🧑💻 Level up your ‘follow up’ game during your job hunt.
Avoid being ghosted with tips from Harvard BR, Wall Street Journal, and more.
Before you even apply to a job vacancy, you’ve had most of the work done: gathering experiences, enhancing your skills, and beautifying your résumé to make sure it stands out. Then, you get a call and complete the job interview confidently.
Most jobseekers would find dilemma in whether or not they should send a message after a job interview. How can we send follow-up emails to show our persistence and interest in the role, without coming across as unprofessionally too eager?
Before, during, and after
Seeing both sides is important in every situation. Most employers probably don’t want to ‘ghost’ any candidates, but they too have their own hectic schedules. This is why follow-up emails from candidates could be of good use.
To prevent overdoing it with the follow-up initiatives, here are some steps you can take before, during, and after being ‘ghosted’:
Before: Ask for a timeline at the end of the interview.
Before the employer even has the chance to leave you and your résumé behind, ask the recruiter exactly when you will receive a response. Also, confirm whom you should contact if you don't hear anything within a specific timeframe.
During: Follow-up after the job interview, reach out to someone else in the organization.
If after the designated timeframe you still don’t hear a word from the employer, send a follow-up email.
You could also try to reach out to a different contact within the organization. It might be that the recruiter has not responded due to other circumstances (e.g. them taking a sick leave, etc).
After: Leave an honest and polite feedback
Websites like Indeed and Glassdoor could be a good way for you to share your experience with the employer. This helps companies identify opportunities to improve their processes so that future candidates can have a better experience.
Read more on how to face ‘ghosting’ in your job hunt in this Forbes article.
4 types of follow-up
In the previous section, we suggested to ask directly to the recruiter exactly when they would tell you the interview results. In the case that the recruiter does not state an exact date, you may go by the rule of thumb of waiting no longer than 10 days after a job interview.
There are actually four times when it may actually be in your best interest to shoot the recruiter a note, without coming across as pushy:
The Thank You Note.
One day after your interview, you can send your first note.
Send a quick email thanking the recruiter for their time.
Mention one specific thing about the interview or what you learned about their organization.
Say how much you are looking forward to hearing from them.
The Follow-Up Note.
It’s best to send the follow-up note one week after the designated timeline given by the recruiter during the interview.
When that day comes, send a quick note consisting of no more than three paragraphs.
Express your interest and excitement about the role.
Ask if there is any additional information you can provide that would be of use.
Example:
Dear [manager],
I wanted to follow up on my interview on [date] for [position]. I was wondering if you had news to share about the position. I enjoyed our discussion and getting to know more about [company]. Of the companies I have engaged with during my job search, I was particularly impressed at your commitment to training and development. I felt that this growth mindset was a good fit to my career aims.
Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide. I am excited about the opportunity to work with you at [company].
The Exception.
The one time you can reach out in between the interview and the designated date given by the recruiter is if there is a significant change in your situation or portfolio.
If you get an offer from someone else before you hear back, you can write to let the recruiter know.
If you accomplish a new achievement during this waiting period, you may want to mention it to influence the employer’s decision.
The Feedback Note.
If the employer has sent back a response and turns out you were not chosen for the role, you could send a note to ask for feedback.
Thank the interviewer once again for their time.
Express how you enjoyed the interview process and would like to get some constructive feedback.
Often you may get a specific tip that can improve your chances on your next interviews.
Find examples for each follow-up note in the full Harvard Business Review piece here.
Don’t let ‘ghosting’ define you
Not all employers are ‘ghosters’, but when you cross paths with one, it could feel a bit painful and personal. Job seeking is exhausting, so you need to strategize to bounce back after a bitter experience.
According to the Wall Street Journal, here’s how job seekers could build healthy relationships with recruiters:
Persist Even When Ignored
Companies appreciate persistence, as long as your persistence is generous.
Tip: Mention thoughtful follow-up statements such as “I’ve been thinking about your company, I’ve been researching a little bit more about your company, I’ve had a few ideas about the conversation we had”.
Try Nontraditional Methods
Give communications channels other than email a go.
Tip: Start conversations via Instagram or Twitter.
Don’t Worry About Bots
Focus on the information and keywords provided in a job description than trying to outsmart ATS by using irrelevant keywords.
Tip: In your résumé, eliminate objective statements and make your résumé about you and not your past companies.
Learn more on what you can do to keep moving forward with your job search here.
Have you tried any of the suggestions above? How did they work out for you?
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May these tips help you conquer this week.
Cheers!