A number of people have asked me recently why they never hear back from companies about a job application. This is certainly something that annoys me however I don’t have the answer to it and, after looking into it further, I found that around 75% of job applicants said that they did not hear back from the company. These are staggering statistics and if you are one of the 75% then on the plus side, it’s good to know that you are not alone!
So how do you cope with no response to a job application?
The job market may well be a highly competitive one but that does not mean that you do not deserve an answer to your application. I believe that companies should have more respect for those who have taken the time to apply however since I can’t change this I have put together 3 tips for combating this silence.
- Stay positive – not easy I know, however it is important that you do not allow a poor recruitment process to de-motivate you. Instead of hanging around waiting for a reply that may not come, revisit your career achievements to date and keep looking for new opportunities to apply for. Do your due diligence on the company before applying and only apply to companies that are known for treating people with respect.
- Realize that it’s not you – with so many applicants not receiving a response to their application, the issue is clearly with the recruitment process. Review your application and see if there is any way that you could sell yourself better and take a more targeted approach to your job search to ensure that you are applying for positions where you meet all of the criteria and/or believe you are a strong candidate.
- Be professional – never publicly criticize a prospective employer for not getting back to you. Instead contact the company to check that they received your application and to find out what the next stage of the recruitment process is, then ask when you are likely to hear back from them. If you still get no response, then it is time to move on – don’t waste time and energy getting annoyed. Get out and build your professional network to stay ahead of the competition as this is the best source of finding out about job vacancies before they are advertised.
Are you struggling with your job search? Then contact Anne for help creating a job search strategy that works.
