To Call or Not To Call – Pre-Interview Etiquette

Call etiquette during a job search has been debated for many years by both applicants and hiring managers. According to The Wall Street Journal “Only 19% of hiring managers at small companies look at a majority of the resumes they receive, and 47% say they review just a few”. With the amount of job applications that recruiters and hiring managers receive for each position, it is important under certain circumstances to follow up with either an email or phone call to leave a lasting impression.  Otherwise, your resume could be missed.

Pre-Interview Etiquette:

Call: To ensure that the company received your application within a week that you sent it. Wait at least 2-3 days before following up after applying to a position to allow time for the hiring manager to check the applications. The hiring managers might be hiring not only just for that position, but also other positions throughout the company and they often keep your information for future openings.

Don’t Call: If the company already reached out stating they received your application. If the hiring manager or company responded that they received your application, don’t call again until they reach out to you.

Don’t Call: If you have reached out to a company more than twice and have not received an interview or heard back from the company, it might be time to move on. During the second time you call a company, you can ask the receptionist for a general email for the hiring department. Emailing a company is another way to reach out to them if the company is not answering your phone call. It is important to note that calling a company too many times can make a candidate look desperate and harm chances for an interview.

For advice about your job search, call Bradley Staffing Group.