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Posted by Glassdoor Team
Career Advice Experts
Last Updated June 29, 2021
Waiting to hear back from an employer after you've sent in your polished resume, cover letter, and application materials can seem like a daunting process. However, you may be able to decrease your waiting period by understanding an employer's reasoning and adapting a few tips and tricks. Here is a guide to help you determine how long you can expect to wait to hear back and how to follow up with an employer:
The average length of time it takes to hear back is one to two weeks or around 10-14 days after you submit your application materials. In contrast, certain jobs, like those for government positions could take as long as six to eight weeks to hear back. However, the amount of time it takes to hear back from a job application depends on the company’s urgency to fill a position, size, or the volume of applicants an employer has to review.
When you’re waiting to get a phone call or email about a job you applied for, you may wonder what the right way is to go about following-up about your application without seeming desperate or inconvenient. Use a timeline like this one when you haven’t heard back from a job yet:
If you are unsure of when and how to follow up with an employer about a job you applied for, check the original job posting. There may be information that tells you how long you can expect to wait before receiving a reply. For example, if the employer plans to respond within two weeks, then you shouldn’t contact them before that two week period passes. However, if the description says you will receive a reply from within five to ten business days, and you still haven’t heard back after 10 days, the employer is more likely to welcome a follow-up.
As you wait to hear back from a job, continue your job search. You will most likely find other potential options should you not be asked for an interview. It can also help alleviate your nerves and give you a sense of control to apply for multiple jobs.
After the one week mark (or the amount of time the employer specified to wait) consider writing a follow-up email to demonstrate your interest in the position and remind them about any relevant details on your application. Your follow-up email should be brief and include the following components:
Here is an example email using the above components:
Subject: Following up about application for the Marketing Manager position
Hello Casey Markham,
My name is Jordan Bailey and I am writing to follow up on the status of my application for the Marketing Manager position within your company. Because of the experience I acquired during my internship and current role match the job description, I look forward to speaking with you at your earliest convenience to further explain the details on my resume.
Best,
Jordan Bailey
012-345-6789
jordanbailey@email.com
After you send a follow-up email to an employer, you may decide to send a second follow-up email after a period of time, or a phone call. Be sure to call during business hours to ensure your best chance of speaking with a company employee. When the employer answers the phone, be sure to incorporate the following into your conversation:
Here is an example:
‘Hello is this Casey Markham? This is Jordan Bailey, how are you today? I was calling to follow up on my application for the position of Marketing Manager. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, have a great day.’
Be sure to space out your follow-ups with an employer to avoid seeming desperate or making the employer feel overwhelmed. For instance, if you send a follow-up email on Monday, consider sending another email or giving them a phone call on the following Monday if you don’t get a response the first time.
If you still haven’t heard back after your follow-up attempts, allow yourself to move on to other opportunities. Remember that you do have something to offer and the right position will come along.
There is no guarantee that you will get a reply about a job you applied for, but there are ways you can ensure that you tried your best to engage with an employer about your candidacy. Here are a few tips that may help you get faster responses about your application: