Hello everyone!
This week we have two great questions. The first is:
If you apply to a job and forget to save the job description before it is taken off the website, can you reach out to the company?
To address the first question, if you didn’t save the job description, you could reach out to the employer, but it is important to remember how this will reflect on you and their opinion of you before the interview. If you are going to reach out, make sure to phrase it as:
“I was calling because I recently applied to a position at your company and have been offered the opportunity to interview. I wanted to see if anything had changed on the job description, so I can better prepare for my interview.”
Other than reaching out, you have a few options!
- Check the electronic application system that you applied on to see if the job description is still saved there.
- Companies often include the job description within the application, so you may luck out!
- Check your computer’s search history to see if you can find the page or view the job description that way.
- Lastly, read through your cover letter. It should be tailored specifically to that position, so you might be able to determine what the position description was from there. You also might have included the specific job title, so you would know that as well!
One way to ensure that this situation doesn’t occur is to utilize a job search log! The Career and Advising Center’s website has this very thing created for you to take advantage of during your job search. This log can include a picture or copy of the job description, job title, date you applied, date of interview, follow-up information, etc. It is very important to keep track of this information, especially if you are applying to multiple positions.
The second question is: How do you go about re-applying to get your old job back/going back to a company after voluntarily leaving (not being fired) from the position?
Before we dive into getting the job back, let’s talk about how to leave in the first place. When you are leaving a company temporarily or permanently, it is important to not burn any bridges and remain open with your employer/supervisor/coworkers. You never know when you will need to return to the company, ask for a reference, or if a future employer will call that previous employer.
A few things to consider when leaving a position:
- Always give the employer reasonable notice to fill your position and have the opportunity to try to keep you.
- You may be worried they will be mad at you, but if you are a good employee, it is most likely more expensive and time consuming to replace you then it would be to keep you!
- When giving notice, leave the conversation on a positive note, so that you could have the possibility to return in the future.
- Never bad talk your position or the company. Word travels fast and you don’t want that getting back to an employer you may want to work for again in the future (even if you, at the point in time, don’t think that would ever happen).
Once you have left the position and would like to return, here are a few options:
- Reach out to HR or the specific supervisor for the position you are applying/reapplying too. Let them know that you previously worked for the company and would like to know if you are able to reapply.
- Some employers have a specific window where you can’t reapply for a position, so ensure that you are able to actually apply.
- If you have not burned any bridges, an employer would probably be glad to have you back at the company!
A specific scenario that happens frequently for students:
You currently work at XYZ company as an intern and have the opportunity to work until graduation during the academic year. You receive an offer for a summer internship that you can’t pass up, what do you do? You can speak with your supervisor and tell them about your summer opportunity. You should then say that you would like the opportunity to return in the fall after your summer internship. If your supervisor says that is possible, make sure that you leave on a positive note and update at the end of the summer to make sure they are still willing to let you return in the fall.
Neither of these situations is easy, and there are many ways to handle them. These are just a few options! If you feel your situation doesn’t fit into these, please visit the Career and Advising Center for further advice!
That concludes this week’s blog. Please write your questions on the lower, right side of the main page of our website!
https://career-advising.ndsu.edu/
I will be answering them every Friday. Ask any question you like, no question is too small!
Signing Off,
A CM
