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What is the best way for a job seeker to follow up after he or she submits a resume? 

Matthew T. Grant, PhD                                                                   Minister of Enlightenment                                                      
AQUENT
 
Question
What is the best way for a job seeker to follow up after he or she submits a resume?
 
Answer
Before thinking about following up, I would recommend that you think about setting things up before you submit a resume. That is, whether you are applying to a posted opening or just taking a shot at a company where you’d like to work, you have to do something ahead of time to make sure that your resume gets noticed in the first place. Getting recommended by a colleague of the hiring manager is probably the best avenue, though that might not always be possible. If you can’t get an introduction, then you have to introduce yourself. Finding out who is going to be reviewing resumes and then calling that person to ask about the role, the company, and the specific challenges they are currently facing, will not only give you vital information for crafting your cover letter and customizing your resume, it will also give the hiring manager a personal connection to your material when it hits there in-box. If this set up isn’t possible, I recommend following up by phone, ideally with intelligent, thoughtful questions.

 

 

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