How important is calling a perspective employer to follow up on a submitted resume?

Question

I am presently looking for work and have sent out A LOT of resumes. My wife insists that I do a follow up call for every one I submit. I say that they will call me if they are interested in my resume, and calling them would actually be a bother to them.

Answer 1

You should give the company a call within 5 days after you mailed it, when you get the interview you should send a thank you letter 24 hours after the interview and then a follow up phone call 3-5 days after interview.

Answer 2

It is normally good practice to call each place that hasn't gotten back to you in a week (unless the job has some other deadline) and ask politely "I would like to be sure you got my resume as I am interested in your job/company and would like to answer any questions you might have." When they say they are working on it, politely ask about how long the process is expected to take, so you don't call back again too soon. Write that down and when you call back later, you can say "When I called before, I was told the process would be wrapped up about now."
You should be treating each resume as though it was the only one you sent out, keeping records on each as to when and how you sent it, what the company has said, who you talked to, etc.
You may be like me, wanting to do everything as remotely as possible because you avoid or want to avoid personal interaction which may become confrontation. Sorry about that, but the companies are important to you and you are not very important to the company. Make an effort to stand out.
If you are sending too many resumes to follow up on, cut back to a serious level and mean while contact the dozen or more that offer the most interest for you.

Answer 3

The best thing to do is have a list at your home and have all your resumes sorted out by categories. Each category should then be sorted out by how much interest you have in what they have to offer you and in what you have to offer and can contribute to them.

Then start contacting the top three in each category as a follow up. Believe it or not, your wife is right. The potential employers won't be upset with you for reconnecting with them but will remember the fact that you had enough gumption to check with them to see if there might be something else that you might be able to contribute that they might not have thought of. Like being thoughtful and considerate.