If you have faxed or even emailed a resume, you are probably wondering whether or not you should follow up. Honestly, you should always follow up with an email or even a phone call regardless if you faxed or emailed a resume. In fact, it really makes sense that when you submit a resume and your cover letter via email or fax, you do follow up.

For one, faxing a resume is a way that is not highly recommended because you are typically faxing to a general line of which everyone has access to, so it makes sense to follow up with a phone call or an email to make sure that the correct person received it. Regardless if you have a cover page or not on your fax, it may get into the hands of the wrong person who may not deliver it to the person who it was originally intended to go to.

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If you do fax your resume, it makes more sense to give that person a call to make sure that they have received as oppose to emailing them since it may take them a few hours or possibly a day to get to their emails. Additionally, if you originally sent your resume and cover letter via email, I would follow up, but would give it a little longer. The typical time that you want to give the employer before you follow up is within a week. Here are some questions to ask when you do follow up:

• What are the following steps to your recruiting process?
• Do you need any additional information from me in order to move forward with the recruiting process?
• How soon are you looking to fill the position and how soon should I hear back?

The above questions are simple and safe questions that allow the employer to see that you really are interested in the position and that you are looking forward to being considered for that position. Many times there are hundreds of possible candidates and the employers cannot differentiate you from others, so going the extra mile to follow up shows some initiative and it brings your name to their attention. As oppose to never hearing from you, you may not have gotten a call back, but because you were persistent and followed up, they may change their mind and give you a chance.

Are You Wasting Your Time?

It’s impossible to know if you will be wasting your time following up on a resume you have sent in response to a job posting or whether or not it will be the one thing that gives you that edge over another possible candidate. However, it does not hurt you to try.

Truly, the worst thing that a company can say is that they are moving forward with another candidate or that they are still reviewing applications. You never know if that company gives those candidates that call and follow up the “upper hand”, so give it a try and see what it does for you. It shows enthusiasm and ambition, and could differentiate you from other candidates.

It is recommended that you follow up via email over calling since it may be hard to get in touch with the HR person. Also, no one appreciates being constantly interrupted by unimportant phone calls to check on whether a resume was received or not. Sending that person an email is a better way that they will read it and possibly follow up with you with a replied email to let you know the status of your application.