Over the years, I have asked many, many job seekers after they landed a new job or role:
    “If you had it to do over again, what would they do differently?
                Their answer:  follow up. 
To find a new position quicker, follow-up is a must!  It is not enough to just submit an application or resume and then WAIT! 

With hundreds, if not 1000's, of candidates vying for the same positions, your resume is as likely as not to land on the bottom of the stack.  With 50 or 100 or 1000 submissions ahead of you, you have little chance of being noticed by simply submitting a resume or application.  It’s a first step  —   just not your only step!

So, implement a follow-up strategy to get yourself noticed.  Plan follow-up activities after your initial submission.  There are various ways you can do this:
Here are a few:
1.  Write directly to the hiring and/or HR manager, and include a copy of your resume.  
2.  Identify a person, in your personal and professional network, who works inside the organization or knows someone who does.  Ask them to hand carry your submission (or e-mail if they can’t do it person-to-person) to the appropriate person and put in a good word for you.
3.  Use your social network, including Linked In, to connect with a person familiar with the organization who can tell you about the organization and help you direct your marketing material to the appropriate person.
4.  Attend your profession's association meeting and look for someone connected with the prospective employer.

A "First Follow-up" is A First Follow-up
These are just a few of the ways you can creatively follow-up.  I’m sure you can think of others.  The important thing to remember is this: That "first follow-up" is just that - a first follow-up.  Plan to stay in touch and continue to express your interest until you have gotten the desired employer's attention, hopefully resulting in an interview and an offer!

When asked what they would have done differently, the overwhelming majority of job seekers said that if they had followed up more often and more consistently, they would have landed their new job quicker!  So, plan to follow up to achieve your job search goal!

For additional information on marketing yourself and your capabilities, please refer to the many articles found under the Articles tabs of the AJC–Career Strategy website.
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