You sent in your resume to a company and want to know when you should follow up with Human Resources? [How about never.]
PS — Rebecca has great tips for video blogging and the comments also offer helpful advice!
I Want The Job! When Do I Contact HR?
Previous post: Is There a Human in Human Resources?
Next post: Casual Friday: What Are You Wearing?
{ 1 trackback }
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Harsh reality but true.
Totally helpful – and smart – advice. I don’t think I’ve ever called, but always just checked in with “my network” to make sure that not only was I getting called for the interview, but that I was on top of the pile. I feel like that makes me sound like I’m part of the mob or something. Ha. Thanks for the shout-out too.
GREAT advice. It’s all about working the network. I guess I’ll stop stalking people now.
Good advice that needs to be stated and restated, just in case people miss it the first time. It’s valuable to know the proper role of HR in the hiring process from someone who has been there.
Many people will feel they can’t get past the HR “wall” to get to the hiring manager. There may have been more credence to that in, say, the ’90s. But today, the web and networking can help you find out the name and contact information for the hiring manager more easily.
And please, no stalking!!!
Stalkers frighten me. In my last round of a hiring push I had three candidates turn into stalkers. They called, on average, every 30 minutes and would not leave a message. I dont answer the phone every time it rings but hello, caller ID. Those three candidates got rejection letters before I even looked at their resumes.
My mother always told me to contact the HR manager when I applied for work through college… even though it never got me a job. Thank you for confirming that no one likes a stalker.
You would not believe the amount of stalkers I get. Needy, pushy, annoying and RUDE. We hire a lot of people for certain seasons so its not like they are super awesome jobs (think retail clerk and housekeepers) but still, I gotta go through like 500 apps and you are gonna call me every single week and say stuff like “I need to know if you are gonna hire me so I can plan my summer” or “I reallllllllllllllllllllllllly wanna work for you!” Oh man, I just dropped your application in the shredder. Bummer.
Please, when you put the “UR DOIN IT WRONG” sticker on me, put it on my back. The last time, y’all stamped my eyebrows and it hurt.
Srsly, this is good advice. I had a bad habit of contacting HR (early and often) and now I know to (a) contact the hiring manager and (b) hook up HR with some great donuts.
@Patrick I like cinnamon munchkins!
@HRU It’s sad because desperate times = desperate measures. I just think candidates have a responsibility to know how to work the system. That’s why I dropped this PSA. Skip HR and go straight to the decision makers.
@Tori LOL, your mother is wrong. So close to Mother’s Day? That’s harsh!
@adowling When people kill other people at the office, it’s usually supervisors, payroll, and HR. It’s like — can’t we avoid some of this frustration by acting like adults and using common sense?
@Rick If HR gets in the way of hiring someone, it’s time to outsource HR. No walls.
@Matt Please! No stalking.
@Rebecca There’s a reason why the mob is so successful. Pressure.
@Angel I hope it’s more honest than harsh. I said it with a smile.
The worst part, my boss picked out the HR office in our new building prior to my acceptance of the position. The office is in the front, where a receptionist should be, and has a sliding window that looks out the front door. One of my first duties was to put a large bulletin board in the window. I had visions of some disgruntled sniper employee sitting in the parking lot scoping me out.
I really loose it when their PARENTS start calling and wanting to know the status of their kids application.
I miss being stalked.
@Shane C’mon now.
@HRU I never had that experience, but it’s reason #345 not to pick up the phone.
@adowling I had that problem in my PFE office in Kzoo. We were in an all-glass are of the building and I had a beautiful view of a nature preserve; however, I was the first office in the row and everyone looked at me to see if I was a) there & b) working hard. It was a 50/50 toss up on both.
Great advice about contacting the hiring manager over HR. I sit outside the office of our HR manager and she is constantly bombarded with cold calls of all types (candidates, headhunters, etc.). It must drive her mad!
Laurie,
If you wanted a certain job and did not have contacts in that particular company, wouldn’t it be proactive to contact the HR recruiter and personally hand over the resume and speak to her/him about the job? Perhaps one could use one’s charming personality and convince the HR recruiter to give the resume to the hiring manager. There is really nothing to lose by doing this, and everything to gain. Right?
@Jeev Nope, wrong.
@Trevor You are right. Drives HR people to the loony bin!
Funny stuff…. I sit next to a stalker in our office. One of the analysts I work with calls HR and contacts from outside agencies every week and curses them in whispers if (a) he didn’t like their response and (b) all he gets are their voicemails.
It’s to the point that I don’t even answer my phone anymore because I’ve gone looney over the cold calls, the “please hire me”, the “are you hiring”, the “I really need a job”, don’t get me wrong, I’ve a bleeding heart….but after the 1,000,000 call…..I JUST CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!…..but i keep reminding myself that I’m ever so greatful to have a job right now….dios mio!
@LatinaHR I’m phone-phobic and I think it’s from all those years in HR. Phone = bad news or awkwardness.
@William Oh he’s the guy who’s part of the problem.
Let’s say I find a great job that I really want, but either I don’t know anyone in the company or my contact doesn’t know who the hiring manager is and just referenced me to the job website to apply. How do I find out who the hiring manager is without calling human resources? What other ways are there to ensure they care about my application and not just put my resume+cover letter in the trash without even looking at it?