Follow up to Call to Large Company
Follow up to Call to Large Company
(OP)
All,
I've recently applied for an engineering position at a large utility (approximately 700 people). I submitted a resume and cover letter online, and they will get back to me if they decide I'm worth considering.
Should I give them a follow up call in a week or so? They're such a large company that I wonder if they won't have anywhere to direct my call. Would I ask to speak to the person in charge of hiring?
My only experience is with very small (<10 people) companies, so I may have some things to learn about dealing with large entities. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.
I've recently applied for an engineering position at a large utility (approximately 700 people). I submitted a resume and cover letter online, and they will get back to me if they decide I'm worth considering.
Should I give them a follow up call in a week or so? They're such a large company that I wonder if they won't have anywhere to direct my call. Would I ask to speak to the person in charge of hiring?
My only experience is with very small (<10 people) companies, so I may have some things to learn about dealing with large entities. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.





RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
How do you know they will get back to you. This was the missing link in your post.
If it was an automatic email response with generic text, then there is no point asking what should be next step for you.
If someone called you or mailed you then it is different. I would not send any email or try to call but let them do their job.
Only in case I have attended an interview physically or over the phone and I am expected to receive an answer then if I see no response for a while I may consider calling or mailing. However from my experience it will not influence the outcome. In case it is a NO it will just get you informed maybe quicker. So at the end, I will do nothing also in this case.
by the way I don't see why the process should be different between large and small companies.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
I've never done the find-a-person-on-the-internet thing, but I've heard from people who have done it and they say that a crappy hourly job cleaning grease traps will get 50,000 applicants. An Engineering job can get a million applicants. If you are one of a million, then the online form you filled out will reject out of hand all but 100 or so. If you are in the 999,900 rejects you probably won't hear anything at all. If you are in the short list then you'll get a call or a letter setting up a time for a call. That call will be from an HR puke. 90-95 will be rejected and get a form letter. Only 5-10 of the million resume's will ever be seen by an Engineer. Some of those will be rejected out of hand and get a form letter. The rest will be contacted on a very rigid schedule. If you haven't heard in a month, then you were most likely in the first cut. A call will get you to HR, and there is no way to get past them to the guy who is hiring, and HR will not change their minds.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
Certainly attempts to visit in person or phone up may tend to get blocked by the receptionist, or if you're lucky you may get through to HR to be blocked there.
Now if you're suggesting being creative, I'd be interested to know what you have in mind.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
Perhaps some reviewing of how to go about succeeding in life as experienced by successful persons might help, now and in the future. For instance there is nothing like rubbing shoulders with those of authority at a common place, such as a church or civic organization , like Rotarians. I heard a seminar on TV from this guy on his ups and downs and his approach sure sounded like a lot of work, but it paid off well.
http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Daves-LifeSkills-Succ...
If that large company is in your area, it is likely that some higher-ups are members of local clubs or organizations. Joining or even attending as a visitor might be in the picture. Being unique as to how to go about getting a foot in the door may or may not pay off, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
What engineering organizations do you belong to? Were you active and volunteering? That's another way to meet those in authority capable of steering you in the right direction.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
You have most likely heard this before. If you want to get into a large company. particularly when hiring is slow. you have to have a champion in the company, who can get you past HR.
Oldest guy just mentioned some ,but not all of the methods. The primary requisite is perseverance.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
Who knows, you may get lucky, though...
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
I have not received any sort of email (aside from an automated response indicating they received my resume) or correspondence, so the question was more "how do I stand out of several hundred applicants." It sounds again like the answer is to know somebody.
I suppose I'll have to change my sense of scale as well. 700 people seems pretty big, but perhaps "large" isn't the right word for it.
Thanks all for the comments
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
However, there's a good chance they'll either file it in the round filing cabinet or pass it to HR.
There's even a slim chance that when HR get if from that direction they'll be annoyed you skirted their system and round file your application.
However, both real engineering jobs I've had have been found the 'wrong way'. First out of Uni I just sent my resume (hard copy back in 1999) to a bunch of potential employers in the field I was interested in and one happened to end up on the right desk at the right time (actually another got me an interview too). Second job my resume got picked off of career builder or Monster (I forget which now) by an employment agency. So what would I know.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
read the web site where you applied. There may be something that indicates not to call them.
Chris
SolidWorks 13
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
TTFN

FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
The folder are assigned for 6 months period approximatively.
This allows counting the number of prospect and candidature I've submitted within a certain time frame, then I wait to receive response, calls or even invitation for an Interview. Based on this I calculate my hit rate for the period. Usually average is 2 or 3 interview for approximately 150 resume submitted.
Starting from there I try to adjust things and see over the next period of time if there is an improvement in the hit rate. It is very time consuming but it is what it is.
The problem is that in the meantime, the environment is also changing and changing quite fast I would say.
Make no confusion between recruiter and human resources. Totally different personages. Human resources will not take a decision because their job is to cover their a$$ so they continue doing it even when it is no more required, and when they face a decision taking situation they systematically look around for someone to take a decision for them. When the decision is taken they will step on board and pop up during interview and 1st day at the office to do their show.
Recruiter are okay as they can do something. So it is good to understand the profile of the recruiter. Some have technical background so they can weight your resume and read between the line and evaluate your added value. Depending on the type of recruiter and his personality you may get your entrance ticket.
Some company use their own recrutment staff, some use contactors, some will outsource the process. Get to know how it works via social networking website for example.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
I'm curious as to how many job offers and actual positions have resulted with your methodology? Seems like a lot of work and time required. How did the interviews go? DistCoop is just getting into the method so your success might be of interest to him/her.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
Within a period of two years I got two offers and definitely yes it is very time consuming.
I don't say it is a good methodology. It is what it is.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
Likewise, the recommendation to get a direct referral tracks with http://blog.insideview.com/2010/12/29/cold-calling... and http://www.nomorecoldcalling.com/bypass-the-gateke..., which hierarchically place a live referral near the top of the pyramid of successful approaches to marketing. Therefore, networking as discussed above is considered by marketing professionals to be one of the best approaches to gaining entry into the customer's front door.
The aforementioned websites are worth perusing, if for no other reason than to compare your current approach(es) against what successful marketeers are doing.
We used to have a seminar at a previous company called GBAP (I forget what the acronym stood for) which said essentially the same things, getting to know your (potential) customers and their peer communities, having a deep understanding of the problems that your customer needs to solve, understanding the winning price, etc. So, while submitting a proposal is like saying we want a job, the guts of the proposal (resume, cover letter, peer referral, etc.) should explain why the customer should buy YOU vs. some random Tom, Dick, or Harry.
TTFN

FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
RE: Follow up to Call to Large Company
B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer
http://bwengr.com | http://bwstructuralengineer.com | http://bwcivilengineer.com