You should not think for a minute that all vocal talent is exactly alike. Using a voice over artist is not like hiring a plumber. The result you get with one plumber should be what you get with any other plumber, an unclogged drain, a repaired pipe, a fixed problem. A voiceover project is very different, however, because there are so many ways it could be done. Therefore, anyone who needs to hire vocal talent should first know what end result they are looking for.

For instance some project's, a TV promo voice is just the thing to make it sing. Another type of project may require a theatrical voice, painting a picture in the mind of the audience is of most importance. Every professional voiceover artist is not going to be right for every type of project, and that is partly because different people have training and skills in different areas and partly because different personalities produce different results.

For instance, a TV promo voice may be good for commercials, advertising jingles and that kind of thing. That is because this type of voice can get the listener's attention quickly and deliver the message effectively. Another limitation is airtime. If you've bought a 30-second spot, you need a voice that can deliver the job in 30 seconds getting the potential listener/viewer's attention; delivering the message quickly, clearly and effectively wrapping up with a call to action.

However, if you have a longer voiceover project such as a message on hold, this type of voice may not be the right one. While the TV promo voice is aims for getting attention, it may not be the one that suits for maintaining someone's attention. Think about it. How long could you listen to a voice like that without going bonkers? For projects like on hold messages, you will need someone who sounds pleasant enough to listen to for longer periods of time, however not so relaxing that they put the listener to sleep.

At any rate, when we refer to theatrical programs or audio books, you may need more of a theatrical voiceover. If someone is going to read a novel to a listener, they have to engage them. They have to be good at narration and dialog to make it all sound natural. If they need to sound comical, warm, afraid or angry. They need to present it smoothly and confidently.

The voiceover artist's personality comes into play as well, because different personalities are going to handle the same project in different ways. But don't worry. Those are the things that one learns in an audition, which isn't terribly different from a job interview.