Vacancy closed early

[ShimmyShimmer]

I have been working on a job application which said applications would close in a month's time but they reserved the right to close the vacancy early if sufficient applications received. I was delaying submitting my application because something relevant I have written is going to be published this week and I wanted to include a link to it. There are still two weeks to go until the close date, but this morning, I noticed that the vacancy has disappeared from their website and recruitment agency website, however, I managed to submit it via a link which was emailed to me because I had started the application.

Should I follow up with an email to explain why I hadn't submitted earlier and ask that my application be considered?

I have qualifications and experience which are very relevant to the role, but I suspect many apply because it says it is suitable for wfh, even though they have no experience in this niche area.

Back in the day, a closing date meant a closing date, so this is all new to me. I'm never late for anything so I am really kicking myself over this, especially as I spent a long time tailoring the application.

Do it. Nothing to loose.

Did you apply through the recruitment agency? If so, I’d call the recruiter.

Otherwise yes, I’d email. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Do it. I've just closed an ad early due to volume of applications but wouldn't ever overlook someone otherwise ideal for the role because of it.

Well it didn’t have a specific closing date as it said they reserve the right to close early if they had sufficient applications, which is probably what happened here. You do need to apply early where there’s competitive roles to avoid this.

There’s no harm in following up with them, you could say that you submitted via the link that was sent to you, however when you checked back on their website the advert had disappeared and you would like to make sure they have received the application as it’s a role you are very interested in due to your XYZ experience.

I work in recruitment and we can also close jobs early which I think is ridiculous. Working to deadlines does not mean getting things done super early, and you should be able to plan around a closing date. You never know who’s shortlisting or how they’ll be thinking, but personally if you emailed me, and explained specifically why you were holding off, it would probably make me pay a bit more attention to your application. But to others it would draw attention that you’d not applied before it closed and they could hold it against you.

Which i appreciate isn’t super helpful!

Oh how annoying for you! The same thing happened to DH a couple of months ago on a really niche role he was perfect for and lived near to. Unfortunately there was no way to submit an application after it closed. I'm sure a recruiter will weigh in on this as I can see a couple on the thread but I think the volume of applications for all jobs has gone through the roof since WFH because anyone can apply for most roles from anywhere. I hope you get somewhere with your application.

Do it. Depends on your field though. Medical jobs at present after often shut within hourly lately as receive 5k applications for a single job

I saw this on an internal advert at work for the first time recently. I was really surprised as whenever I advertise a job it’s really hard to get any good applicants.

There’s no harm in trying.

Worst case if you send it - you wasted a few minutes writing an email that made no differnce

Worst case if you don't - you miss out on a great job

It seems to me you have much more to gain than to lose by sending it!

I agree you have nothing to lose.

Just because they have a lot of candidates doesn't mean they're all good or even worth interviewing.

I applied for a job not so long ago in a very niche field and I later heard there were 25 applications and I was one of only 4 they thought were worth interviewing.

I didn't get the job, which I'm fine with as it turned out to be slightly misrepresented in the vacancy listing and I only applied for it in an attempt to put a rocket under my current employer's arse re pay and conditions and they're finally doing this anyway for our whole team after several years of underpaying people and watching them leave for competitors.

Do it. My employer does this and I think it’s poor practice. It discriminates against people who have to plan their time carefully and I feel these people are more likely to be carer and therefore women.

We had a role recently which was advertised in a similar way, i.e. applications invited until the end of June, unless the role is filled sooner. In the first week we had 190 CVs, about 10 of which were good candidates, so we closed it early.