"Shortlisted applicants only": what it means and what to do

Of the 96 roles in our first week's index, 49 say only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.² Almost half.

It means you will not be told if you were not chosen. A quiet inbox is not a "no", and it is not a "yes" either. It is the default.

It also means a late application can lose to a slow one. Nobody is writing back to check.

These steps are our advice, not a rule.

1. Send it before the closing date, not on it. A day early is enough.
2. Note what you sent and when. Add the role to your tracker, with the day.
3. Send the resume the notice asks for, and nothing else. ²
4. Wait until a week after the closing date. Employers often shortlist after it closes.
5. Then follow up once. One short email is fine. Three is not.

Keep it to three lines. Say the role, the day you applied, and one question.

• Subject: "Following up:" and the job title.
• Greeting: the officer the notice names, or "Dear Sir or Madam".

- Body: "I applied for [job title] on [date]. Is the position still open, and is there anything more you need from me? Thank you." - Sign with your name and phone number.

Take it as a no, and apply to the next one. The tracker keeps each closing date, so nothing waits on one reply.