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Ex-Google Recruiter Shares The One Step In Application Process That ‘Everyone Fails’

Former Google recruiter shares the most important step in the job application process that all applicants fail - but it can be the difference between getting your resume shortlisted & getting rejected.

Srishti Magan

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Ex-Google Recruiter Shares The One Step In Application Process That ‘Everyone Fails’

0 min read

Table of content:

Why Are Follow-up Messages Important?
Writing The Perfect Message

Imagine this scenario - you’re applying for a job. Well aware of the intense competition, you’ve used the latest tips on updating your resume, referred to the best practices for writing the perfect job application email, and even used new-age AI tools to improve your application material. Now you anxiously wait for the results - but you’ve skipped an important step.

According to former Google recruiter Nolan Church, you’ve missed out on the most important step of the job application process - writing a follow-up message to your application.

Church is the co-founder and CEO of Continuum, a talent marketplace for executives. Prior to Continuum, he worked in the space of talent acquisition and Human Resources for 8+ years - 3 of which were spent recruiting for Google.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Church (who also worked with DoorDash and Carta) shared that “everyone fails” on following up.

As per Church, after submitting their applications, candidates should follow up with a message on LinkedIn and/or a personalized email to the company’s hiring manager. And even the CEO.

Church believes this should be a practice, irrespective of the company you’re applying for. Even if it’s Apple or Amazon, write a letter to Tim Cook or Andy Jassy, respectively.

Church shared his own experience of working at DoorDash. At DoorDash, CEO Tony Xu would get such emails and directly forward them to Church. Church shared that “probably 90% of the time, we took calls with those people.”

Why Are Follow-up Messages Important?

As per Church, writing follow-up messages has two main advantages - it helps you stand out from the crowd (since other applicants don’t take this step) and shows you “actually want the job”

Depending on the content of the message, this can also be a golden opportunity to make the hiring manager’s job easier.

By writing a message explaining why you’re the best person for the role, you’ve shown your skills. And helped answer the question that hiring managers care about the most - “Why are you a good fit for the role?”

As Church explains, “In a perfect recruiting process, both sides are assessing each other… if you have already started that process, you’re actually making my life a lot easier.”

Writing The Perfect Message

Church goes on to explain the important things to keep in mind when writing a follow-up message:

i) Start with LinkedIn

Applicants should search for and add the CEO and hiring manager on the site and send a brief message or even a single sentence stating the role they’ve applied for.

Example: Hi ____ (name) I’ve just applied for the role of ____(job position). Please consider my profile for the role and feel free to reach out in case any further information is required.

ii) Look for their email

Candidates can use social media or the company website to find the appropriate email.

Church also shared a tip to find the CEO’s email - “For somebody who’s a CEO of the company, it’s usually first name at company domain name dot com.

iii) Pitch yourself in six sentences in the email

Write an email introducing yourself and mention the role you’ve applied for (this is especially important in case an organization has multiple vacancies). Also, explain why you’ll be a perfect fit for the role. You can even include information on why you wish to work with the particular company and attach relevant application material.

Church states that since some of this information will be reflected in both, your resume and cover letter, the follow-up message could be completed in even six sentences.

The purpose of a follow-up message is not to flaunt your writing skills or exemplary work experience (as important as that is) but rather to stand out and make it easier for the hiring manager to shortlist your profile.

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Edited by

Srishti Magan

Sr. Content Editor

I’m a reader first and a writer second, constantly diving into the world of content. If I’m not writing or reading, I like watching movies and dreaming of a life by the beach.