Applied for job but declined interview, can I reapply?
June 22, 2015 4:49 PM Subscribe
In January I sent my resume may in for a job I was considering. They got back to me after three weeks, and I had already accepted a job elsewhere. I replied to them thanking them for the interview but said that my circumstances had changed and I was no longer looking for a position. The job isn't working out and I'd like to reach out to this company and ask to be reconsidered.
But I am unsure about the best practices for this. The position is still being regularly advertised on my industry job search sites.
A) Should I send my resume to HR again?
B) Or should I contact the hiring manager who responded to my original inquiry?
C) What should I word any contact I have with them regarding my renewed interest in the position?
I'm beating myself up a little bit over this because I have a feeling I should have stayed in the job search game for longer but really needed the income and took a job with the first company that offered me a job. I'm really unhappy there now.
But I am unsure about the best practices for this. The position is still being regularly advertised on my industry job search sites.
A) Should I send my resume to HR again?
B) Or should I contact the hiring manager who responded to my original inquiry?
C) What should I word any contact I have with them regarding my renewed interest in the position?
I'm beating myself up a little bit over this because I have a feeling I should have stayed in the job search game for longer but really needed the income and took a job with the first company that offered me a job. I'm really unhappy there now.
A) Should I send my resume to HR again?
It doesn't really matter whether you do this or not, because...
B) Or should I contact the hiring manager who responded to my original inquiry?
... if HR does anything, they'll just go to the hiring manager, or else they'll do nothing. So, if you go to the hiring manager, you avoid the chance of HR doing nothing and you do what HR would do anyway. The hiring manager ultimately will have the call over whether or not you're considered, so this isn't really a HR thing. Another way to look at it is to think of HR as the gatekeeper to the hiring manager. You've already gone through them once to get the original offer, now you don't need to go back to them.
It's not as if going to HR is wrong, it's just likely redundant.
C) What should I word any contact I have with them regarding my renewed interest in the position?
"I talked to you in January and was excited about [company] because [x], [y], and [z]. However, it just didn't work out at the time due my other commitments, unfortunately! However, that's changed now, and I'm looking for new opportunities. Do you have time to discuss this? I think it'd be a great fit."
They'll either not have a job open or else they'll have that discussion. At that point, you can say that you're looking for a new position. No reason to tell them exactly what happened prematurely; they'll already know what's going on by virtue of you reaching out to them about job options. It's not as if people that have jobs that they are comfortable with randomly send emails to hiring managers asking if there's an open position.
I should have stayed in the job search game for longer
It's always appropriate when you get a job offer from any company to go back to all other companies you've talked with and tell them you have a job offer. A competing job offer is often the one and only way to accelerate the hiring process (often to ludicrous speeds) at companies.
posted by saeculorum at 5:23 PM on June 22, 2015 [7 favorites]
It doesn't really matter whether you do this or not, because...
B) Or should I contact the hiring manager who responded to my original inquiry?
... if HR does anything, they'll just go to the hiring manager, or else they'll do nothing. So, if you go to the hiring manager, you avoid the chance of HR doing nothing and you do what HR would do anyway. The hiring manager ultimately will have the call over whether or not you're considered, so this isn't really a HR thing. Another way to look at it is to think of HR as the gatekeeper to the hiring manager. You've already gone through them once to get the original offer, now you don't need to go back to them.
It's not as if going to HR is wrong, it's just likely redundant.
C) What should I word any contact I have with them regarding my renewed interest in the position?
"I talked to you in January and was excited about [company] because [x], [y], and [z]. However, it just didn't work out at the time due my other commitments, unfortunately! However, that's changed now, and I'm looking for new opportunities. Do you have time to discuss this? I think it'd be a great fit."
They'll either not have a job open or else they'll have that discussion. At that point, you can say that you're looking for a new position. No reason to tell them exactly what happened prematurely; they'll already know what's going on by virtue of you reaching out to them about job options. It's not as if people that have jobs that they are comfortable with randomly send emails to hiring managers asking if there's an open position.
I should have stayed in the job search game for longer
It's always appropriate when you get a job offer from any company to go back to all other companies you've talked with and tell them you have a job offer. A competing job offer is often the one and only way to accelerate the hiring process (often to ludicrous speeds) at companies.
posted by saeculorum at 5:23 PM on June 22, 2015 [7 favorites]
Contact the hiring manager directly. You don't have to say anything more than that you've had a change in circumstances and you'd like the opportunity to discuss the opening you previously declined.
posted by fedward at 5:47 PM on June 22, 2015
posted by fedward at 5:47 PM on June 22, 2015
Contact the hiring manager directly, and no need for a formal cover letter. Send them a clear, concise (think 10 sentences MAX) e-mail explaining your circumstances and that you're interested in being considered for the job again.
posted by pravit at 5:52 PM on June 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by pravit at 5:52 PM on June 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by jkent at 5:18 PM on June 22, 2015 [2 favorites]