It's a hard life being a job-seeker... in fact, the job market can be pretty damn ruthless at times.
You could spend hours perfecting an amazing, bespoke CV and cover letter and then some creative sod, pulling some ridiculous stunt, will pip you to the post.
But it doesn't have to be that way!
You really don't have to do something weird, wacky and frankly irrelevant to stand out - sometimes it's the little things that count.
In this week's video blog, my fellow directors, James Ball and Mark Wilkinson are revealing what it actually takes to follow up a job application successfully.
How to Follow Up a Job Application...
Key Takeaways...
Writing a fantastic CV and cover letter (that's relevant to the role) should be enough to get you job interview.
Unfortunately, that's not always the case and to stand out in the crowd, you might need to do something a little bit more unique.
Now assuming you don't fancy pulling some sort of weird and wonderful job-hunt stunt (like these) - the easiest, but most effective way of making a great impression is by (properly) following up your job application.
Pick up the phone...
You'll already have been in contact via email when you submitted your job application... but so will everyone else in the process.
It's much more rare for candidates to actually take the time to call recruiters - to check their job application was received and to introduce themselves properly.
A follow up call will give you the perfect opportunity to start pitching yourself, before anyone else gets a chance to.
And let's be honest, it's often easier to sell yourself with a friendly, confident conversation than on a piece of paper.
It's all psychological...
You don't have to start selling your skills, attributes and experience straight away (although they may ask)...
Psychologically, recruiters are more likely to remember you, even if you just called in to say a quick "hi."
And it gives you the chance to see where you stand...
Not only will this short call give you a chance to sell yourself and make a lasting impression, it will also give you a chance to find out exactly where you stand.
- Is your CV good enough?
- Have they decided to send it over to the Hiring Manager?
- How long should you expect to wait for a decision on interviews?
If it's bad news and you're not right for the role, that's fine, at least you'll know and you can get on with the rest of your job-seeking campaign.
Warning...
There's a fine line between following up and stalking a recruiter. Don't cross it.
As we said above, during your initial call, you should ask when you can expect a response and if you don't hear in due course, it's OK to ring them again, to catch up.
Calling every single day will just irritate them - believe me.
Need More Advice?
As you can see... it's not the most complicated process in the world, but you'd be surprised how much of a difference one short phone call can make.
Are you nervous person? Worried about making a dreaded phone-call? Check out this Business Insider article to help conquer that fear.
Or - you can find heaps of resources here... Dorothy's fantastic career blog is written specifically for the 'ambitious introvert.'
Recruiter Pro Tip. Of course, all of this means nothing if you go and sabotage your interview or your CV isn't up to scratch! For guidance, click on the respective links or check out our candidate blog; packed full of tips and hints. Or - to receive weekly updates, click here to sign up.
Take it from me - a recruiter - the candidates who make the effort to follow-up, definitely leave a more lasting impression.
Good luck job-seeking.
