
50 Best Resume Tips 2023: Great Tricks and Writing Advice
Don’t have much time, but need a good resume ASAP? Here’s a master list of the best resume tips out there, plus a bonus to make your life easier.
Following up on a job application may feel like treading on very thin ice. You don’t want to seem too pushy or impolite if you do, and if you don’t, another candidate might fill your spot.
Luckily, there are some proven ways of following up on a job application that will boost your chances of getting hired. And we’re about to share them with you, together with a killer job follow-up email sample.
This guide will show you:
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Already had your interview but still no response? Learn how to follow up from our handy guide: Follow-Up Email after an Interview: 10 Samples & Templates That Work
Are you still working on your letter of interest or cover letter? See:
Now__
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So you've submitted the best version of your resume. Congratulations! Yet, it's just the beginning of the hiring process.
The first step is the hardest:
You wait.
It’s frustrating, I know. Yet you have to give the employers some time to review your application before you can follow up.
And yes, follow-ups are more than OK. A recent study asked how long should a job seeker wait to follow up with the hiring manager after submitting a resume. The answers?—
When to follow up on a job application?
There’s no fixed rule, but in general: no sooner than a week after submitting your resume.
Two weeks and no job offer letter coming your way? Now you definitely have to follow up.
Pro Tip: Before you follow up, have another look at the job posting. Sometimes employers explicitly state that they do not want you to reach out to them to ask about your application status at this stage. In other cases, the exact response date is provided in the job ad. Play by the rules. Following up before the due date will be rude at best and will hamper your chances of landing the job at worst.
Alright, so you’ve waited. It’s been a week or two since you applied and there’s still no answer. Game on!
Here’s how to follow up on a job application or resume:
Don't have any contacts in the company?
Then...
Let’s see how it works in practice.
Hello [Hiring Manager’s Name],
Last week, I applied for the position of [position title]. I would like to kindly ask you if you could provide me with your decision timeline.
I am very enthusiastic at the prospect of joining your team and leveraging [your specific skills, knowledge, and experience] to help you [what profit you’d bring to the company].
Please let me know if you need any more details about my application. I look forward to speaking with you and sharing my ideas on how to help you with your upcoming challenges.
Kind regards,
[Your signature]
[Your LinkedIn profile]
[Your phone number]
You might feel tempted to try and impress the hiring manager by sending an old-school follow-up letter after an application, but it’s really not a good idea.
We’re living in a digital age where good communication means fast communication.
A paper follow-up letter for your job application status can reach the hiring manager too late to make any difference or, worse yet, it might be treated as some unsolicited junk mail and never get opened.
Writing a resume follow-up email is definitely your best option.
Another week gone and still no response?
Hello [Hiring Manager’s Name], my name is [Your Name]. I submitted my application for the [XYZ] position two weeks ago. I just wanted to make sure you received it and to let you know that I’m still interested in the position. I’d love to talk with you about how I can help you with your upcoming challenges. If you need any additional information, please let me know.
Voila!
The study cited before also found that 46% of hiring managers prefer to be contacted by email, however, 39% were open to follow-ups by phone. Why?
Working professionals get hundreds of emails every day (122 on average, to be precise).
Your job application and your follow-up might have gotten lost in the hiring manager’s inbox (somewhere between a newsletter she barely cares for and an internal email about a corporate Christmas Eve.)
A quick phone call will help you solve this problem.
What’s next?
By the way, it’s plain rude not to respond to any of your follow-ups. If a company doesn’t treat you with respect now, why expect them to do it once you start working with them?
Remember, there’s plenty of fish in the sea, so...
Even if you think you’ve found a perfect job for you, don’t give up on applying to other companies while waiting for the response.
Don’t obsess over one job posting. No matter how great a candidate you are, you might not make it for reasons beyond your control.
Already interviewed and want to write a perfect interview follow-up email? Have a look at our dedicated guide and learn how to make the most of it: How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview (+10 Examples)
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
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There’s one instance in which you don’t have to worry about timelines, employer preference or waiting “long enough”.
It’s when you’re offered a position with a different company, but still haven’t heard back from your top pick.
If such is the case, follow up straight away.
Message your dream employer and tell them:
Sound like too much of a gamble?
Well, it might be. But sometimes it’s worth it.
Here’s a personal story—
I got my current job solely because of the right follow-up.
I received another offer, but didn’t really want it. What did I do?
Here’s the key: I provided value.
I wrote a sample article for the Zety blog. Then I attached it to the following email message:
Hi,
Please excuse my bothering you. I’ve just received a job offer which I’ll be happy to turn down if you’d care to have a look at my writing and give me a go.
Please find attached a sample article for your blog. Free of charge! Let me know what you think.
The following day I got one of the shortest emails I’ve ever read: “When can we schedule an interview?”
Trust me, this strategy can work out for you as well. But remember: if you do it, you have to give your prospective employer a sneak peek of your skills.
Make them realize that they cannot afford to miss out on you.
Pro Tip: Not getting interview invites? Recruiters and hiring managers look up candidates on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Your online presence might be to blame. When looking for a job, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date and that you’re not sharing anything inappropriate or unprofessional across your online accounts. Read our guide to make the most of your LinkedIn profile: How to Check Your Online Presence Before Recruiters Look You Up.
Want to learn how to email a resume the right way and get ahead of your competition? Read our guide: How to Email Your Resume to Get More Job Offers (Examples)
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The job application follow-up has two purposes. First of all, to remind the hiring manager about your candidacy. Secondly, to help you put an end to the dreadful uncertainty.
Has my job application reached the hiring manager? Have they already seen my resume?
Guess what: you don’t have to ask yourself these questions.
There’s an easy way to know if and when your resume has been opened.
First of all, you can start tracking your emails by using free email tracking software such as MailTag.
Sure, knowing that your resume email has been opened doesn’t guarantee that the hiring manager has actually read your resume. But you’ll be able to make an better informed decision about following up.
Then again, there’s one more thing you can do.
Make an online resume and include the link in your job application email.
Imagine you no longer have to ask “Have you, by any chance, seen my resume already?”
You’ll know exactly when to follow up and what to say.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Following up on job applications might feel awkward, but it’s expected of you. Don’t think you’re “bothering” the hiring manager - you really aren’t.
Here’s a quick recap of the key steps on how to follow up on a job application or resume:
Do you have any additional questions on what to say when following up on a job application? Want to learn more about writing resume follow-up emails? Give us a shout in the comments and we’ll answer you questions.
Don’t have much time, but need a good resume ASAP? Here’s a master list of the best resume tips out there, plus a bonus to make your life easier.
You have ideas about which skills to put on a resume, but they seem out of place? Give this article a read to find the know-how with a list of skills for your job application.
How to write a resume that will get you the job you're looking for? This step-by-step guide will show you the best resume examples, and you can write a resume in a few easy steps.