Should you call after applying for a job? Calling the hiring manager can greatly increase your chances of getting noticed and hired–if you do it right.
Will it annoy to the manager? It won’t–if you do it right. This diagram will help you plan what to say.
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Tips for Calling after Applying for a Job (including: how to find the hiring manager)
- Call the hiring manager, not human resources. HR has formal processes they follow strictly. Being influenced by your follow-up call isn’t in their playbook.
- Find the number. One possible way is to send the manager a connection request on LinkedIn. If they accept, look in their Contact Information. Or you may be able to reach them via their company’s main number. There are more indirect ways to find phone numbers (read my post about how to find the hiring manager) but plan ahead for what you’ll say if the manager asks “How did you get my number?”
- Send them your resume, along with a cover letter stating you’ll call on a certain day. Now you can honestly tell the receptionist or assistant that the manager is expecting your call.
- Be well prepared, almost as if this were an interview. Because if you’re lucky, that’s what this phone call will be: a brief, unofficial interview. (Make sure you know what your Key Selling Points are, for example.) Practice with a friend and ask for honest feedback.
- If they don’t want to talk, you’ve still accomplished something: you’ve made your name familiar to the manager, demonstrated that you’re more motivated and/or assertive than the other candidates, and quite possibly made the manager curious enough to give your resume some special attention.
Calling the hiring manager is a bold tactic requiring very good communication skills. It’s not for everyone. But if you can pull it off, a follow-up call can be the key to keeping your resume from falling into a black hole! (This is an update of a post originally published in June 2018.)
That’s a good point that calling the hiring manager directly module be a good way to make yourself stand out. If they got a call from someone to ensure that they have your resume that it would stand out from the others. Hopefully, that could help you be more likely to get the job, so I might have to give that a try next time I apply for a job.
A call does make you stand out, and you want to do more than just check on whether they’ve received your resume. If that’s all you’re calling to do, they’re likely to view it as an unnecessary call and be annoyed. It’s not an easy technique to pull off, so make sure you prepare carefully. Try role-playing the call with a friend or employment coach first.
Nice…Its highly informative post on How to Call the Hiring Manager after Applying for a Job (Infographic).Thanks