Application Formats - What Happens Next?
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- It is okay to contact the company 3 full business days after you turned in your application.
- You can contact the company by phone or email.
- Even though you might feel frustrated because the company has not called or email you, do not show your frustration when you contact the company.
- Before you make the phone call, write down and practice what you are going to say ahead of time.
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What happens after you have submitted your job application?
The next step depends entirely on the company you are applying to. Here are some things that could happen after you submit your application:
- You could receive an automated response (or a confirmation email) letting you know that they received your application.
If you receive an automated response telling you that your application was received, but then do not hear anything about the job or your status, you may contact the place you applied to 3 full business days after you applied.
If you do not receive any confirmation that your application was received, you may contact the place you applied to after three full business days since the day you applied to just make sure they received your application.
You could receive an email asking for additional information about yourself or to set up an interview. 
You could receive a phone call asking for additional information about yourself or to set up an interview.
It is okay to contact the company 3 full business days after you turned in your application. You can contact the company by phone or email. Even though you might feel frustrated because the company has not called or email you, do not show your frustration when you contact the company! That will make the company think you are impatient or rude.
You might contact the company by phone. 
Before you make the phone call, prepare what you are going to say. When you prepare ahead of time, you will sound more professional and confident. Write down some notes so that you can refer to them when you make the phone call.
Here is an example of what to say when following up on the status of your application in a phone call:
"Hello. My name is ____________. I recently applied for a position at your company. I am very excited about this job opportunity and was wondering what the status of my application is?"
You may have to leave a message on their voicemail. In that case, prepare what you are going to say beforehand. When you prepare ahead of time, you will sound more professional and confident.
Read a PDF Version os a printable script for leaving a message
You might contact the company by email.
Here is an example of what to write when following up on the status of your application in an email.
"Dear Human Resources Department,
I submitted my online application last Tuesday. I am very interested in working for insert company name, and would like to find out if my application has been reviewed yet. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience. I am happy to provide any additional information or references that you might need. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Insert your full name here
Insert your telephone number here"
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Please, keep in mind a lot of applications will not receive any response regarding their application. It is common practice that many companies only respond to applicants that they are seriously interested in for the job. If you don’t get a response after you applied you may follow up with the company after 3 business days. If they still don’t respond move on to the next company /application.
It usually takes multiple applications to receive one job offer. Don’t get frustrated – Keep up the good work.
