Step 14 of 21: How to Effectively Follow Up After Submitting a Job Application Artwork

The FlexJobs Podcast: Career Advice & Job Search Tips

Remote job search tips and career advice from FlexJobs.FlexJobs is a job board highlighting only the best remote, hybrid, and flexible schedule jobs ranging from entry-level to executive, freelance to full-time, and local to global. Our team of trained researchers hand-screens every job listing to ensure legitimacy.In 2007, FlexJobs founder and CEO - Sara Sutton - was looking for something better after losing her full-time job. She was already seven months pregnant with her first child and needed something that was going to be flexible but still help further her career. That’s when the idea for FlexJobs came: A site where job seekers could find professional-level work-from-home jobs, without the ads, scams or junk found on other sites.Subscribe to this podcast to get inside tips from our career experts on how to find and land a remote job. FlexJobs - Find A Better Way To Work. https://www.flexjobs.com/

All Episodes

The FlexJobs Podcast: Career Advice & Job Search Tips

Step 14 of 21: How to Effectively Follow Up After Submitting a Job Application

August 17, 2023 • FlexJobs • Season 2 • Episode 14

In Step 14 of the "Mastering Your Job Search" series, we dive into the importance of following up on your job applications and provide strategies to conduct effective follow-ups.

Submitting your resume and cover letter is just the first step in the application process. Often, job seekers eagerly await a response, hoping for an interview invitation to come quickly. However, the reality is that the hiring process can take time, and waiting patiently becomes crucial.

Important Tips:
• How to Follow Up on a Job Application with Phone and Email Samples: https://bit.ly/3Qp1aG6
• How to Search for Remote Jobs That Fit You: https://youtu.be/B1lh4HHjrKs

FlexJobs is a subscription service for job seekers that features flexible and remote jobs. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 4.7 rating from over 10,000 reviews, FlexJobs ensures that customers have a safe and positive remote job searching experience - without the ads, scams and junk found on other job sites.

FlexJobs | Find A Better Way To Work

Welcome to step 14 and congratulations for sticking with it! Today’s step is going to focus on when and why you should follow-up on job applications and some strategies from conducting your follow-up.

You’ve submitted your resume and cover letter and now you eagerly await a response from the recruiter to get that interview scheduled! The dream is that you submit the application and just a couple of days later you receive an invitation for an interview. Unfortunately, that is not always the reality. Instead, we might be stuck waiting.

While you are waiting, examine the job posting and look for important cues and instructions. If the recruiter has specifically requested that there should be no emails or phone calls, you will want to respect their wishes and not follow up. Doing otherwise could lead the recruiter to think that you either didn’t read the job description thoroughly or have difficulty following instructions.

Once you’ve determined that the organization has not requested that you don’t follow up on your application, it’s time to start thinking about how and when you will attempt to connect with them. We typically suggest that you wait about a week after submitting your application to follow up. This gives the hiring manager or committee time to review applications and resumes, but not so long that they may have already begun the interviewing process.

Now, who should you follow up with and what should you say?

There are a few options to consider. Assuming that they have not provided contact information within the job posting, it’s time to do a little sleuthing. If you are able to find the name of the recruiter or hiring manager that posted the position, of course this is best. This is where LinkedIn can be an excellent tool. Perhaps the job opening was shared as a LinkedIn post by the individual recruiting for the role. If not, try conducting a search for a recruiter that may hire for that role within the organization's LinkedIn company profile.

Another option is to try and locate who the supervisor might be in this role. At times, the job description may mention that the role will report to a specific job title. If you have this information, great! You can search the company directory if available on their website, or head right back to LinkedIn and search for the person in that role within that company’s profile.

Once you’ve located the best person to contact, do some research to find an appropriate way to contact them. If an email is provided in the job posting, great! Otherwise, you can look to see if it is available within their LinkedIn profile, or simply reach out to them through LinkedIn.

When it’s time to craft the email, make sure that it is both brief and compelling. First, introduce yourself and direct their attention to job title and/or the ID# for the job that you applied for. Then share a quick note about your interest in the position and them as a company, and why you are a great fit. Last but not least, thank them for their time and reiterate your enthusiasm to hear back from them.

Following-up doesn’t always work, but it can potentially help you get noticed and increase your chances of landing an interview. Make sure to check out the resources included in the description below for more tips and information on following up on a job application.