How to Follow Up on a Recruiter Professionally
Landing a dream job is no child’s game; from the sweaty days of job hunting, unanswered emails, pre-interview tensions, and, worst, post-interview anxiety- relatable, right? It has been days since you completed your interview, the panel congratulated your outstanding performance, but no one has reached out to you ever since.
This is when you need to follow up on your recruiter to trigger their responses to you. Yet, you may not know the best approach. There are various ways of following up on a recruiter without appearing impolite, impatient, or clingy.
Here is a guide for how to follow up on a recruiter professionally:
1. Follow up with your acquaintances.
Maybe a friend or relative pushed you to apply for the job and encouraged you to take that interview, but the recruiter has been silent. Kindly use your friend to inquire about your application status before it’s too late. If you used recruitment agencies, they can be an excellent contact point between the candidate and the organization.
Sometimes, it doesn’t have to be someone you know. The company’s help desk can also be of help if you express yourself adequately.
2. Get your recruiter’s contact details
Most recruiter companies offer emails as part of their contact details. Take advantage and save the details for later, more so during follow-up. Most organizations have their details posted on their website.
When there are no contact details on the job offer, or you applied for the job through a link or board, you can alternatively pass by the reception after your interview and politely request their contact details.
3. Write a gratitude email & letter to the recruiter
After a successful interview, you still have the chance to leave a good impression by writing an appreciation email or letter within at least 24 hours. However, most recruiters have revealed that hand-written gratitude letters make them feel impressed and much appreciated. Even better, you can choose to send the letter/ email to each one of your interviewers and the recruiter. An excellent gratitude letter or email should:
- Thank the parties for their time and commitment to serving you.
- Re-mention your deep interest in the job.
- Be friendly and brief.
Include any other information about the job you may have missed out on during the interview.
4. Write a follow-up email
Following up on a recruiter shows your excitement and interest in the job. However, you don’t need to show how desperate, persuasive, or pushy you are; this will only have you misjudged, and you may, unfortunately, lose the potential position. A follow-up email is slightly similar to a thank you email.
The only difference is that you’re inquiring about your application status alongside some gratitude this time. Be adequately bold and polite, brief and friendly, while showing your constant interest in the position as you were on the interview day.
5. Make a phone call
Although quite uncomfortable, making a phone call to one of your interviewers or recruiter is an excellent way of following up on your application. Most people waiting for recruitment dislike making phone calls after an interview, fearing that their recruiter may be constantly busy or not prefer calls. Well, we are here to make phone calls to your recruiter seem more effortless than ever:
- First, ask your recruiter if it’s an appropriate time to speak with you.
- If not, politely ask when to call back.
- Then keep time as per their preference-simple.
6. Be patient and hopeful
We understand how anxious it can get waiting for a particular response after an interview. However, it’s important to maintain patience and hope as you follow up on your recruiter.
Excessive persistence could be annoying and discourage the hiring manager from considering your application. He could be occupied somewhere else or, unfortunately, not interested in you. You are required to accept and move on with high hopes that your dream job is around the corner.
7. Keep digging for further opportunities
It’s been weeks since your interview, followed by a thank-you and follow-up email having no response. It would be best if you now considered applying for other positions while waiting for the current one.
We don’t mean you should give up on your in-process application, but who knows, you might land yourself the best job you’ve desired. It’s a matter of trying everything; that’s how you will find success.
8. Follow the company’s profile on Linkedin
LinkedIn has proven helpful in building connections with different industries, colleagues, and brands. Optimizing your profile and actively searching for favourable opportunities that come your way is essential.
After a successful application and interview, you can add your recruiter/hiring manager on LinkedIn; it shows your interest in staying connected to them and the entire company. Additionally, most companies have social media platforms that post their progress and details. You can follow one or all the company profiles to keep your impression on your toes.
Following up on a recruiter is an easy process that requires patience and enough persistence. No matter how desperate you need the job, it’s not wise to follow up more than two times. You can implement the above steps in following up on your recruiter after an interview. You also have the right to get feedback, but some recruiters/organizations aren’t good at it. Keep the job hunting spirit high; giving up has never been the way.
