How to Follow-Up a Resume

Following up with the employer after you've sent your resume may help you get that coveted interview.

Hiring managers are often inundated with resumes and can't respond to every one. You can stand out from the pack by following up with the hiring manager after you've sent your resume to the company. Following up shows initiative and it expresses your interest in the job. You may send the hiring manager a quick email or phone call to confirm that your resume has been received and to find out if you've scored an interview.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Find out who the hiring manager is if you don't know who is charge.You want to address your inquiry to the correct person. The best way to do this is to call the organization directly and ask, but you may also conduct a search using Linkedin, Zoominfo of the company website to determine who is charge of human resources or the person in charge of the department for which you are applying.

2. Plan your phone call or email to be as brief as possible. Address your inquiry to the specific person. Address the hiring manager with his formal name such as "Dear Mr. So and So" or "Hello Mr. So and So." If sending an email, use a professional subject line that specifically names the position for which you are applying. Contact the hiring manager at least one week after you've sent your resume.

3. In your email or phone call express your interest in the position and ask the hiring manager where he is in the application process and whether a decision has been made on who is getting an interview. Ask about a time-frame for the decision process.

4. Ask if the hiring manager needs any further information from you and whether he needs another copy of your email. If you decide to send another copy of your email, your best bet may be to send the resume via email, says Liz Ryan in a 2009 "BusinessWeek" article.

Tips & Warnings

• Individualize each follow-up letter. Don't send a general template to all employers. Show your attention to detail by highlighting qualifications specific to the job.

• Find examples online to get ideas when writing your own follow-up email. See resource section below for links to examples.

• If you don't hear back after initially sending a resume and you don't hear back after sending a follow-up email, it's time to move on.

References

• The Ladders; How to Follow Up a Resume Submission; Lisa Vaas; August 2010
• "Bloomberg BusinessWeek"; Six Tips for Following Up on Your Resume; Liz Ryan; August 2009