What do you do once you submit your resume? Stress about it for several days? Check your email every hour? Do you make sure your phone is always near you? These are things that many people do during the job search process. However, there is one simple task that you may be overlooking which can help you stand out and land your dream job!
In most instances, once you have hired a team of experts (like us) to help you perfect your resume, and submitted it to the hiring manager, the rest is left up to the universe. While we certainly have confidence in the quality of our resumes, we suggest you do an extra step to help push you above and beyond other candidates.
What is the secret?
According to an article by CNBC Make It, Jeff Hyman CEO of Recruit Rockstars, states that following up with the company over email is a fantastic way to help you stand out.
“It takes a little bit of confidence and research, but it works better than any technique that I’ve seen in getting a hiring manager’s attention,” he says. “As a hiring manager, when I get a note like that — which is rare — I always read it.”
Jeff Hyman
There are a few easy steps you can follow to help you craft the best email to follow-up on your job application. (It is also important to note that, in some instances, the company may ask not to be contacted, so be sure to read the job posting carefully.)
Follow these simple steps!
Find the right contact person
This is key. You need to make sure you are sending your email to the right person. This may be easy to find, or it may take some investigating on your part. If you cannot find the contact information on the company website, LinkedIn is a great resource. It is recommended to wait about one week after submitting your resume before reaching out, to give them time to review your resume.
“You want to target one or two levels above the role you’re interested in. Worst-case scenario, go to the department head, because even if they’re really senior, that person is likely to forward your email to the right person on their team.”
Jeff Hyman
Tackle the subject line
You want your email to be read, so this is an opportunity to be creative. Think of a way that you can benefit the organization and include a teaser in the subject line so that the individual wants to open and read the email.
Craft the body text
Make sure to keep the body of the email clear, concise, and use it is an opportunity to help solve an issue or offer a suggestion for improvement. Be sure to include something complimentary to the person’s work, the role you have applied to, and highlight a few skills and experiences that will benefit the position. If you have a skills-based resume handy, you will be able to do this easily! Conclude your email by thanking the person for their time, and that you hope to hear from them soon.
In some cases, you may not hear back. However, by completing these steps, you may stand out and receive a call back sooner than you thought! As always, if you have questions regarding your job search, or resume, be sure to contact us.