Status Job Application
The Flip Side of Applicant Tracking
The situation is all too familiar: a job seeker gets their hopes up about landing a position with a company, only to never hear back from the them. About three years ago I experienced this situation and wasn't willing to wait anymore.
When I first moved to San Francisco, I applied for a job at an *unnamed* internet start up,which was backed by a major venture capitalist who had his hands in several other successful projects. I made it through the Craigslist resume cattle call and was actually scheduled for an in-person interview at a North Beach coffee house. The interview went great and the company representative told me that I'd hear from him within the week.
Of course, I didn't hear from him within the week, or even the month. After several weeks of waiting, I sent an inquisitive email and placed a polite phone call and still had no response. After more than a month, I'd pretty much given up on the job, but felt cheated out of a simple "yes or no" answer. I decided to take action.
I did a bit of Googling and found out that the company's primary investor, a notable VC, had an ongoing blog about the industry. I decided to post a written 'plee' as a response to one of his posts, saying that it was unprofessional (and rude) for his company to leave people hanging.
Amazingly, within one day I received a call from the interviewer, saying that they had gone with someone else for the position. I imagine he had received a message from one of his higher ups telling him to get back to me (or else). Even though I was out of the job, I still felt vindicated on a number of levels.
Unfortunately, as job applications become increasingly automated, job seekers often find themselves facing a similar waiting game. Very often job applicants are casually discarded, never hearing back from a company they had interviewed with on several different occasions. It isn't realistic to expect everyone in job limbo to try to reach the top of a company's management structure like I did. So how can we improve this crappy situation?
On the hiring side of things, it's fathomable though not forgivable, for these job snubbing situations to happen. Some companies process thousands of resumes and applications over a short period of time and simply don't possess the resources to keep track of the incoming applicants. A forgotten job applicant could be the result of getting lost in the masses. Fortunately, there is a solution that can help both the applicant and the company: applicant tracking software.
Cutting edge applicant tracking software now allows a business of any size to effortlessly manage, organize and track applicants online. Applicant Tracking software is greatly advantageous for a business's hiring process: allowing pin-point analytics, resume sharing tools, and ongoing candidate status updates. Applicant Tracking software not only can greatly improve a company's hiring process, but also make sure that job applicants are never again left in the dark.
I'd like to think that if my *unnamed* company had been utilizing an applicant tracking solution, they would have been reminded to be courteous even to those un-hired applicants.
About the Author
Times are hard for the American currently. My goal is to start a conversation about how we can use eachother's knowledge to better our lives and country. Now is the time for us to stand together, and the internet is the perfect vehicle for us to traverse this difficult path and emerge to a bright new era.
What does the online job application status "offer" mean?
I recently applied online for a hospital job. I haven't heard anything back from them yet but when I checked my application status online it said "offer". In past experiences, this status has usually been "open" or "closed". Does this mean I should be expecting a call about the job soon?
Nope. I think it means that they have extended an offer to their top candidate and are waiting to hear back from them. When they do, the status will change to "closed." Sorry to deliver bad news, but if you haven't heard back from them and the word "offer" appears anywhere, it means that an offer is being made to someone else and you should look elsewhere.
Status Job Application
There's an App for That
How to Follow Up on Your Job Application
Most of job seekers send their CVs to 20 jobs via websites or emailing. And then they sit back and wait for someone to call them up. In today's job market situation you may need to be more proactive to have better chances to get job interviews.
1. Check the status of your CV
First of all, if you have applied through a job board like Growinfinance, check the status of your CV from your account. If the CV status is declined, it means that the company is not moving forward with your application; if the status is in process, then they are evaluating your candidature; if the status is finalist you have been chosen as one of the top candidates for the job; and if it's pending to review, you may want to follow up your application.
2. Double check that the job you applied for matches your profile
If you applied for a job that does not matches your profile, for example you don't have the required work permit, then you may not need to follow up your application and you probably should not expect any feedback from the company.
Yet, the common case is that you applied for a job that matches your profile and expectations, and the CV you submitted suits the job requirements. Even then, however, sometimes you do not hear from the company in the short period of time that you had hoped for. This is when you need to follow up on the progress of your CV in a non intrusive and pleasant manner.
3. How long should I wait to follow up my application?
If you are waiting more than a week or two to receive a response, it is time to initiate another contact with the company – be it on the phone or by email. During this contact you can get yourself informed about both the status of your application as well as the implemented selection procedure, so that you are aware of what to expect in the future.
4. How should I approach the company?
There is a very thin line between follow-up and frustration for the recruiter. HR specialists need to work on many applications on a daily basis. Thus, in every contact you establish with the company try to bring new information on the table. Otherwise, you risk to sounding desperate.
Try to get the name of someone within the selection process. If you are contacting the company after you had already had the chance to speak with someone working there, be sure to address your letter or call to a specific person rather than the general "Dear Sirs". If you do not know or remember the name of the contact person, go online. Check your professional network and the contacts of your contacts. Ask your contacts to introduce you to the person you are interested it by stating very clearly your objective. It is important that the "insider" knows exactly why he or she is being contacted which also assures you that they will be more helpful.
5. Calling the company
The follow-up stage is a great moment to once again to express your interest and to highlight your qualifications in the field. You should mention which position you applied to, why you would want to work in the company, why should your application be considered and what would you bring to the corporation.
Take this opportunity to share a bit of news about the company, the industry, or the sector that their desired organization is working in. Further, you might mention some of the latest developments on your side – if you had started a new project, if you had signed up for an additional language course, if you have completed further qualifications, etc. This, again, should not be overdone because if so the candidate is risking being considered desperate which never won anyone a position.
6. Sending a follow up letter
Your follow up letter could be as follows:
Dear (Name),
I submitted my resume (specify date) for the position advertised on (specify source). I have not heard from your company and would like to confirm receipt of my application, as well as reiterate my interest in the job.
My strong background in ______, ______ and ______ appears to be an excellent match to the qualifications you are seeking, and I am very interested in your opportunity and in working for your company.
I am more than happy to answer any preliminary questions you may have, and I can be reached at (telephone number) or by email (email address).
Thank you for your time and kind consideration.
Sincerely,
(Your name and surname)
7. "I tried it but still didn't get any feedback…"
Sometimes you just do not hear from the company, regardless of all your well-intended efforts. In such a case, just move on and leave it for sometime. Continue with your job search and invest your time to look for other opportunities. Do not get stuck with a company, there are many opportunities out there and you just need to look for them.
About the Author
Marketing Manager at Growinfinance.com, the specialized job site for finance and banking sectors.
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