then block it

[GoodUserName]

This is why I answer calls, couldn't stand the curiosity.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

1. Recruiter from your agency, working remotely from lockdown location, eg they locked down at parents' house and are still working from home. Jobs will be starting to come tbrough as we startto reopen.

1. Random spam call.

You'll never know unless you ring the number back or answer your phone if they call again.

[Roussette]

Phone might be easier for some people, but it's clearly not that way for everyone

Of course. It definitely is easier for some to do everything online, and there are some who would answer the phone. Personally, I do a mixture, fitting in with what the other person wants... or meeting in the middle.

[Dogsaresomucheasier]

Hi Gwen,
These will be families of teenage children who have not made contact with their nominated teacher for a week, and then not responded to three attempted phone calls and emails to parents.

It’s not about reporting neglect/abuse, simply raising a concern that a child is going off radar. One of the assistant heads will then attempt a home visit before involving social services.

[Roussette]

Please understand I'm not taking it personally, I don't give a fig what anyone does with their phone !

I don’t think anyone on this thread has suggested they’d ignore a phone call if they were expecting someone?
Posters have said they would ignore a phone number they didn't have in their contacts. A lot of the examples I've said, I had no idea they were going to ring me, so wasn't expecting a call. Glad I answered though.

Everyone to their own. I'll carry on answering the phone

[vanillandhoney]

@Roussette

So... he's in his car on the way to me on handsfree, he can't find my house, he has my landline number, and I don't answer it, so he rings my mobile and I don't answer it. Instead I send him a message on whatsapp so he has to pull up and go on whatsapp. That is... if he has whatsapp. Not everyone does.

Instead I could've answered the phone.

Well, if I was expecting someone at my home and the phone rang, I would answer the phone. But that doesn't mean that, overall, WhatsApp can't be more convenient for some people. For me, it's much easier for several reasons:

• all the information for all my clients is there in one place. I have a request for a job, I put it in my phone straight from WhatsApp or Facebook. I can immediately see if I'm free at that time or not too. It also means I can't lose the scrap of paper I'm writing on while on the phone arranging a job.
  

• I can easily input information on my phone while I'm out walking - I can't write down numbers/client information on paper while I'm out in the middle of nowhere with no hard surfaces or anything.
  

• If I'm WhatsApping and a dog needs my attention for some reason, I can put my phone away and deal with the situation, then finish the message afterwards. Speaking to someone on the phone while I'm picking up poo/recalling a dog is not only rude, it makes everything much harder, and can potentially be really dangerous.
  

All my clients contact me via instant messenger or social media. I haven't gained any clients via phone conversation since I opened. My phone number and e-mail address are all on my business pages and business cards, but everyone has chosen to contact me via messaging of some sort.

Phone might be easier for some people, but it's clearly not that way for everyone.

[Gwenhwyfar]

@Dogsaresomucheasier

Haven’t read the full thread, but I’m making lots of calls and witholding my number at the moment. I’m a teacher making welfare checks on vulnerable students from my home phone. People not answering is a huge pain, time consuming and gets families escalated to safeguarding concern quite unnecessarily, wasting resources.

Are they being told you're going to call at a certain time? Otherwise, I don't understand how missing a phone call is a legitimate reason to report someone.

[Dogsaresomucheasier]

Haven’t read the full thread, but I’m making lots of calls and witholding my number at the moment. I’m a teacher making welfare checks on vulnerable students from my home phone. People not answering is a huge pain, time consuming and gets families escalated to safeguarding concern quite unnecessarily, wasting resources.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

With all due respect you’re taking this way too personally, Roussette. It’s a pretty huge stretch to go from “phone phobia is rare in the older generation because they grew up with phones as their only medium of communication” to “absolutely no young people chat on the phone at all ever.”

If a workman wants to ring me, I can't expect him to go on whatsapp!
It’s not my choice it’s theirs. I’ve phoned workmen who have asked me to put the phone down and text/WhatsApp them the details instead, because it’s much easier for them to have all the details than have to hunt around for a pen and a bit of paper.

I don’t think anyone on this thread has suggested they’d ignore a phone call if they were expecting someone?

[Roussette]

Of course he won't have hidden his number! He's a guy on the way to lay my floor. That doesn't mean to say I know his number and have put it in my contacts.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"Instead I could've answered the phone. hmm"

Or he could have not hidden his number. He's not part of a big institution, but presumably self-employed so could choose to show his number.

[Roussette]

So... he's in his car on the way to me on handsfree, he can't find my house, he has my landline number, and I don't answer it, so he rings my mobile and I don't answer it. Instead I send him a message on whatsapp so he has to pull up and go on whatsapp. That is... if he has whatsapp. Not everyone does.

Instead I could've answered the phone.

[vanillandhoney]

If a workman wants to ring me, I can't expect him to go on whatsapp! The same with the surveyor we had, the guy laying the floor etc.

Why not?

I'm a dog walker and most of my business/chat with clients is either via FB messenger or WhatsApp. It's free, convenient, and means we can just reply and get back to each other when it works for us. I often can't answer my phone as I'm out with the dogs, but if they WhatsApp I can take a minute to read a message and reply in between jobs.

[Roussette]

I think that kind of attitude is extremely uncommon in the older generation who grew up in the pre-texting, pre-Internet era

Really? I think that you are maybe generalising a bit there. As I say my DCs 20s and 30s talk on the phone. No idea of your age so can't answer. But they don't have a phobia of the phone. We're always chatting, they like it. So do I obviously.

If a workman wants to ring me, I can't expect him to go on whatsapp! The same with the surveyor we had, the guy laying the floor etc.

[Teatowel1]

I generally don't answer them either. In my experience, if it's important they'll leave a message.
I don't see it as making a drama. I just quietly don't answer.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

I’m not really in many whatsapp groups, it’s mainly work-related messages and stuff like dental appointment or workmen.

I’m not saying no one my age uses the phone, but it’s not uncommon for people my age to either actively avoid/have a phobia of phone calls, or to not use them because it simply doesn’t occur that phone calling is a valid method of communication. I think that kind of attitude is extremely uncommon in the older generation who grew up in the pre-texting, pre-Internet era.