In today’s competitive job market, it’s easy to feel like your job application is disappearing into a black hole. You send out resumes, follow up with personalized emails, and still…silence. Ghosting during a job search is unfortunately all too common. It’s important to acknowledge that getting ghosted during a job search is never your fault, but an unfortunate symptom of a largely broken hiring process.
Let’s be honest, companies can and should do better when it comes to the frankly unacceptable candidate experience that countless job seekers are facing. But instead of taking your frustration out on the (probably very overwhelmed) hiring manager or recruiter, here’s how to focus on what you can control to avoid being left in the dark:
1. Tailor Your Application to the Job
While you might be a strong fit for the job you’re applying to, if your resume doesn’t showcase the relevant skills, it’s all too easy to get passed over. Take the time to read the job description and customize your resume to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the position. Use the same language and keywords found in the job posting to demonstrate a strong fit for the role–this will also help make your resume more Applicant Tracking System (ATS) friendly.
While this is a slightly more time consuming approach, overtime you’ll begin to hear back from more hiring managers. Remember: slow down your process to speed up your results!
2. Network, Network, Network
Instead of relying solely on your online applications, be sure to also focus on building connections within the company before you hit “submit.” LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for this. Use it to identify hiring managers, recruiters, or current employees in the same department as the position you’re interested in. Send a thoughtful message introducing yourself and request a brief informational interview. By establishing a connection, your name may stand out when the hiring team reviews resumes.
Moreover, always look for mutual connections at the company you’re applying to. You never know who might be able to put in a good word for you. Candidates who come highly recommended by employees within the company are far more likely to receive responses from hiring managers. Referrals carry weight because they come from trusted sources, giving you an edge over other applicants. If you have contacts within the company or a mutual connection on LinkedIn, don’t hesitate to reach out and request a referral. It could be your ticket to avoiding ghosting and landing an interview.
3. Be Politely Persistent (Always Follow-Up!!)
Sending a follow-up note after submitting your application is essential. Your resume is likely buried underneath dozens, if not hundreds, of other applications. To cut through the noise, go right to the decision-maker with a strong follow-up note. In this case, we recommend reaching out to two people to increase your chances of reaching the right decision maker. You can send a note directly to the recruiter or the person who posted the job, and you can take it one step further and reach out to the person the role reports to (this is usually written in the job description, otherwise you can take your best guess by peeking at the company’s ‘People’ page on LinkedIn).
Send a note over LinkedIn to start. It should be brief, personable, and include one or two reasons why you’re a great fit for the role. Aim to send this 3-4 days after applying. If you don’t hear back after another week, you could send one email to their corporate address with your resume attached. You can use sites like RocketReach or ContactOut to find corporate email conventions.
If these follow-ups seem like a lot to keep track of, you can use our job search tracker to keep things organized.
4. Respect Their Time
While expressing interest is important, try to avoid coming across as impatient or overly persistent. One to two carefully timed follow-ups should do the trick. If you haven’t heard back after this, it might be time to shift your focus elsewhere. The hiring process can be lengthy and unpredictable, and hiring managers often have hundreds of applications to review.
Don’t let this discourage you!
5. Show Enthusiasm and Flexibility
Hiring managers are keen to bring someone onto their team who is genuinely excited about the role. From your initial application to interviews and follow-ups, convey enthusiasm for the position and the company’s mission. This can help you stand out in any job market.
Additionally, being flexible with your availability for interviews or start dates demonstrates your eagerness to hit the ground running.
6. Don’t stop there!
Remember to never take your foot off the gas regardless of where you may be in the interview process. After each interview, don’t forget to send thank-you notes to reiterate your interest and help stay top-of-mind for the hiring manager.
If you’re stuck when writing a thank-you note, try something like this:
Hi {INTERVIEWER NAME},
Thank you again for your time today! I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the {JOB TITLE} position at {COMPANY}. Particularly, I appreciated getting to hear your take on {reference specific topics discussed during the interview}.
I want to reiterate my interest in the position as I believe my background aligns well with the role’s requirements. Specifically, {reference one or two key skills/examples that you can leverage in the role}.
Please let me know if you need anything else from me, and I’m looking forward to hearing about next steps!
Best,
{CANDIDATE NAME}
Closing Thoughts
Remember to never take a lack of responsiveness personally, and try not to let this sway you off track. Your goal is to engage hiring managers as a solution to their needs. By demonstrating that you understand their business and can contribute meaningfully, you can break through communication barriers, secure responses, and ultimately land your dream job.