Following up after submitting your resume is a crucial part of the job search process. Your ultimate goal, of course, is to get an interview. Not only does following up show that you are proactive and interested in the position, but it may also help bring your resume to the top of the pile. Here are some tips on how to effectively follow up.

Find out the name of the hiring manager

Chances are, following up with an in-house recruiter or HR employee at a large company won’t get you too far. Internal recruiters are buried in multiple priorities and positions: giving you a leg up isn’t one of them!

If the hiring manager is not listed on the posting, use LinkedIn or search the company’s website for job titles related to the role to which you applied.  If contact information is not provided on these sites, call the company to see if they can provide you the best email address.

Wait to follow up

Job postings will usually have a close date for application submissions. The Ladders, a career advice resource, suggests waiting a week after this date before following up. This gives the company time to sort through resumes and start scheduling interviews. If you wait too long, the company may already be deep into the interview process.

At smaller companies, if you submitted your resume directly to someone you know, wait a week after your submission before contacting him or her. It helps to keep a spreadsheet or Word document to help you stay on track and ensure that you are following up with each company.

Send a brief email

The key word is “brief.” Once you’ve waited a week, if you applied through a professional contact, send a brief email directly to the person as a check-in to see if your resume was received. If another week passes and you haven’t heard anything, Glassdoor, a career resources website, recommends sending a one- to two-paragraph note reiterating your interest in the role and asking about the next steps.

If applying to a larger company, you most likely will have received a confirmation email after you submitted your resume electronically. You can skip the email check-in and send an email to reinforce your interest in the role and to ask about the next steps.

As bothersome as it may be, if you haven’t heard anything after a few follow-ups, it’s best to practice self-restraint and stop contacting the company. There’s a fine line between being proactive and being pesky. If you’ve applied for a job at a large company, keep in mind that its hiring process may take several months. In the meantime, schedule regular intervals to update your resume that you’ve uploaded into that organization’s online resume database. That’s a great way to keep your profile sharp and active. Continue to apply for jobs and stay steady, positive, and focused in your search:  you never know when you’ll land an interview and this way you will be ready!

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