What to Do After Completing a Job Application?
Completing a job application is only one very small step in the process of starting a new career or getting your first job offer. Many applicants make the mistake of submitting the application and walking away from the job site without any inkling of what to do next. Rather than go home and wait for a call from the hiring manager, you can take active steps to ensure you get hired.
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Landing the Interview
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Some companies have established job hiring procedures that you must follow after completing the application. Some companies, however, have slightly more informal procedures that make it simpler to get the job interview by taking a proactive approach to following up on the job application. Ideally, you should arrive at the job site or human resources office dressed for the interview when you fill out the initial application. Show up prepared with resume in hand and ready to interview that day. Assume that you will interview and approach your application with the attitude that you will be getting the interview on the same day. When you turn in your application to the secretary or human resource worker, let them know that you are ready to interview right then and there. It only takes one "yes" to this approach to land you the interview and, perhaps, the job.
Thank You Card
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Send a thank you card to the person you spoke with after submitting your application to keep yourself in the running for the job. If you are able to land the job interview on the day you fill out your application, send a thank you card to the interviewer to let him know that you appreciate the opportunity to speak with him regarding the job. If you only spoke to a receptionist, sending her a card may move your application to the top of the job-applicant stack. Hand write each thank you card for maximum effectiveness.
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Phone Call and Email
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Follow up with an email or phone call seven to 10 days after submitting your application. Ideally, you should hear from potential employers before then, but don't be discouraged and give up on the job if you don't. In lean economies, some businesses may be understaffed and slow to respond to your application. A follow-up email and phone call can keep your name fresh in the minds of a hiring manager and can be an effective way to simply check the status of your application.
Continue the Job Hunt
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Keeping the job hunt going after submitting an application is also essential to landing a job. Some people submit a few applications and wait to see what happens next. The law of large numbers indicates that you will increase your chances of getting hired by continuing to submit your application to more than one potential employer. Applying for jobs with competing companies can also give you something to talk about if you don't get the job interview until later. This may create the idea that you are in high demand with the company's competitors.
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References
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