Submitted by wedmondson on
in
Forums
I am not sure the best way to follow up on a recent resume submission.
This company is a smaller organization without a dedicated hr team so they use a generic email address ([email protected]) to handle these resume submissions.
I have since had a response from someone on their team requesting more information but the individual who responded kept the signature too generic to provide me a specific person to follow-up with. I replied with the requested information in an email but would like to followup with a personal phone call. This feels presumptuous, however, given this company's decision to cloak their recruiter.
I could certainly call the office and request the hiring manager but again this feels presumptuous.
Should I follow up personally or would it be better for me to wait for further communication?
Sure... Follow Up
If it's been more than 5 days and less than 60 days, be courteous, professional, and succinct. Ask if they'd like you to clarify anything on your resume. If you have anything that borders on an exchange with the person you can ask what you can expect regarding the timing of interviews. Smile the whole time. People can hear you smile on the phone.
Think of it this way... right now, you have nothing. if you wait, you'll get nothing. You have nothing to lose! If you call and 'poke' them, they might get upset because you're being presumptuous, and you'll get nothing (you already have that). They might appreciate your professional persistence and decide to grant you an interview (you get something).
The only way for you to break out of the current viscious cycle is to take action. Before calling, imagine the hiring manager sitting at a desk thinking, "Whoever figures out how to call me about this position will be a person I want to interview. They know how to find ways around road blocks and that's the kind of person I need on my team!"
Good luck,
--Michael
Poke again?
I'm in a similar situation and have been wasting a lot of energy trying to decide what to do next without annoying them. Thank you Michael for laying it out rationally: "... right now, you have nothing. if you wait, you'll get nothing. You have nothing to lose!"
I'm applying at a small organization, generic [email protected] email address. HR website says you'll receive an 'automatic' confirmation when you submit your application via that email. I submitted my application two weeks ago with no confirmation yet. I waited a few days then sent my application directly to the hiring manager who responded within hours. She is interested and needs my info via the official HR channel. I told her I had submitted it to them. I poked them after 10 days with a nice e-mail note and my application attached again. Still nothing.
So, nothing to lose, I have a name, email address, and phone number for the HR Director. I'll call on Monday, and remember to smile the whole time too.
I'd be interested if anyone else has insight into the balance between demonstrating persistence and becoming annoying.
Olathe