Find The Fine Line Between Assertive And Annoying When Following Up

Find The Fine Line Between Assertive And Annoying When Following Up

When we really want a job, we can get desperate if we don’t hear back right away. Checking in with hopes of good news can prove useful if done right. But it can get very annoying if done wrong. A fine line exists between the two, and you need to find it before following up.

Photo by kazoka (Shutterstock).

Hannah Morgan, writing for US News, explains how you find a healthy compromise:

Your priority is to ensure your materials were received, meanwhile, HR’s priority is to screen the applications, not troubleshoot why yours wasn’t received. Be polite and show empathy for their busy workload when you communicate with them. If you do not get a response to your message, following up one week later for an update on the status of their screening process is also not out of line, as long as your wording is courteous. Giving up is a choice you may be faced with. However, if it is a job you are very interested in, don’t throw in the towel. Asking connections inside the company is also a helpful way to gain insight as to what is going on in the company and with the screening process.

She notes that you must know when to stop too. If they ask you not to call or tell you “no thanks”, let it go. While you may not get that job, you’ll ruin your future chances if you upset an employer.

The Thin Line Between Annoying and Assertive When Following Up on a Job Application [US News]


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Comments