So you applied for a graduate job - you did your research, spent hours on your CV and cover letter and pressed send.
After triple checking your work, and stressing over how to make “I work well on my own and as part of a team” not sound ridiculous, you finally did it. And you feel pretty good about it. But it's a long and difficult process you've probably repeated several times.
But that’s it, right? You’ve applied and now all you can possibly do is wait and hope you’re contacted for further information or, ideally, an interview. Well, not exactly.
There’s one thing you can do that just might give you an edge over other candidates: call the company.
Some of the places you apply to will regularly receive hundreds of applications from a sea of faceless graduates, often with similar levels of education and experience, who all want to update their Facebook status to say “I GOT A JOB” as much as you do. Sometimes, just filling out an application isn’t enough to catch their attention.
Call the person you addressed your cover letter to, or ask to be put through to whoever will be handling your application, and check in to see how your application is progressing. It can be as simple as introducing yourself, letting them know you applied and when, and saying you’re interested to know when you’ll be hearing back as you’re very excited about the opportunity.
It makes a good impression and it puts a voice to a name.
Importantly, phoning up about your application tells the hiring manager you’re passionate about the role. It shows that you really meant it when you applied; the company isn’t just another on a long list that you applied for - you actually want to work there. It’s also a way of backing up all those things you said on your CV about being driven and self-motivated; you’re actively demonstrating them to the person who matters. All it takes is a few minutes on the phone.
In future, don’t just send off that application, forget about it and move onto the next one. Before you do, if you really want to work there, give them a call. You never know, it might be a very small thing that makes a big difference.