10 Answers To Frequently Asked Job Search Questions

During the job search, there are lots of questions every job seeker comes across. How long should my resume and cover letter be? How long should I wait before following up? Not all of these questions need an entire article to answer, but they all deserve some attention. This is your chance to the answers to all of the questions you’ve been pondering during your job search.

Here are the answers to 10 frequently asked questions about the job search:

FAQ #1. How long should I make my cover letter and/or resume?
Your cover letter should be no more than one page in length. It should explain who you are and why you’re the best candidate for the job. It needs to be very concise, yet keep the hiring manager wanting to learn more. If you go any longer than a page, the person reading it will get bored.

Your resume should also be limited to one page, especially if you’ve been in the workforce for a short amount of time. Hiring managers spend only 6 seconds looking through your resume, so it’s important to keep it to one page filled with strong keywords to stand out.


FAQ #2. What are the most important things to include in my resume?  
Some essential things to include in your resume are: your name, contact information, education history, work or internship experience, and related skills. All of these details should be tailored for each individual job application. Additionally, you can include professional organizations and special awards if you think they’re relevant.

FAQ #5. How long should I wait before following up?  
If you don’t hear back from an interviewer right away, don’t follow up again until after the interviewer’s deadline has passed. If the date passes and you still haven’t heard anything, send a brief follow-up to remind the interviewer about your qualifications and interest in the open job. After that first follow-up, you can follow-up again every 7-10 days up to two more times for a total of three follow-ups. If you still haven’t heard back, you should move on.

FAQ #6. Should I write a thank you letter by hand or in an email?  
This is a personal preference. Either works, but 89 percent of hiring managers are fine with an email note, and half of them actually prefer it. Just be sure to personalize the note. Remind your interviewer who you are, how much you want the job, and why you’re the best person for it.

All 10 Questions and Answers and the complete glassdoor article