When would you expect to hear and/or how long do I give it?

[TakeMeDrunkImHome]

Have been out of the "market" for a while and it has therefore been some time since I have applied for a job etc.

Applied for the perfect job on Monday, emailed my CV and covering letter off at around 8.30 pm, so has been exactly a week about an hour ago today. Without blowing my own trumpet I was perfect for job and job was perfect for me. Haven't heard anything yet. (There was no closing date on job advert). I applied for a 2nd job, not as good for me but I am more than experienced/qualified to also do the 2nd job. Again it was a covering letter/CV email. Have heard nothing back from either.

When would you expect to be hearing something back? Am worrying a little as over the last couple of weeks 2 seperate friends have not received emails I have sent them from my hotmail account, i.e. the account I used to send off my cv's. Not sure how long to leave it before worrying that my emails didn't get through. I can't see that I wouldn't have at least made it to interview stage as I really did have the necessaries for both jobs. Or is it too soon to hear anything yet anyway?

Thanks for any advice.

OK, be prepared, am going to be voice of doom.

You have been out for a while and hence will be up against people who were made redundant 5 mins ago and there are many of them.

Also many companies are clinging on by their fingernails themselves so do not have the admin power to reply back to the 300 people who applied for the one job.

It's tough as hell out there, I know this as Dh was made redundant last year and I went out to get a job after 3 years off work and this is what I was told.

Keep at it though, you have no other choice!

PS: - I did not get a job, DH did and I ended up voluneteering in my field to get some relevant up to date experience on my CV and so far so goo!

Thanks for the reply, I have thought this to be honest. I don't suppose though that it can do any harm just to ring and ask, did you at least receive my CV? Even if they did and I didn't make a shortlist, at least it would stop me fretting about it and also give me the chance to fix any potential problem with my email if they hadn't received it. The worst they can do is say look, Takemehome, you just didn't cut the mustard, now do one and stop ringing us! What do you think?

I've found you now, so in the spirit of friendliness...

1. Was there a deadline on the job ads? Until this has passed, I would expect to hear nothing. Especially this time of year with holidays etc

2. Were they likely to be mega-popular jobs with lots of applicants? If so, unfortunately some companies don't get back to everyone because they don't have the resource. I advertised a job in the Guardian (small marketing co) and got about 2000 applications or something ridiculous, so we were only able to contact potential interview candidates.

3. If you are worried about email system, no harm in calling the companies to check your application was received and/or getting name of a specific HR contact to resend it too. If you feel uneasy about this, you could always spin a yarn about going away on a short break soon, so wanted to make sure you'd be available should you be called for interview. I think it's a good idea to follow up applications for more senior posts anyway, looks keen and that...

I assume you've checked your sent mail to companies and your friends, for any error messages. Sometimes company firewalls block hotmail emails. Might be worth starting up a non-hotmail account for job applications.

Hope that helps/reassures

Was it a job with an actual company or a recruitment agency? recruitment agencies put up made up jobs all the time to harvest candidates so if it with an agency I wouldn't be too downhearted!

at Enraha, thanks

No there was no deadline listed on the advertisement.

They will not be overly popular jobs, I live in a small market town in Lancashire, most people here, FACT not generalisation, do not work. I would have been less inclined to "fret" about this if I thought that it was the sheer volume/calibre of the applications that had knocked me out of the running so to speak.

I think I will call tomorrow, great idea to say that I am away for a break. At least I will know either way too.

According to the sent mail all my emails have gone through, I believe one of the people who didn't receive the message has just overlooked it.

Am probably being OTT due to stress/urgency of finding a job.

Thanks for advice and replies to both posters.

scarlettsmummy2 - they were actual company email addresses I used. Both jobs were on the DirectGob jobs website so not through agencies.

DirectGOV not DirectGOB!!

Good luck with the call. Nothing ventured...
Are they public sector? Seriously, that could take weeeeeeeeks over the summer.

It is just a small local firm of solicitors.

They might just be really busy in that case, but i don't see anyharm in just phoning them to check they have recieved it.