The 5 Commandments of Following Up

By: Heather Hendrick, JobResourceCenter.com

Any job seekers knows that there are many steps to the employment process - from sending out resumes to acing an interview to your very first day - it's easy for the details to get lost in the shuffle. One of the most unfortunate side effects of our electronic world is the increased need for proactivity on the job-seeker's part. Not only do you have to initiate contact and "sell yourself," it's also important to be forward and aggressive once your foot is in the door. There are many aspects of the process that may require a follow up: that is, an additional contact with the employers concerning your status. These 5 tips will help you ensure you're on top of the communication and at the forefront of your future boss's mind...

1. The Timeline of your Follow Up?

This step is particularly important in the initial stages of the job-seeking process, when you may easily be lost in a sea of candidates. Once you've gotten your resume through the door and know it's being read by human eyes, be sure to ask when you can expect a follow up phone call or email. If the employer doesn't readily offer this information, a polite way to dig it out is to ask when "a good time for you to follow up" may be. This will illicit at least a general response and give you a gauge of their interest level and the seriousness of their search.

2. The Request for Interview Follow Up

If you've received a timeline and it has come and gone, it's fine to contact the potential employer to ask if your resume has been reviewed. If you get a non-committal response, an aggressive but often effective method to get yourself in the office is to ask to schedule an interview. If possible, volunteer a day and time. When your name is on the interviewer's books, it will be much harder for them to forget you and for your information to get lost in a pile of resumes.

3. The After Interview Thank You Follow Up

You've made it through the toughest parts. Your name is in their minds and your qualifications in their hands...you've put your best foot forward and now your fate up in the air. While it's nerve-wracking to wait on an answer or feedback, it is crucial to remember to thank your interviewer for their time. Depending on the company atmosphere, either an email or a hand-written note can be appropriate. Emails should be sent the day of or day after an interview, and a note should be sent A.S.A.P. This particular follow up is not an attempt to garner any information or response, rather to solidify the positive impression you've made in your interview.

4. The Post-Interview Status Follow Up

This is the follow up you hope you don't have to make. It will occur when the interviewer does not get back to you concerning the job or your performance during the interview, and is perfectly acceptable after a certain amount of time. If an interviewer gave you a date and time to expect to hear from them by, it's fine to call or email the day after to check. If you didn't receive a time, it's best to wait about a week to follow up to avoid being bothersome. Whatever the case, you don't want to wait too long as this can indicate to an interviewer that the position isn't that important to you, or that you're not all that proactive.

5. The Thank You For the Opportunity Follow Up

No matter the outcome of your interview process, you should always send a final (and possibly initial, if you got the job!) email or handwritten note to the interviewer to thank them for the opportunity to interview. If you didn't get the position, make sure to leave on good terms and ask the employer to remember you for the future. This will ensure a lasting positive impression and keep you in the pipeline for future openings.
Often overlooked, following up can make a huge impact on a potential employer. Be sure to take the time to communicate a few words of gratitude or a gentle nudge towards action – these small steps can make the difference in whether you land the position or are shuffled to the bottom of a resume stack.

Tags: Apply for Jobs, career tips, job interview tips

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