How Long To Wait and What To Write in a Resume Submission Follow-Up
Resume submission follow-ups are a fairly new practice in the job search realm. Prospective employees take the initiative to reach out to companies they apply for jobs with. It's said that the practice helps potential workers get an edge in snagging interviews. These are some tips for when and what to say if you want to reach out to a prospective employer after sending your resume:
When should you send a resume follow-up?
Experts debate on when to send a resume follow-up all the time. Some say to wait a week or two after sending a CV or resume, while others urge applicants to send their follow-ups as early as 48 hours after submitting their resumes. The two times mentioned are a little too extreme. You can give the employer three or four days before you send your message. That way, they'll have time to get your resume into the system and find it after you send your query.
Is a resume follow-up a cover letter?
A resume follow-up is not the same thing as a cover letter, and it should be much shorter than one. Cover letters are resume attachments that elaborate more about the applicant and show effort. You're already ahead of the game if you've sent a cover letter, but you can go even further with a resume follow-up. This message should be very brief. A hundred words are enough to express your interest and get your name in the interviewer's mind.
What should you put in the resume follow-up?
Begin with a professional greeting and then remind the employer that you sent your resume X days ago for position Z. Reiterate that you feel you have matching skills for the position and that you're very interested. Some people advise applicants not to say they're interested, but maybe you should tell them just how interested you are.
Close with an offer to resend your resume if necessary. That will prompt the hiring manager to search for your documents.
Try this the next time you apply for a very interesting job, and it might work wonders for you. It's worth taking a chance.