How do I get a hiring manager to respond to me?

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Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions.

Q: How do I get a hiring manager to respond to me?

A: I’ve been on both sides of this scenario. I know how frustrating it can be to send your résumé and cover letter out into the void and wait for weeks without hearing anything. I also know how overwhelming it can be as a hiring manager to shift through hundreds of applications while meeting all of the normal demands of your job. So it’s a delicate balance. As a candidate you just want to know, but you also don’t want to annoy the person who you are hoping to impress.

Here’s how to approach it:

Follow the rules
The first and most important step is to follow the instructions for applying. If the job posting requires you to upload your résumé to the corporate site, do it. Read the listing carefully to make sure you apply in exactly the format they ask for with exactly the materials they ask for. If the listing asks for a cover letter, write one—and not a generic one, one that’s tailored to the position and company. If the listing asks candidates to include work samples or references, include those. This may sound basic, but many candidates just fire off résumés to hundreds of open positions. Not following basic instructions is an easy way to knock yourself out of the running.

Give it a little time, then find a real person
Even if the company needs to fill the role urgently, hiring takes time. Wait at least a week after applying to send out your first outreach. Do the leg work to find who is likely the hiring manager—or at least someone who works in the department. Do not blast ten people at the company with a “to whom it may concern” message. The same advice for getting people to respond to any email applies here, too. You have a much better chance of getting a response if you can find a common connection and have that person recommend you. 

Be clear and concise
If you can’t find a connection, and you’re sending a cold email, be as clear and concise as possible. Make your subject line the title of the role you are applying for. Let the hiring manager know that you have applied according to the listing instructions and then in one or two sentences explain why you are excited about the role and how you are a good fit. If you have non-traditional experience, you can briefly explain your transferable skills so they will hopefully take a closer look at your application.

If you do land an interview, you can end up with another bout of waiting after the interview. Your first step after an interview is to send a thank you note, which can help solidify a good impression and follow up on things you talked about in the interview. After that, the same rules apply as far as giving it at least a week before following up again and keeping your message short and sweet. 

Best of luck!

Want some more advice on following up on a job? Here you go:

• How do I get people to respond to my emails?
• A recruiter shares the best way to follow up on a job application
• This is how to write a follow-up email that’s not annoying
• 12 effective strategies for messaging recruiters on LinkedIn that will get noticed
• Can I ask a hiring manager to reconsider if I don’t get the job?

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