You sent out the resume. You think you're a perfect fit. And yet no one calls. Sound familiar?
In fact, the majority of candidates today do not receive a response on a submitted resume. So, the big question is, “When is it appropriate to follow up with an employer on my submission and how do I do it?"
There is no answer that will fit every scenario, but there are some good rules you should follow when following up on your resume submission.
1. Use The 1-2 Week Rule
Hiring managers and recruiters are busy and they can't acknowledge every resume and cover letter, even if they wanted to, because there's just so much that they need to process.
It's best to follow up one to two weeks after you have submitted your resume. That is generally the amount of time most employers take to review all applicants and contact candidates of interest for an interview.
2. Follow Up In The Morning
This may not always be universal, but in many cases, if you make contact during the early morning you'll have a better chance of reaching someone before they are bogged down with other tasks to do for the day.
Also, never follow up on a Monday. It's common for people to have a case of the "Monday Blues," which could make them more likely to ignore your email or say "no" to an interview more quickly.
So, you should absolutely follow up on your resume in the morning—just not on a Monday morning.
3. Be Proactive And Polite
Whether you're reaching out to the hiring manager by email or LinkedIn connection, it's important to be professional and not overzealous. Keep the message simple:
"Hi, XYZ. We haven't met, but I applied for the XYZ position and I just wanted to be proactive and see if there's anything that I could do to further my candidacy or check on the status of my application. Thank you for your time."
This simple note at least gets you on the hiring manager's radar.
It could be that they've been meaning to get back to you and this note will get them to respond. It's also possible that they looked past your application and your note got them to take a second look. Either way, it's worthwhile to always follow up.
Follow these tips the next time you want to follow up on a resume submission. Following up the right way can get you the interview you deserve.
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