What to do After Applying for a Job

You have done your research, found the job you want to apply for, revised your resume to best fit the job, applied, and now you sit and wait. 

 

I have been in this position many times before, the anxiety of waiting to hear back from the company (or not hear back) begins to drive you mad. “now what do I do?” you begin to ask yourself, “What can I do to tell this company that I am the one they have been looking for?” Don’t worry – I asked some experts what you should do in this situation. I received two responses, both of which offer great advice from different angles. Below are their responses.

“There is a fine line between "checking on your application" and "bugging" the hiring department. A couple of days after submitting your resume and cover letter, if you have not received a confirmation e-mail, go ahead and call the company. Ask for the Human Resources Department unless you have the specific name of the hiring manager or department.

Be pleasant and friendly (even though you are nervous or even panicked about getting back to work!). Follow good telephone etiquette - that means - you introduce yourself first. Hi, this is <First and Last Name here>. I submitted my resume and cover letter for the <position name here> opening and I want to confirm that you have received all of my information.   Pay attention to the response. If the person sounds rushed - they are - so don't continue asking questions. If the person sounds like they have nothing but time on their hands, go ahead and ask what the next steps are in the process. IF and ONLY IF the person on the other end of the phone indicates they want to start interviewing, then ask if you can schedule a day and time for an interview.   You must take your queues from the person on the other end of the phone. If you push, you may get an answer you don't want.”

-          Cathy Mac Kinney, Sr. Admin

 

“I would say that an employer would be looking at the first 10 resumes to come across his/her desk in the first week after the job posting opens up. To increase the job seekers chances of getting the position the individual should leverage a local WorkSource office and the industry to advocate on their behalf to the company. The job applicant should meet with that industry representative at WorkSource to convey their key soft and hard skills so that the WorkSource Consultant can properly push the candidate forward in the process. The candidate should start on LinkedIn and identify anyone they might know who works for the company they are applying at to see if they can get an ‘In’ that way or at least have another Advocate to support their application. If the candidate gets an interview, then a mock interview at WorkSource or other employment agency might be in order to determine any problems/nuances the candidate may have in properly responding to questions in order to give the candidate the confidence/composure to go into the interview with the upper hand. I would say that approximately 60-70% of interviewers are as nervous or not experienced in properly conducting the interview process, thus not allowing the interviewee to perform at their highest level and lessening their chances in making that great first impression.”

-      John LeMarte, Business Partner and Consultant