As a candidate, walking the fine line of expressing your interest in a role and appearing too overeager can be difficult. The last thing you want to do is miss out on a great opportunity by not appearing invested in the process, but you also know that hiring teams have enough on their plates without fielding questions from the same candidate every day. So how do you find the balance in communicating with the hiring team?
When You Should Be Communicating with the Hiring Team
Ideally, your potential employer or your recruiting firm should keep you apprised of the hiring timeline so you always know where you are and when to expect updates. Unfortunately, since things do happen, and timelines get pushed back, it isn’t inappropriate to follow up in 48 hours if you’re waiting to hear back. This time table is respectful of their time but also keeps your candidacy top-of-mind.
You never want to be the hold-up in the communication pipeline, so be sure to follow up with the hiring team in the following scenarios:
- Confirm when you receive a notice that you will be moving forward in the process
- Confirm the time of an interview once scheduled
- Follow up with a thank-you message after each interview
- If your timeline has changed, reach out to the hiring coordinator
While underrated, thank-you notes and confirmation messages are impactful. Hiring teams often appreciate the time you take to do these things.
Also, if you have accepted another position while interviewing, take the time to reach out and let the hiring team know. Your consideration will leave them still with a good impression.
Who You Should Be Communicating with on the Hiring Team
ADAPTURE hiring experts recommend sticking with your key point of contact in your communications when you’re going through HR or a recruiter. Going around the main coordinator to speak directly with the hiring manager before you’ve made it to the in-person interview stage can appear as if you are trying to skip through the hiring process steps (which can be off-putting to potential employers).
How You Should Be Communicating with the Hiring Team
E-mail should be your main method of communication. It’s reliable and timely, and it enables the hiring team to respond at a convenient time. That said, however, you should use your best judgement on when a phone call would be better. If you need to reschedule an interview, a phone call is more meaningful than a quick e-mail.
While ADAPTURE hiring experts encourage candidates to research the hiring manager on LinkedIn before going in for an interview, we do not recommend communicating via the social media platform. Many hiring managers do not regularly check their LinkedIn profiles, and it’s more appropriate to connect after meeting in person.
Most importantly, remember some forms are inappropriate for communicating with the hiring team. You should not reach out via Facebook or any other personal social media account.
As for texting, you should not communicate via text unless the employer or recruiter has already done so.
Remember, keeping up the communication pipeline with the hiring team demonstrates that you care about the position and are truly interested in joining the team. When creating your follow-up messaging, try to include details from your interview to show that you were engaged and talk about what challenges you’re excited to start solving.
