Why I choose to follow-up

Job Pursuer's Planner

I believe that if I want the job, that I may have to make a follow-up phone call. Even if the posting states that only those selected for interviews will be contacted – I choose to ignore that going nowhere, fast one-liner.

When I send off my resume into cyberspace, I expect it to reach the destination email, and then I cross my fingers that it gets put into the right pile. Am I sitting back with my feet up, waiting for the invitation to come on down because I’m the next person they’re so eager to hire on the spot? Because I’m absolutely certain I’m so right for the position that my blue pant suit will be out of my closet in a flash? My goodness, no! I could be waiting until all the icebergs melt because of climate change. (Please note: the icebergs are melting because of climate change, but that’s another story, for perhaps another blog).

Today, I made a handful of follow-up phone calls. I have an email account with a calendar feature and I schedule when I’m supposed to make a call to a company. Some I left voice mail messages for and two people I had a chance to speak with. The staff members I left a voice mail message with I’ll call them a second time one week later. The two prospective employers that I’m talking to I play it by ear when I will call them back next, usually once a week – but I always have something to say to move the discussion along, otherwise, why bother?

I have a rule that I like to use. Only make two unsolicited, cold calls to the company I’m interested in working for. After that, I move onto the next pursuit. I continue to search. I also need to chase down a new pair of interview shoes.

However, if I’ve touched base and I’m discussing potentially being interviewed, then I choose to follow-up once a week.

And I have to remind myself that when I’m not working in this recession and while I’m on the job hunt, although it’s full time sweat looking for my vocation, the employer that I want to work for is unlikely to have me at the top of their to-do list every day. So patience is important.

I’m calmly waiting to hear from a friendly HR professional in the educational field. We’ve spoken twice. The first time it seemed that I was encouraged to apply for an administrative position and so I took the hint and I did. I then used my internet skills and found a contact in the department that I am hoping to work in and left a little voice mail message there. That message was then passed back to my newly acquired HR contact and I received a second call with a comprehensive explanation of what the next steps are before the interviews begin. The kicker is that I was told that I will hear back from HR when there is more information. Now there’s my low-heeled pump in the door! I’ll wait just over a week and then speed-dial my way to say that I’m still interested and to move the discussion along I’ll ask if they are closer to being ready for interviewing.

Now this is why I love the follow-up phone call. Sometimes I get voice mail, and sometimes I make an accessible contact in HR.

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