Author: Lavie Margolin, Career Coach
When following up with any organization, do not leaving more than one phone message. If you do not get through on the phone, try to reach the person later. If you leave an additional message, it is unlikely the person you are trying to reach will prioritize your call and get back to you in a timely manner. If you catch a live person on the phone, you are more likely to get clarity in the process.
As a general rule, wait two weeks after you sent your resume to make a follow up call. An immediate call inquiring if the company received your resume may not be the best course of action: most likely they did receive it and have not yet had the time to review it. The impression you can make by calling right away is one of being overly aggressive.
When looking for the next step in our career, we can be overly anxious to move on to the next stage in the process. Once you have responded to a call and left a clear message with your reason for calling along with your name and number where you can be reached, you have to be patient. Allow the person two business days to call you back. If the person does not call you back after two business days, try to reach them on the phone again. If this sounds similar to the dating process for some of you, that is because it is similar. When a relationship is being established (both personal and professional), one should establish it slowly and not give the impression of being desperate. Allow the process to play out naturally for the best results.
About the Author: Lavie Margolin is a New York-based Career Coach and the author of Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers. To learn more, go to Lavie’s website, Lion Cub Job Search:www.Lioncubjobsearch.com