Alive HR

Job-seekers often complain (and rightly so) about the lack of communication from potential employers. They say they get little to no response to most applications and that communication doesn’t improve a lot even after an interview or two. It’s very discouraging.

It’s also disheartening to apply for a job, only to receive communication in the form of a ‘no thank you’ letter. You instinctively want to crumple up the paper, hit the delete button, or angrily write back,  “@^&# you!”

Don’t do any of the above. As disappointing as the news may be, I’d suggest sending a quick, gracious reply, maybe something as simple as, “Thanks for letting me know. I am still very much interested in opportunities with XYZ Corp, so please keep me in mind for any future openings.”

Why do this?

Well, for one, I’d suggest that we want to reinforce behavior we wish to increase; i.e., more candidate communication. We want to recognize employers for keeping us in the loop, even if the outcome is not always as hoped.

And two, and perhaps more practically, you just never know. Maybe two days later, the other candidate falls through or changes his or her mind. Or maybe another opportunity opens in a different department, or a really sweet job comes across the HR person’s desk and they just feel like passing it on. Things can change very quickly. If the HR person or hiring manager knows you don’t hold any grudges, or has reason to think you might still interested, they might just keep you in mind and give you a call.

On the other hand, if they don’t hear from you after their original communication, they’ll probably be less likely to contact you later, thinking that you’re bitter because you weren’t offered the earlier opportunity.

I know it’s easy to take things personally, but I suggest that if you can find it in your heart or constitution not to do so, you can position yourself for future possibilities that wouldn’t otherwise be open to you.

After all, on the other side of the coin,  when our first choice (whether romantic or employment) falls through, we might take a minute to lick our wounds and recover, but then we move on to our next best opportunity. We don’t take the situation too personally, we just move on. Similarly, when you’re a job seeker, don’t begrudge a potential employer for doing the same. On a pragmatic level, a gracious reply to a “no thanks” letter may in fact position you for the next best opportunity.

photo by Litanmore