Why haven't any employers responded to my emails?

The Career Doctor's Cures & Remedies to Quintessentially Perplexing Career and Job-Hunting Ailments

Question: "How do I find a job online? And why haven't any employers who posted ads online responded to my emails?"

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

To me, this question is really double-barreled. In other words, I really see two potential problems here.

The first issue I'm concerned about is the use of the Internet in job-hunting. Some job-seekers seem to think that the Web is some sort of magic elixir that helps people find new jobs, and while you can certainly find a new job using any number of Web resources, the key is that the Web should be just one small part of your job search strategy. Be sure to use other traditional job-hunting sources, such as networking, cold calling, career fairs, want ads, college placement offices, and others.

And while on the subject of responding to online job ads, let me also suggest that job-seekers take advantage of the four specific types of job sites on the Web:

First, there are the general job board sites such as Monster.com and Indeed.com -- click here to find a complete list of all the general job sites... and go here for our list of the 10 best job sites for job-seekers.
Second, there are the industry-specific job sites such as MarketingJobs.com and JobsinHealthcare.net -- click here to find a complete list of all the industry-specific job sites.
Third, there are the geographic-specific job sites, such as WorkinAtlanta.com or JobsinWales.com -- click here to find a complete list of geographic-specific job sites.
Fourth, since most companies now post job openings on their corporate Websites, you should go to the companies of your choice, such as Coca-Cola and Home Depot -- click here for our directory of company career sites.

The second issue that concerns me is the issue of follow-up -- or the lack of follow-up in job-hunting. I cannot say this statement often enough: it is essential that job-seekers follow-up all job leads, all interviews, in all job-hunting situations. Employers are not going to come after you; you need to track down the employers.

The old adage about the squeaky wheel getting the oil works for job-seekers -- just as long as you don't keep contacting the employers to the point of annoyance. Contacting the employer about a particular job opening shows your continued interest in the opening -- and could be just enough to give you an edge over other job-seekers.

(Read more about following-up in Career Doctor Question 27: Importance of Follow-up in Job-Search.)

A good article about all the key stages of a job-search is our The Domino Effect: Key Phases of Your Job Search.

This article is part of a series from The Career Doctor's Cures & Remedies to Quintessentially Perplexing Career and Job-Hunting Ailments. Read more.

See a list of all the most common college, career, and job questions -- and Dr. Hansen's solutions.

Who is the Career Doctor? Learn more, read his current career column, or browse the column archives when you visit the Career Doctor's homepage.

QuintCareers.com Founder Dr. Randall Hansen

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is a nationally recognized career and job-search expert. He is founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press, including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter, QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his personal Website or reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

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