Following up to HR

[hiddensinful]

Has anyone had any success with following up to positions you've applied for? Most of the jobs I applied at said "No phone calls please" but I was curious if following up with an e-mail to HR weeks after you've applied (and hadn't heard anything) would be helpful or just a waste of time. I know it a good idea to check and see if the job is even

Comments

[the_s_guy]

Tricky to say. My own guess would be that in the current economy, I wouldn't follow up for McJobs where there were likely to be a hundred applicants. For positions with very small local firms, I might drop in in person, or try to get to know some of the employees through other channels while waiting for results.

For specialist positions with few applicants, especially outside very large corporations (who are likely to have swamped HR departments and processes to grind through at a snail's pace anyway), I'd follow up.

In a better economy, I'd also follow up more, as any given position would be likely to have fewer applicants and a less overburdened HR department. At the moment, though, I'd turn my time more towards cranking out another fifty job apps, doing a little networking amongst the local small business groups, and asking friends of friends to keep an eye out for jobs opening up.

[placetohide]

Just wanted to say that in the current economy, EVERY job is a "McJob" if you're going by number of applicants. I've been applying for all kinds of job at different skill/experience levels and types, and virtually every employer, regardless of the kind of work, has told me about the massive quantities of applicants they've had. I'd say don't let the number of applicants determine your action since right now the number of applicants is pretty much always going to be "massive" unless it's something really specialized.

[skittlebox]

I did it once a couple of weeks ago but the person i called sounded annoyed and just reiterated "WE. WILL. GET. BACK. TO. YOU" and that was that. I'm trying to make another now because they called me yesterday and left a message but I can't get through. Somone answers the phone, talks really quietly and the first time they hung up right away, the next they just put me on hold. I didn't get to speak at ALL and I couldn't actually hear what was said on the other end so idk how it's going :/

following up

[j_alan_b]

it seems to be a gamble no matter what. If they tell you not to call, it is not exactly showing you can follow directions if you call them.
on the other hand you need to find a way to get noticed.

I often try to get a hold of an HR rep before I send a resume. Do some research then call and ask about applying and positions over the phone. Sometimes i can swing them into asking me to send my resume to them directly. not always though. most of the time (and by most of the time i mean 95 to 98% of the time) i will be referred to a website and online application system.

in the case where i cant find a name to preemptively "follow up" before the resume is sent, i follow their instructions. If they say "No Calls Please" i do not call. If i do not find any such notice, i follow up.

[to]

IMO, you should ALWAYS follow up unless they say specifically not to.