Job application follow up Etiquette..

So, you’ve done your bit. CV, application form and cover letter  all sent off. Now it’s just a waiting game , right? Wrong! Now it’s time for the ‘Job Application Follow up’!

Applying for a job is the easy bit – the waiting around hoping to get contacted back is where it can really get tough. An element of this, is the paranoia that can sink in, that you will never hear back at all. However, there is a job application follow up etiquette, that you can follow, which will not only help your job seeking state of mind, but also improve your chances of making a good impression with the recruiter or hiring manager who ultimately holds all the decision-making cards. To refine your job application follow up etiquette, you should consider the following :

1st Impressions Count

Irrespective of whether you are a 1st time job seeker, with minimal or no work experience, or a very qualified professional on the look for a new job, first impressions, attitude and professionalism should never be taken for granted. Never lower your guard or act without respect. However good a CV or application you may have, if you have a poor attitude, you will stand very little chance in impressing if your job application follow up attitude is poor.

Job Application Follow up

It is your responsibility to make sure that your application is received. Human error, both from your part, in sending your application to the wrong email address, through to a recruiter never looking at your application in the first place, is more common than you think. An easy solution to this is to make sure that you follow up on your application to confirm either verbally or via email or in writing that it has been received. This has three main benefits. Firstly, you look professional and it shows good intent in that you are taking your job application seriously. Secondly, you may end up speaking to the hiring manager or recruiter, and this is where you can turn a conversation into an opportunity, by making sure that the 1st impression you give is a positive one. You may not be short-listable for this particular role, but like an elephant, a recruiter rarely forgets, and it may be that this conversation that you have, may open up other doors down the line. Thirdly and more obviously, you will find out if your application has been received!

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