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Accomplish January 9, 2019
Pressing send has never been this scary.
Follow-ups seem unnecessary, but they can be the difference between landing a position and continuing the job hunt. Don’t fool yourself into staying silent. ENTITY explains why, when to and how to follow up on a job application.
Following up shows a level of interest. If someone takes time out of their day to craft a thank you email, they clearly want the job. But even more than that, follow up emails and notes display professionalism. By being grateful for their opportunities, whether they get the job or not, candidates cement their reputation and leave the company with a good impression. In the future, this could be beneficial, but also— isn’t that simply the decent thing to do?
Following up also shows communication skills. Companies want employees that can easily contact each other and their superiors. By following up, a candidate establishes these abilities and confirms that they are responsible as well as persistent.
Upon receiving a rejection, many people want to never think about their application again. But rejected applicants stand to benefit the most from reaching out again. If the recruiter responds, they could provide the applicant with some generous feedback on how to do better. And that advice could possibly help them find success in their next job application.
There are many answers to this inquiry. I’ve heard presenters emphasize following up that night, while others claim that’s too early. Whatever the case, this is for sure: don’t follow up too late. If an applicant contacts their recruiter more than a few days after their interview, they’re unlikely to get a response. The Cut suggests sending the note a day or two after the interview for the best chance at making an impression.
However, if you’re following up after a job application rejection, I would suggest doing it as soon as possible. Be polite, thank them for their time and don’t feel offended if they don’t respond. Take it as practice for your next follow-up email, whether it be another polite request for feedback or an acceptance for a job offer.
If it’s been a few weeks since you sent in your application, and you haven’t heard back from a company, that’s not usually a great sign. Of course, if it’s a highly competitive position, they could still be sorting through all the applications. To know for sure, send the company a quick note.
In follow-up emails, candidates should take care to reintroduce themselves. It may seem silly, but recruiters can see hundreds of applications and conduct dozens of interviews each day. Don’t assume that they immediately remember a name they learned a day or two ago.
All follow-ups should be brief. Nobody wants to read through pages of information that could be summarized in a few sentences. Make it as easy as possible to respond.
Here’s an example:
“My name is Ashley Suarez, and I sent in an application for the Head of Project Management position a few weeks ago. I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to apply and any consideration you put into reviewing my application. I greatly appreciate it.
I was wondering whether your company is still sorting through candidates or if my application was rejected. If I am not being considered for the position, I understand and respect your decision. However, I would also like to ask if you would be generous enough to give me feedback. I understand that your time is valuable, so I appreciate any response you are able to give me.
Thank you again for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Ashley”
In follow-ups for interviews, candidates should specify the time of their meeting. If the recruiter has trouble placing an applicant’s name, the time stamp might jog their memories.
After a few sentences of reintroduction, thank them for the opportunity as well as their time and consideration. In the rest of the email, The Cut recommends drawing from the conversation applicants had with their interviewers. Build this section with genuine interest. What did you honestly take away from the experience? What were you thinking about when you got home? Later, bring in enthusiasm for the position as well as a gentle re-emphasis of your strengths.
The Cut cites this email as an example:
“I really enjoyed talking with you yesterday, and hearing more about where your team is headed. Based on our discussion, it sounds like you may be at a critical juncture in your work — simultaneously well-established and growing fast, expanding your new client initiatives and also working internally to strengthen your core.
If that is a fair characterization, it’s a tall order! It also feels very familiar to me over my 15-year arc of launching and expanding a communications team, and I would enjoy nothing more than rolling up my sleeves and helping you succeed — and particularly bringing the educator’s lens we discussed from my time working in schools.
I look forward to talking more with you and your team to see how I might be able to help you and your clients get where you want to go. If we’re a good match, I would be incredibly excited about the prospect of working together.”
It can be scary to send important emails, but if applicants know when and how to follow up on a job application, it gets a lot easier. Of course, practice makes perfect. Get working on your communication skills and good luck! We have our fingers crossed for your response.
