Friday, January 3, 2020

What to Do When Youre Ghosted By a Company or Recruiter

What to Do When Youre Ghosted By a Company or Recruiter Your interview went great The hiring manager really binnenseemed to like you and said they thought you would be a good fit. They told you that you would hear back within a few days, but fast forward a week and... crickets.So what happened?We hear a lot about recruiters and companies who get ghosted by candidates and new hires, but this also happens in reverse. Heres what to do when youre ghosted by a company or a recruiter. Follow Up.I often get asked when is the right time to follow up when you dont hear back about a job and honestly, it depends. You want to do it soon enough that you dont get forgotten but not so soon that youre seen as a pest. Here is when and how to follow up First, if you didnt write a thank you notenzeichen after your interview, send one out immediately. A good thank you note can make you stand out, is the perfect way to follow up, and forgetting one can result in a missed opportunity. A good thank you not e should be prompt, include information that you learned from the interview, and express your interest in moving forward to the next step. Want a gold star? Include something unique that will add value for them, like an initiative that you think could work for them or a relevant article. Already sent a thank you? Often, an interviewer will have every intention of getting right back to you, regardless of whether you get the job or not, and then work gets in the way. If you have already sent out a thank you email and the date they said they would get back to you has passed, follow up with them 2 - 5 days after that day has passed. If a company did not indicate when they would get back to you, follow up within 2 weeks.Reach out to them the same way that they originally reached out to you, so if they are a recruiter who sent you a message over LinkedIn, try them that way. You want to get people where you know they are the most active to increase the chance that they will follow up.Dont overthink the follow-up message. You are just indicating that you are still interested. If you have had other job offers you were considering, let them know that you received an offer but would like to see if you were still in the running since you are still very interested in working for them. Transparency is always best and letting them know that you have other rods in the fire will hopefully get them to move forward mora swiftly.Do not send out a second follow up notice after your initial one goes unresponsive. They may be busy, but so are you and you shouldnt have to keep pushing on anyone who makes you feel like you need them way more than they need you.Analyze What May Have Happened. If you have followed up and have still not heard back, its likely that you wont be hearing from them about the position. I know its less than professional and its not very fair of them, but there is a lesson in every rejection. Is the job posting still up? If not, its likely that they have already found a new hire or have enough qualified candidates to choose from. Seeing this may help you get a little more clarity as to what happened with that role. When you reflect back on your interview objectively, were there any areas that you think you struggled with? How would you handle that differently next time?What did you like the most about this opportunity? The least? Figuring that out may help you in your search for another role that is more aligned with what you need in this stage in your career. Move Forward.Maybe they hired someone else, or maybe they are no longer hiring for that position, but regardless, they have moved on, so its time for you to too. Youve done everything you could do. A friend once told me that sometimes disappointment can lead to an appointment with something better. So remember that this opportunity may have been nice, but it was certainly not the last. You have plenty to offer and can take your incredible skills elsewhere to a more responsive organiz ation. Quick note The company might get back to you weeks, or even months later. This, my friend, may be a red flag. They could have hired someone that didnt work out or have been so overwhelmed and disorganized that they have forgotten to touch back until now. Disorganization and a quick turnover may mean that this role is problematic. Move forward with them if youre still interested in the opportunity but be sure to ask questions and to feel confident that this is a job that you still want. It could also work in your favor to negotiate for a higher salary, especially after living in limbo for so long. Related Articles Around the Web What to do when recruiters and potential employers ghost you One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant adva ncements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot onl y is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conducted by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction wo rkforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrumentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.