Phone anxiety..... is this a thing

[Firefightress1]

I'm prepared to be educated but I've been helping a friend recruit for a job in a hotel. She created a job advert and we posted it online and on social media.

It gave details about the job and she had put her phone number to call to apply or for further info. She wanted to talk to candidates as its the way she has always recruited. It might be old school, I don't know.

Anyway, She had a lot of responses on Facebook and through private messages but no calls.
I replied on the post just to say to call the phone number as its quicker and she might not monitor replies and I was met with a barrage of unkind comments.

A majority saying they cannot phone as they have phone anxiety, this is a recognised trait and I should be more understanding. The job involves answering the phone in occasion and making outgoing calls to suppliers.

I'm so confused, I've never heard of it!
Everyone has a mobile phone but does no one actually make calls anymore?
I'm only 40 so not ancient but I'm no spring chicken either.
Just wondering if I'm totally unreasonable? How can they do the a job if they can't even call to apply. I'm 😕

All the more reason to get as many applications as possible then if the employee pool is small, surely.
A lot of people on the thread have said similar, but personally I've found coping strategies for when I'm in jobs that involve more calls. I've even worked on reception desks in my time so it's not a case of literally never being able to speak on the phone ever. More that I hate it and it massively raises my anxiety levels. But for it to be the first hurdle to a job, I think I'd just avoid that one and apply for something else instead as I know I'd be so far from my best in a phone application.

I am a similar age to you and I absolutely hate it. It's weird because when I was a child I would have over two hour phone calls with my best friends most nights! Of course I can do it if I have to but I would always prefer email or text message. In fact, I'm just booking my dd's birthday party entertainer and ruled one out because she only had a phone number rather than an email option. If I really wanted the job I would phone though but it might sway me to not pursue the job.

No it has always been an issue before internet and become mobile phones. Previously you would have dealt with things by post or in person to avoid the phone. Think just more people are open about it now.

I’m in my 50s and have always had it to some extent.
Never answered phone as a child. As a teen I did but it was usually for me!
Love mobiles as you know it’s for you and:or who it is.
i manage at work but it’s definitely my least favoured communication method. I always email if I can.

Those people need to get over themselves, and I say that as someone who has 'phone anxiety'

I would absolutely never ever ever apply! I used to have a job that involved a lot of phone calls and I hated it.

You're saying that like there's a failing in the process

If people who are incapable of using a phone are put off applying for a job that involves using the phone then that's a good thing as it wastes neither person's time

If people who are incapable of using a phone are put off applying for a job that involves using the phone then that's a good thing as it wastes neither person's time

Exactly.

Just to say - it doesn't automatically make someone incompatible with a job involving phonecalls. I hate using the phone 'as myself' and avoid it at all costs, but in a job I can make and take calls because I'm in that role. The 'mask' or perhaps empowerment of the positions means I can cope with it much better. So I wouldn't want to call for more info as would correspond much better in writing, but I'd be fine to do the job, which may well be the case with many applicants.

Yep, as I said above- I've worked in a contact centre and on a switch board/reception. Totally different to calling someone off the hoof, to talk about myself etc. I won't pone for takeaways or anything, but fine using teh phone at work.

At work I have a professional mask. I have an opener that I always say, I am relatively confident I will know how to deal with the conversation/questions. Even at work I'm much better at answering calls, than making them.