Black Friday & Black Holes

It's 4:00 a.m. on Black Friday and you are up with the rest of the other manic shoppers trying to be first in line to get that hot gift of the season at a remarkably low price. There you are, face pressed up against the glass just hoping for a chance with hundreds of people behind you hoping for the same. The doors open and everyone starts pouring in, but you find out that hot gift you have been looking for is sold out so the store gives you a rain check. Before you know it, New Year's rolls around and you still haven't heard anything.
Looking for a new job can be just like Black Friday. You spend hours of your time prepping, revising your resume, and hoping you beat out all the other hopefuls. You hold your breath and hit submit on the application and then…..nothing. It's frustrating and you have to wonder if you are the latest victim of the HR black hole. You know, the one where you submit an application and hear nothing back. What can you do?

• Don't be afraid to reach out to the recruiter on the position. If you have the recruiter's email address, great! If you don't, check them out on LinkedIn and send them a message. Let them know you applied and ask where they're at in the process. Seriously, it's perfectly okay to reach out.
• Networking – Everyone loves to suggest it, but people rarely do it. Get out there and get connected with people in your industry and with recruiters at companies you would love to work for! It's a lot easier to reach out to someone you've met than to reach out cold. Bonus: This is also a great way to hear about amazing jobs opening up that you might be interested in!
• Before ever submitting your application, make sure you've read the job description and that you are qualified for the position. Then, edit your cover letter and resume to include some of the same keywords from the job description that highlight clearly that you are a match!     

In the end, you deserve a response of some kind once you submit your interest in a position. Good recruiters aren't purposely leaving you in a black hole; they may just need a nudge from you. Don't let anyone "rain check" you when it comes to your professional future and your aspirations.
 
By: Megan Peterson