The only way to get a job is to apply for it. When you find a job that looks promising, you send in your resume and apply for the position. A few hours, days, even weeks go by and you haven’t heard anything. There are a number of reasons why an employer may not respond to you personally after submitting your application. What it comes down to is the more time that passes between your application and not hearing back from the employer, it often means the employer is no longer considering you for the position.
If you haven’t heard back from an employer, here are 4 essential things you must do in order to get the closure you need.
1. Contact the employer in a respectful manner
Employers are not required by law to respond to applicants. Of course, it would be nice of them to respond, even to just let you know you aren’t being considered for the job so you can settle nerves at the very least.
If a week has passed since you applied for the position, it never hurts to reach out to the employer to inquire about the status of your application - but only in a respectful manner. The last thing you want to do is show a prospective employer that you are rude and disrespectful. Kindly ask about the job, whether or not you are still being considered, and when they give you an answer, thank them for their time and don’t contact them about it again.
One no doesn't mean it's a no from everyone.
Be as kind and courteous as possible when contacting any prospective employer. An applicant’s actions speak volumes to an employer. If you present yourself in the best way, there’s no telling whether they may reach out to you in the future about another opportunity available at the company.
2. Look over your application documents again
If an employer isn’t considering you for a position that you are well-qualified for, it may be time to give your resume and other application documents another look through. There’s always something that can be improved on your resume that will help you to stand out on future job applications. Chances are, you may be highlighting things on your resume that don’t directly apply to the jobs you’re applying for.
Make sure you cater your resume to specific positions to employers can see you have the right skills and experience that the employer is looking for. A good rule of thumb is to find a job you want to apply to, read carefully through the description and adjust your resume and cover letter so they reflect the skills and qualifications you have that are directly related to what the company is looking for for that position.
For more resume help you can schedule an appointment with Refer.io’s in-house recruiters here.
3. Don’t settle for less
If you have many years of experience in certain positions or industries, just because one employer turned you down doesn’t mean that others will. Your experience is a testament being a dedicated professional and how hard you worked in order to get there. One no doesn’t mean it’s a no from everyone.
Don't give up your search because employers are searching for you too.
Even if you don’t have years of experience and you’re just entering the workplace, you possess a willingness to learn from new jobs in order to gain more experience. Do not think for a second that you should apply for jobs requiring less experience because one job requiring more experience passed you up. If you feel you are qualified for a position, prove it to the employer by highlighting your key skills and experiences on your resume and cover letter.
If you’re lucky enough to get to an interview, prove to them how much you want the job and what they would lose out on if they were to pass you up.
4. Move on, and keep looking
Don’t get discouraged. There is the perfect job out there for you, you just have to take a little bit of extra time to find it. Don’t give up your search because employers are searching for you too. Employers often have a good idea of what kind of candidate they’d like to fill their open position. Sometimes their expectations can change when they find the right candidate willing to prove themselves to be the right fit for the position.
Just because one employer passed you up doesn’t mean the next one will. Don’t be afraid to sit on your resume and cover letter and other application documents for a while and really take the time edit them to make them shine. Once you feel like they really highlight the best things about you (and do it honestly) send them out to more employers and I guarantee you’ll get called in for an interview and most importantly, hired.
I have just read this article for the first time since being laid off from work, March 17,2017 & this article is really helpful. I'm doing a follow-up with my recent job that I applied for as a LTL Stocker for the Lowe's here in Monroe, Washington.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking the same thing recently especially how to contact an employer in a respectful manner. Some of them contact me a few days after the deadline to apply and sometimes a month later out of the blue I get a call stating that they want to interview.? I just revamped my resume and unfortunately, I have been moving on to other employers. Lastly, I emailed two employers who strung me along. One who decided not to hire me after she told me she wanted to and one who didn't interview me who thought I wasn't serious about the job? I told them both how they missed out in hiring a dedicated, knowledgeable individual.
DeleteGood ideas here... follow up is very important. My 2 cents: Be respectful, and very careful to NOT burn bridges behind you.
DeleteAs an engineering professional of 20+ years, I have personally experienced "small world syndrome" with peers & employers in my industry. In the future, you may need that employer (or Recruiter) that you believe strung you along!
Good luck job seekers! - Brian H., BSME.