Question:

I just posted my resume to CollegeRecruiter.com and other job boards. I also just searched and applied to job openings advertised on CollegeRecruiter.com and other job boards. When should I expect to hear back from employers? Should I follow-up with them and, if so, how do I do that if their ads do not contain any contact information?

First Answer:

Posting your resume in online job banks and applying for specific jobs online is a good way to increase your job hunting options, but job hunting online is a bit like finding a mate online. While the Internet increases the pool of jobs you can apply for, it also increases the pool of applicants. Do realize that job hunting online is a "numbers game" where people throughout the world can (and will) seek out the same jobs you're going for. You cannot expect any replies, let alone quick responses!

With a potential to be literally bombarded with applications, you can understand why many of the employers trawling for talent online won't post contact or follow-up information. Sometimes, employers put blind ads out on the net and in the print classifieds just to see what the market might bring, so there might not even be an actual job being offered in some of those blind ads. In general, I'm against applying to any job where you don't have a contact person or even know the name of the company. If you DO know the company but there is no follow up information it's a fair bet they want to contact only the candidates they are really interested in. If you don't hear from them you can be fairly certain you're not one of the chosen few. On the other hand, if you are absolutely certain you're the perfect match for a job you really want, and you know the company you've applied to (it's not just a blind ad) you can always try to contact the company directly by letter or phone. All this being said, I would "hope for the best but prepare for the worst." By all means send your resume online to as many places as you like, but make sure that it's not your only method of job hunting, and don't expect any contact unless they want you.

-- Alison Blackman Dunham, life & career expert, columnist, personal public relations consultant, half of THE ADVICE SISTERS®, and the author of the ASK ALISON career advice column

Second Answer:

Job-seeking on the Internet has made the process easier and faster for both candidates and employers in many ways, but one result is that employers are often inundated with resumes in response to the ads they post on the Internet -- sometimes thousands of responses for a single job ad. Smart companies realize that it doesn't cost much in time and labor to set up an auto-responder message to at least acknowledge that they received your resume via online submission. But many companies don't even do that much. It is not at all uncommon to never hear from a company to which you've submitted a resume via a job board, let alone hear from them on a timely basis. Some job-seekers have reported that they get better and more timely results if they apply directly through the employer's Web site (instead of through a job board), but other job-seeker's refute this impression. Some job-seekers have reported the best results using local job boards or applying for in-state jobs through the major job boards; employers may be more likely to respond if they know that you can easily travel to an interview and that they probably won't have to pay relocation costs.

Be sure you are qualified for the jobs you're applying for. Too many job-seekers use a scattershot approach and apply for jobs they're not qualified for. No wonder employers are exasperated and often unwilling to respond to legitimate candidates. Also pay close attention to all instructions for submitting your resume and other information; employers are usually quite specific about how they want to receive your materials and may be more likely to respond when you follow instructions precisely.

Yes, you should always at least TRY to follow up, although, as you've already observed, many employers purposely make it difficult to do so by withholding contact information. They are often not equipped to handle a bombardment of follow-up e-mails and phone calls. Follow-up really should begin during the initial application process -- by trying at that time to obtain a contact name, preferably a hiring manager for the position you're applying for, or at least the name of the human-resources person handling applications. If you know the company name, you can simply call and ask who is the hiring manager or HR person in charge of that position. But don't be surprised if the receptionist won't tell you a contact name or says something like, "Just send it to the human resources department." If you ARE able to get the name of a contact person, address your e-mail cover letter to that person (yes, you should always submit a cover letter with your online resume submission) and later follow up with that person. If you cannot find out a contact name, address your letter to "Dear Hiring Manager for [Name of Position]:" Then follow up with an e-mail to the same address to which you were instructed to send your initial resume submission -- but don't be surprised if you don't hear anything.

You may be interested in the strategies described in two recent articles I wrote, Maximize Your Internet Job Search and Are the Major Job Boards All They're Cracked Up to Be? Observers and Users Speak Out.

-- Katharine Hansen, former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for the Web site, Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and prepares job-search correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters

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