Don't think for a minute that all vocal talent is exactly alike. Hiring 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 they need.

For instance, for some projects, a TV promo voice is just the thing to make it sing. Another type of project may require a theatrical voice. 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. Air time is limited. If you've bought a 60-second spot, you need a voice that can do the job in 60 seconds—and that's getting the potential customer's attention; delivering the message quickly, clearly and efficiently; and wrapping up with a call to action.

However, if you have a longer voiceover project, this type of voice may not be the right one. While the TV promo voice is great for getting attention, it may not be the best one for keeping someone's attention. Think about it. How long could you listen to a voice like that without going bonkers? For projects like audio books, you will need someone who sounds pleasant enough to listen to for hours on end—relaxing, yet not so relaxing that they put the listener to sleep.

Unless, of course, you're making a CD to soothe insomnia.

At any rate, for projects like 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 be able to hold their attention. They have to be good at narration and dialog and make it all sound natural. If they need to sound silly, they need to be able to do that. They need to be able to sound warm or afraid or angry. They need to be able to do 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.