Why do I need the Application Tracker?
Of course you need to follow up on your job applications! Wait. You are following up, right?
Recruiters and hiring managers are busy. They have reports with deadlines and meetings to attend to. Often, they have 10 – 20 other positions for which they are hiring. Open positions don’t usually have deadlines. Reports and meetings are time-driven. Consequently, positions take a back seat to everything else. Since you don’t know the priority of the position you’ve applied to, you don’t know where in the queue your position of interest stands. A quick follow-up is fast, free, and often the ticket that elicits a response. Do not feel like you are being a pest. The impression you will generate is professional; that of a candidate that is sincerely interested in the position.
The thing is, you are busy too. Things get forgotten, days are long, children and family distract you. It’s really easy to forget to follow up or push it to the side when you think about sitting down and crafting an email from scratch. Scary!
Great news for you. We’ve built technology that enables you to track every job application you submit, reminding you through text messages when to follow up and say thank you. Career Tracker’s Application Tracker takes care of the reminders, and even provides you with pre-baked correspondence email templates that are lightning fast to fill in. No more dreading the “empty email screen”!
Most candidates don’t follow up
We have folks working at Career Tracker who have worked in recruiting departments and as hiring managers. We all agree. A majority of candidates don’t take advantage of the all-to-critical follow-up move. Following up to set up a networking meeting, schedule an interview, or to check on the status of your job application is something where most candidates score a big fat fail. It’s a shame because it’s not that hard (especially with our help) and following up is often the gently reminder needed by the hiring company to get the ball rolling again.
There are a number of reasons why following up can be so effective
- So few candidates follow-up, it is easy to stand out in a sea of chaff. The candidate that follows up is the candidate that shows they are willing to take the extra step.
- Following up is a sign and proof point that you are going to follow up when you are hired. You will follow up with clients, to set up meetings on projects, and when your manager doesn’t respond to an email.
- You are showing you really want this job. When you want something, like really want something, you figure it out. When candidates don’t follow up, it is a sign to the hiring manager that this position wasn’t a high priority or the candidate simply didn’t care enough to go the distance.
- It signals you want this position and not just the paycheck.
- It doesn’t cost you anything, except for a few minutes of your time. Emails are free. Don’t feel embarrassed or that you’re overstepping. If anything, recruiters appreciate a quick reminder from a motivated candidate. Raise your hand! You have absolutely nothing to lose.
- Think about it from the perspective of a professional salesperson. It is part of their rigor. They take this step for granted because they know their commission depends on it, and they understand that following up works. If all sales people just made a single call or sent a single email and didn’t follow up, nothing in this world would be sold. If it is good enough for a professional salesperson, it is good enough for you.
Career Tracker makes it easy
Career Tracker has made it easy for you to follow up. After you submit your customized resume created with our Resume Builder, just set a follow up for the next week. Our system will send you a follow-up text to remind you at the appropriate hour and day. Use one of our follow up templates to let the hiring company you are still interested. You are not giving up because you are really interested in this position.
Key Takeaway: Follow up, hustle, and put in the effort. Show the resourcefulness, tenacity, and hunger that a recruiter is looking for by doing the simple little things like following up and saying thank you over email.
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