E-Mail: To Respond or Not To Respond?

It can be so defeating and frustrating when you have spent tons of time applying to an organization and then not to hear anything back. Students applying for internships and jobs tend to think: Did my email get lost? Was my resume awful? Are they rude people? Why did the recruiter tell me to E-Mail them, and then not respond?

In this day and age, even though I am not applying for jobs it still shocks me when people do not respond to E-Mail. In my opinion, it is a professional courtesy; unless of course, you are trying to sell me something or E-Mail me daily. In that situation, do not expect to hear from me!

E-Mail can be tricky, and recruiters many times try their best to respond to applicants even if it is an automated E-Mail saying they received your application or message. Mashable.com recently posted a smart and short article by Adrian J. Hopkins entitled “Why no one has responded to your E-Mail.” In the end, keep your chin up and keep applying. The more you put out there the more you increase your chances of getting a response!

Suzanne Pike,
Director of Career Development and Assessment

Rejection to Future Opportunity

When you get that rejection E-Mail or phone call for the dream job or internship position you were hoping for, that doesn’t mean the end.

There are certain steps you can take to keep yourself on an employer’s radar and perhaps be in the running for a future opportunity:

1. Send a thoughtful thank you E-Mail or note.
2. Ask the interviewer for feedback (either in a follow up phone or in-person appointment) to discuss what you could have done better.
3. Reiterate your interest in the type of work you interviewed for and ask that the team keep you in mind for future similar opportunities.

For more detailed information you can access this link. The gist of this is that when one door closes another one can open if you stay positive.

Remember: The Career Center is here to help. Make use of our Quick Questions hours (Monday-Friday 10am-11am and 2pm-4pm) to get questions answered about following up with employers and quick interviewing advice.

Nayelli Perez,
Assistant Director