How to make a gentle follow-up on your job application
The waiting game is perhaps the most daunting part of any job application. It's the feeling when you know you aced that job interview with confidence only to see that the employer is taking weeks to get back to you.
Not only does it induce anxiety, but it imposes self-doubt"”that maybe this job is not the right one for you? Or maybe you think you have the skills, but turns out you are a little under qualified for them. But sometimes, you just want to get it over with and face the reality of it all.
Regardless of what you may think, recruiters have their own reasons why they are taking a little longer in giving you an update. With the amount of applications they review, along with the demands of their own jobs, they can get pretty busy to return to you with a result.
Composing a gentle follow-up might just be the way to go. Maybe they have forgotten or are entertaining someone else. But it's absolutely not a bad thing to send a follow-up
message after a week or two, this just shows your interest in pursuing the job even if they're the ones no longer interested in you.
Generally, you should wait up to a couple of weeks after your first interview before making a follow-up. Whether you are doing so via e-mail or phone, here are some of the most professional ways to ask your employer on the status of your application"”without scaring them off:
After your first interview, don't forget to thank your recruiter in taking the time to reach out to you. Out of hundreds of applicants, you're one of the few they took into consideration"”and that should already mean a lot. Some say you should check in 24 hours after your first assessment (unless your recruiter gives you a specific timeframe, then don't take our word for it).
With this, keep your message brief and conversational. And while they do know how much you're eager to hear back from them, do not try to sound needy or desperate. Instead, keep your tone polite and warm. This displays your level of professionalism regardless of the result of your application.
Reinstate your interest
Sometimes, following-up just shows how much you are interested in landing the job. And if you're one of the many who are vying for the same position, allow yourself to stand out without looking too weird. There are a few ways you can do this. You can acknowledge a part of the job description that you're excited about or maybe a recent achievement that you're proud to share.
You may also use this opportunity to tell information about yourself that you forgot to say during your interview. Make sure that it's something that would give you an increased chance of snagging the job, and not just something irrelevant.
Wait for the given timeframe
We know you've been waiting for your phone to ring and hope that it's your recruiter delivering you the good or bad news. But as with any job application, patience is the key. As mentioned, recruiters have a lot on their plate. So if they establish a given timeframe before getting back to them, it's best follow to that timeframe so it wouldn't look like you are rushing them.
If you are asked to wait for a week or so for your result, then give yourself a day or two before checking in. But don't make it sound like they are responsible for returning back to you beyond that timeframe"”this can scare off your recruiter easily. "You told me to get back to you after a week." Just don't.
Refrain, refrain, refrain
Nothing is more annoying that being bombarded by messages from the same person. This leaves nothing but a negative impression. Hence, use a two-week gap before making another follow-up. But avoid sending your employer a message more than three times. Some recruiters would tell you if you made the cut, but most of them would just leave you hanging. If you still haven't received a response after those attempts, then that should already be taken as a hint that they are already moving on from you"”and you should too.
If they are no longer interested...
Thank them for their consideration. As heartbreaking as it is, do not close your doors on them just yet. Be open to another available position that best aligns with your skills and experience. With this, you may wait for another 6 months to re- apply in their company.
Some extra tips when doing a follow-up:
A phone call is quicker and more personal than sending a thank you note through e-mail. But in doing this, make sure you are calling at the right hour. Don't ring when you know it's lunch break!
Don't call them multiple times. Once or twice is enough.
Write down a list of points that you would like to state in your follow-up"”but make them as brief as possible. Remember that hiring managers don't have much time in their schedule.
"Do not hesitate to ask questions. This indicates your curiosity on the job.
Use the 3-paragraph rule: a thank you note on the first paragraph, discuss your key strengths on the second, and last, other information you might have missed during the interview.
No matter what happens, don't let rejection demotivate you. Remember that everyone has their own set of abilities that employers would love to have. So don't be afraid to open yourself up to other opportunities.
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JobStreet.com is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet.com currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million jobseekers in its database.
About SEEK Asia
JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consist of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.
For more information about this article, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com Philippines, please call Paola Savillo, Marketing Supervisor, at 286-6222.
