Waiting For That Call Back

You have sent your résumé and have yet to hear a reply. But the delayed response does not mean that this employer is not interested in you. Many hiring managers become so busy that they postpone notifying, or even selecting, candidates for as long as two months after posting an ad.

This waiting period is when you, the job candidate, need to initiate the action. It’s usually a good idea to follow up after submitting a résumé. The following pointers will help you be more pro-active without becoming a pest:

Do not follow up too quickly or too often.

Your follow-up may annoy hiring managers, but letting too much time pass can take you out of the running. You should contact the employer within two weeks of sending your résumé. That's approximately the length of time that most hiring managers need to review application materials and get back in touch with candidates. Calling a company too many times can “blacklist” you, i.e., put you in the category of “too pushy” or “hard to work with.”

What is the best way to follow up?

E-mail: a great tool for re-submitting your résumé as a reminder to recruiters that you have applied for a job—without seeming too pushy.

Phone Call: If you have a name and number, you may have more luck with a follow-up phone call. Just make sure to rehearse what you will say beforehand.

What should I do if I applied for a job online and there is no contact information?

If you know the name of the company to which you applied and, perhaps, the department and job title, a little digging may help you identify the hiring manager. Search for the company on the Internet and use the contact information provided on its Web site. When you reach the firm, ask to speak to the person in charge of the job opening for which you applied. If no contact information is available, send a follow-up e-mail to the same address to which you sent your résumé.