These are tough economic times. The competition for good jobs is fierce. So the last thing you want to do is irritate anyone who’s in a position to hire you. On the other hand, you’ve just sent out a dozen or so applications for a healthcare job. And there’s that one job you really wanted, but it’s been a while since you’ve heard back from the hiring manager. So how do you gracefully follow up on your application?
Most job postings sternly warn, "No phone calls please." Some will admonish you not to send any emails (can you imagine how many emails HR managers get from eager applicants?). Still, if no such admonishment is indicated, you can follow up with a short email.
The process then becomes finding the appropriate email for the HR manger. Once you’ve found it, thank them again for meeting with you. Ask if they have received your application, if they need any more information from you, and how you should proceed in the application process. You can also ask when they plan to schedule interviews, and if it would be alright to contact them in a week or so. At this point, it’s a good idea to add a “kicker” to your email—an award or recognition, or recent accomplishment that makes you outshine the other applicants. The key is to keep it short. Today’s busy HR managers are in no mood to read long-winded emails.
For an added perspective, check out this video:
If you have any thoughts or suggestions about thank-you notes and emails, feel free to share them in the comments section.
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
