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?

[Roussette]

How totally bizarre to be jobhunting and not answer the phone! The recruiter could be WFH (as the Government advises you to do) and that WFH could be at his parents in Birmingham or something. How can you expect to get a job if you don't answer the phone?!

I always answer the phone and there have been occasions when I've been really glad I have. A number I didn't recognise and my DD in a dire situation 150 miles away and needing my support, for instance.

But on MN you don't answer the phone or answer the door either, so there you go.
Everyone in real life answers both.

[Rewis]

If I'm looking for work then I'd be answering to all calls.

[Roussette]

I meant to say 'Everyone I know in real life answers both'

[fmpc]

SnuggBuggy presume you were talking to me
Office landline message says that someone will call back or that they can email us at a particular email address
Company I work for has next to no income atm absolutely no spare money to take on 10 company phone contracts, which is what they'd need to do, to give phones to all of us working from home.
Just about surviving atm

[SnuggyBuggy]

I get that, I just thi knits a bit much to expect people to use their own phones. Some service users are awkward whatever you do anyway.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

No one I know in real life uses their phones as, well, phones. Pretty standard to have your phone permanently on silent. Maybe it’s a generational thing?

[whatayearitis]

For those who do not answer unknown callers... when we only had landlines how did that work for you?

[motherofawhirlwind]

I don't answer unknown numbers either but just to say - not out of the realms of possibility that an agent or Head is working from home and has an 0121 number. Its not that far away from Chester really....

[Giraffey1]

I never answer unknown numbers. I’ve had problems in the past with spam calls, ambulance chasers and the like. If the call is legitimate then the caller will leave a message. This applies to recruitment agencies, too, and a professional outfit will always leave a message.

[vanillandhoney]

@whatayearitis

For those who do not answer unknown callers... when we only had landlines how did that work for you?

Well, I've had a mobile from age 12 so I never really had to worry about answering the landline. When I was a little, my parents would answer and if it was a friend of mine, pass it to me. I wasn't encouraged to answer the phone independently.

If my friends were going to ring me on the landline as a teenager (back in the days where ringing mobiles was expensive) they would text me first

[Fabellini]

@KatherineJaneway

I've had to make calls home to my class which I've been doing from my own phone, of course I've withheld the number and had about 30% not answer. Then a big complaint has gone in about me not contacting a particular student - they've clearly ignored the calls because it's a withheld number.

Why did you withhold your number? What exactly do you think they will do with it?

You seriously can’t imagine why a teacher wouldn’t want pupils or parents having their home phone number?
They’ll be called at all times of the night and day - by parents just wanting a quick chat about their childs progress - “so much easier to get hold of Mrs/Mr X now I’ve got their home number”, or more likely, by pupils who think it’s hilarious to prank call them.

[Mary8076]

I use the app Truecaller (there are similar ones too) to identify the caller when phone is ringing, often it works.

[Splattherat]

For those that have said they don’t answer to unknown callers and if its important they will leave a message. This is not happening at the moment.
I work from home pt mainly online and I do not have a work phone. Occasionally I have to ring someone. I dial 141 so I am not giving away my personal phone number and I don’t leave a message as I don’t want them calling my personal mobile I will just email them.
When i am volunteering for NHS Good Sam we are instructed to dial the number prefixing it with 141, not to leave a message, try 3 times then pass it to someone else who will do the same.

[CorianderLord]

Guess it depends

[TheEmpressMatilda]

when we only had landlines how did that work for you?

Landlines stopped being in common use when I was a child. I’ve never owned one as an adult.

(If I was job hunting I’d def answer, though. And ensure my phone wasn’t on silent.)

[Tiktokcringeydance]

I dont answer my mobile if I dont recognise the number and sometimes when I do . I did answer unknown numbers when my Ddad was alive and unwell as I knew I was next of kin and a point of contact for many agencies involved in his care.
A year or so ago I had multiple missed calls from the same (unknown) number so I did answer the next time thinking it might be important. It was an HMRC scam.
I dont answer unknown numbers on my house phone either.

[Roussette]

Gosh. I get calls where I don't recognise the number but I'm very glad I've answered.

All sorts of things... you book a holiday, you give your mobile number, they need to contact you, phone rings
On a pension thing of mine, I had a muck up, they've had to ring me, I don't recognise the number but really needed to speak to them
DD lost her phone on the train, on the front of her locked screen is my number, stranger kindly rang me, and they met up at another station within the hour.
DSS got himself into a bit of bother, a taxi office rang me, so glad I was around
DH lost his phone somewhere on the golf course, he rang from his friend's phone


I didn't know any of those numbers but answered and glad I did. How can anyone ignore all calls, it's very strange.

There's loads of cases like that, you can't put these numbers in your contacts, but need to take these sort of calls

[Spidey66]

I’m a community nurse and often have to ring patients. Despite several requests from our team to resolve the issue our number comes up as private which means they often go unanswered. There isn’t always a voicemail or if there is it’s a generic message which I’m reluctant to leave a message on it case it’s the wrong number.

Since lockdown I’ve had the occasional day working from home but my work mobile does not get reception in my area, though I’m able to send texts. I have to text patients to say I’m going to ring but as it’s from my personal phone it will come up as withheld.

[GameChange123]

I was wondering how big companies could get a telephone number "mask" instead of number withheld so people could see a number and know it was that organisation so.people more likely to pick up phone.my organisation ha numbers that have a London dialling code but we are miles from London and have service users from remote rural areas who are always wary! I forgot to add the 141 prefix and the time I did that I had an odd man who would call and text me random.stuff because a "i am a nice lady". That's why we are loath to give out our personal numbers. Normally in the office I'd use my work number only. I think our County Council now has a recognisable number so they can help their vulnerable customers to get support during Covid19.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

How can anyone ignore all calls, it's very strange.

Absolutely none of those situations would apply to me, except maybe the pension or holiday ones but my financial advisor handles everything to do with my pension and if there was an issue he’d email me. Holidays always booked online, if the airline or hotel needed to contact me I’m sure they’d leave a voicemail.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

I agree if you have kids it’s weird.

[GameChange123]

We get a lot of dodgy calls on our landline. Normally didn't notice because as not working from home so much.
Got into the habit of picking up phone, not saying anything, wait for caller to speak first. If genuine, they normally introduce themselves. If not it tends to be a voice activated dialler that connects you with a call centre normally in India, Philippines or Vietnam. Only 5% of our lockdown calls that are withheld are genuine callers so not missing much..

[Roussette]

Absolutely none of those situations would apply to me, except maybe the pension or holiday ones but my financial advisor handles everything to do with my pension and if there was an issue he’d email me. Holidays always booked online, if the airline or hotel needed to contact me I’m sure they’d leave a voicemail

So that's two cases that would apply to you then. Or similar. And that was just ones off the top of my head. There's other examples...

Desperate for a dentist appointment. My practice is now open. My dentist rang me, who was at home just before they opened, rang me to make an appointment.

We're having some fitted furniture put in now restrictions are lifted, the planner came out, couldn't find our house. Rang me.

Also a floor being laid, fitter rang to fix up a date.

None of these numbers would I have known.

[SnuggyBuggy]

I never had to "adult" without a mobile .

I actually had to learn how to use a land-line when I started working

[dobbyssoc]

I'd answer if I was in the process of looking for a job. For example although I applied for my job in one area their phone lines went through a different area.
However on an everyday basis I never answer unknown or withheld numbers if it's important they'll leave a message