Anonymous writes:
I have been searching online for a job in a particular geographical region for the past few months and have been surprised by the number of submissions to which I get no response at all. I would expect at least an acknowledgment of receipt. Is this a new trend in online recruiting due to the number of responses companies receive, or should I be concerned that I am not projecting myself correctly? Or, even that the companies are not receiving my email?
The Career Doctor responds:
Not having quite enough information, let me see if I can still help you and give you some useful advice. A first — and most important — lesson of job-hunting, regardless of whether online or offline, is that employers do not respond to all job-seekers. Employers are constantly getting letters and emails about job openings — even more so when they have a published job opening — and most that I have ever known simply do not have the resources to respond to every single applicant. So, the simple truth is that you simply cannot expect to hear back from many of the employers you contact.
The second lesson — and just about as important — is that you need to be proactive with your job search. Employers are not going to hunt you down just because you emailed them a job application. The old adage, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, is true — up to a point — in job-hunting. Once you’ve submitted an application or mailed a cover letter and resume, you MUST plan to contact each employer and ask for the job interview. But one caveat: Do NOT contact the employer so often that you become a nuisance — you’re will not get the interview by being annoying.
So, get back on your computer and follow up all your job leads. You can try and do it via email, but you may also want to track down some phone numbers and make personal contact. Very few people have gotten a job by sitting back and waiting to hear from the employers, so go for it!
