Job applications: how can I improve my response rate?

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/may/08/job-applications-how-can-i-improve-my-response-rate

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Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?

I am a 55-year-old MBA-educated professional who was made redundant in February. Many of the jobs that I apply for are via search firms, either directly or via sites such as exec-appointments.com or executivesontheweb.com.

Only a minority, perhaps as few as 30%, notify me of the (presumably unsuccessful) outcome of an application; some don’t even respond to a follow-up email addressed to a named individual. I find this very frustrating, partly because I consider it to be rather rude but, more importantly, because feedback would be extremely helpful in determining whether such applications are close-run things or wide of the mark.

It also strikes me as short-sighted for them. Maybe I am applying for jobs that I am unsuited for, but they still have to consider me and, given that these are senior roles, wouldn’t it make sense to develop high-level relationships with candidates?

How can I improve the response rate?

Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.