How to Follow Up on Your Job Application

You applied to a job and now the waiting game begins. Instead of simply hoping for a response, you can take your fate into your own hands with some strategic and professional follow-up. Here?s how to be proactive about your job application.

Step 1: Contact the recruiter or hiring manager. After one to two weeks, contact the hiring manager or recruiter to confirm that he or she received your materials. Also reiterate your interest in the job, why you?re the best fit, and include a request for an interview.

Example:

Dear ____,

I recently applied for the ______ position you posted on LinkedIn. Given my background in _______ , I believe I am a strong fit for the role and am excited by the potential to apply my skills at ______ [company name]. I look forward to setting up a time where we can meet in person to further discuss my qualifications. Please let me know if I should share any additional application materials or information about my background.

Thanks again for your consideration,
_________

If you don't know the name of the hiring professional who posted the job, you can do some digging around on LinkedIn. Most jobs posted on LinkedIn include a link to the job poster's profile.

You can also visit the business' Company Page to see their employees within your network or do a keyword search for what you think the hiring manager's title might be (and narrow down your search results by company and location). Once you find the right name, you can use InMails to send your follow-ups — these messages allow you to reach out to members who are not in your network.

Step 2: Ask for an introduction. Search your LinkedIn network to see if any of your connections know colleagues at your target company. Ask for an introduction to these connections, explaining that you'd like to get more background on the opportunity, and perhaps even a referral to the hiring manager.

Step 3: Engage in the company's online discussions. Browse the company's relevant blogs or LinkedIn groups and take part in discussions with other contributors or commenters. You may stumble upon conversations about job opportunities or human resources. If so, ask softer questions first, such as what the workplace environment is like, and how competitive the hiring process is. If you make a good connection with an employee, you can take the next step of asking for an introduction to someone involved in hiring.

Step 4: Turn a rejection into a job opportunity. If the hiring professional responds to let you know you will not be interviewed for the position, don't let the conversation end there — especially if you really want to work for the company. Ask the contact for some insight into why you didn't make the cut, so that you know what to highlight or improve when you apply for another position. Ask if there are other positions that they think you'd be well suited for and what the application process is for those positions.

Also, ask if you can schedule an informational interview, which will allow you to research the company further. Such interviews can help you build valuable new connections for your job search journey.

Step 5: Keep looking and keep applying. If you don't receive any response to your follow-up messages, move on and look for new positions to apply for. Don't delay your search while you wait for the “dream interview” to come your way — the wider your search, the more likely you'll get interviews.