Slow employer responses? Yep, the new normal

Jobseekers – you are not alone!
Are you getting no or slow responses from employers after submitting your resume or after you have been interviewed? You are not alone and you should not take it personally. It seems there is a new “normal” going on in the hiring process. Read on to the end of this blog to see my interpretation of the new rules of engagement with employers and what you should do.

Let’s take a look at this for a minute.
You send your resume to an employer and there is no return email notifying you that your resume was ever received. Now you’re left to wonder if your resume ever got there. It’s kind of like sending a letter to Santa Clause. You know you sent it but did he ever get it? So you give it about a week and you start to get annoyed. You know you have the qualifications… so, why no reply? This is the new normal. Or, let’s say you have already had the chance to have your first phone interview. Wow, that interview went well! But, days and weeks go by and there is no follow up call from the employer. You are never informed that you didn’t get the job offer so now you are left to wonder if a hire actually even took place. Your interaction with the employer is left to what amounts to a slow death. It happens all the time.
This is not true for all employers. Many do it correctly and that’s the type of company you should be seeking to gain employment. Yes, there are still many good employers that follow a more professional and courteous set of standards.

So what’s going on???
Let’s give the employer the benefit of the doubt. It’s very easy for jobseekers to apply for multiple jobs, thus filling the employer’s inbox. Pity the poor hiring manager that is swamped with resumes. There are so many applicants that it becomes impossible to respond to all of them. I understand their predicament and we’ll give them a pass. Yep, it’s the new normal.
However I will not give employers a pass after they have conducted any part of the interview or made direct personal contact with you in any way. I’m not talking about a form letter response. They owe you a response such as an “up or down vote” or a “play me or trade me” type response. But, you didn’t get one….you are not alone. Yep, it’s the new normal

What do you do?

The first urge is to fire off an email every few days asking politely what is going on or to please answer me. Don’t do it. It only annoys the hiring manager and makes your odds at getting the job even less likely. As frustrating and infuriating as this might be, you may just need to move on. You already know you might be dealing with a procrastinator or a company that procrastinates. Or even worse, they don’t respect your inquiry. Do you really want to work for this organization? Now you have had the chance to see the professionalisman and character of the hiring party. They have showed their hand! Most likely you will see that same job posted again within the next year. No need to wonder why???

What’s the best strategy?In most situations the longer it is between the interview and the next correspondence the less likely you are to get the job. There is no amount of pestering emails that will change the situation. Here is my take at the new normal and the rules of engagement.

• Send your resume with cover letter and wait – if you get no reply assume your resume did not impress or lacked the skills required
• Okay, maybe follow up with one email in 10 days – if no response you better move on
• If you have had a phone interview and you don’t hear back – it’s over, move on
• Never get any responses? Review your resume, consider hiring a professional to do a rewrite
• Did you include a cover letter and explain your intentions? Never put the reader in a position that they need to guess your situation. If you are out of work add an explanation
• You should have more than one resume. Try to highlight which skills you have that fit the employer’s specific needs
• Accept the fact that you will need to apply for multiple jobs
• Never stop looking while an employer decides – they may never decide!
• Network – but don’t abuse your contacts
• Get busy finding a new job with a company that appreciates your inquiry
• Never give up and broaden your horizons

It’s not just happening to you. Yep, it’s the new normal.
Please feel free to comment or share your experience. Don’t be too specific such as using company names.