Should I Follow-Up After My Resume is Sent

Should I Follow-Up After My Resume is Sent One of the common questions I hear from clients is, “I sent my resume two weeks ago and haven’t heard anything. Do you think I should contact the company?” My answer: YES! Whether you dropped off an application in-person or sent documents via e-mail, following up can show your continued interest in the open position. Following up after you send in application materials is an important part of the job searching process. Rather than thinking of it as “bothering” the potential employer, think of it as another way for the company to get-to-know-you. What if you sent your information via e-mail and the files fell into the e-mail abyss? When I was hiring for a position at a former workplace, a potential candidate called to verify we had received her e-mail. Because I was very busy and hadn’t thoroughly checked, I scanned through my e-mail in-box when she was on the telephone. I soon discovered we had received her e-mailâ€"with no attachment. I told her to re-send it with the attachment and then we would review her materials. It turns out that she was the most qualified person for the position and she was hired within the next two weeks. If she hadn’t called to verify receipt of her information, the job would have gone to someone else and we would have missed out on a valuable employee. If you have sent your resume via e-mail and have not heard anything within one week, consider calling the company. Below is a script you can use during your phone inquiry: Hi, this is Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. I applied for the __________ position via e-mail on September 28. First, I wanted to verify you received my application materials. (At this point, the person checks to see if the materials are in-house) Have any decisions been made regarding the position or is it still open? (The person will then let you know if they have hired someone or are still seeking an employee) That’s great to hear the position is still available; I’m still very interested in becoming the ______________ and look forward to hearing from the company in the near future. If you decide you need additional materials from me to make a decision, please contact me. Thank you! Don’t question IF you should follow-up after you have sent your resume. This is part of the application process. Remember to be professional and appropriate with your response. After all, this follow-up is your chance to shine and move your information to the top of the applicant pool!