Follow-Up
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It is obvious how important follow-up can be, particularly when you are job hunting and you expect a growing number of individuals, meetings, telephone numbers and follow-up calls. This is information you need to track and access quickly.
Before you begin the process of job hunting, you prepare a method of tracking those follow-up calls, appointments, referrals, interviews, and networking meetings. I recommend keeping this information together in one place, preferably a spreadsheet. If you are familiar with Excel, that tool is ideal. If you are not, a journal or manual spreadsheet is fine.
Follow-Up is a valuable skill to incorporate throughout your job hunt. This starts with the first caller – the recruiter or administrative person who has found a match between your resume and a specific job advertisement they have been assigned to fill.
My recommendation regarding call backs when someone is reaching out to you is clear; I advise you to avoid missing the call in the first place by making sure your mobile phone number is on your resume, and always carrying your phone with you.
The reality is a recruiter or administrator calling a potential candidate and getting voice mail will most likely hang up and call the next person from the working pile of resumes rather than leaving a message for a call back. If they do leave a message, experience tells the recruiter it is likely to start a series of call backs, or “telephone tag,” and it is easier and faster to simply move on to a candidate who answers their call.
Keep your phone with you and be prepared for that initial interest and availability call when you answer your phone.
The conversation you have with that first caller is particularly important. It sets the stage for a face-to-face meeting with the recruiter and eventually with the hiring manager.
Besides being the first decision maker in the hiring process, the first caller can be a valuable ally who will give you an advantage during the job interview. They are your first source for gathering information about the company, the job, and the hiring manager.
After your interview, the frequency and tone you use when making a follow-up call is critical. When the interview is behind you and you are waiting to learn if you were selected, the wait time can seem like an eternity. The anticipation is palpable, and the temptation is to call as soon as possible to learn their decision.
If you did the right thing at the conclusion of your job interview and asked questions about the interview process, such as how many candidates are being considered and when a final decision will be made, you have a viable time frame. But also note that the original project timeline when it comes to hiring a candidate is seldom under any one person’s control. Candidate interview meetings are postponed or delayed, hiring managers may make changes, and final approval of the selection must be completed.
Keeping all these contingencies in mind, your follow-up call should be made at a reasonable time following the date you were given as the decision date. When the initial call was made, remember that you were asked to take part as a highly qualified candidate. Do not apologize for calling to check on the status of the selection process. You are not disturbing or bothering anyone; you were told when the process would conclude, and you are following up to plan the other contingencies and commitments.
If you receive no definitive answer, ask for a new date. Report that you are still interested in the job but continue your job search and include the new date in your planning. Your plan is to continue networking and schedule additional interviews.
It is always a mistake to appear anxious or to call too often. If you are given a new date, give it time to play out.
Look for more on preparing for your conversation with the first caller and Follow Up segment in the Source Blog.