Have you applied for a job at your dream company but have received no reply yet? Don’t let this rejection demotivate you! There is always the option to re-apply. But how long should you wait before applying for the same job again?

You should wait at least 3 months before applying for the same job again. If the position is still open at this time, it’s a good reminder that you are eager for the role. If the application closed then opened up again, don’t hesitate to re-apply. This shows your continued interest in the position.

You can tweak your resumé, revise your cover letter, and re-apply for the same job, a couple of months after you send your first application. Read on to find out more!

Should you apply for the same job more than once?

It’s a good idea to apply for the same job more than once if you wait the right amount of time. The recommended timeframe to wait out is at least 3 months. This gives the company enough time to start sorting through the job applications and get an idea of what they are looking for. If the job application never closed, they haven’t found the right person yet. So, you could tweak your cover letter a bit and re-evaluate your resumé. See how well what you have written matches what they are looking for. Find the ways in which you are most compatible with the company and position and highlight that on your second application. Then re-apply!

If the job application did close, but you notice it open again before 3 months is over, definitely re-apply! There is a whole range of reasons as to why the position has opened again, but the main point is that it is another opportunity for you. Once again, you should be reevaluating your application against their descriptions. This way you can be sure you’re explaining why you are a great candidate for the job. Then send on through your application again.

Maybe you secured an interview the first-time round, but you weren’t offered the job, or you declined the job offer. You might think you’re still the right person for the position and want to join the company. This is a chance to apply for the same job again. You might have only just missed out on the role last time and this way the employers know you’re still interested!

After the second job application, you should wait much longer before deciding to re-apply. If two applications haven’t been successful, you are likely lacking a skill or experience. Use this time to find a different job that will help you build up your skills more. But if you were really keen on the initial job, keep your eye out. In 12 months the application could open again. If it has been a year or more, then you can consider applying for a third time.

Why should you apply for the same job again?

There are a variety of reasons to apply for the same job again. The first is that the company might have already picked a worker before you applied. But if that worker backs out for some reason, then the application will open again. This is when you should re-apply!

Another reason that could influence you to apply for the same job again is talking to recruitment managers. If you are using a recruitment company to find work, they might encourage you to re-apply for a job. This could be because there is a demand for more workers or they know that there have been changes to the position that benefits you. For example, a recruitment labour company works with both employers and workers. They might have a returning employer that is seeking new labour workers for the same job. The employers will talk to the recruitment company about this and then the recruitment managers will reach out to you.

Sometimes, if the hiring team doesn’t find candidates that match the skills the company requires, the posting may get re-listed. But this time, the advertisement could have a slight difference in the skills, experience, or other requirements. For example, if the listing requires candidates with more than 10 years of experience, and none of the candidates fulfilled this requirement, the company might change this to 5 years. If you have only 7 years of experience and still applied for the first time, you may not have heard back from the company. But if you apply for the second time, you have a better chance of getting the job.

You could decline a job offer the first time round and still have a chance by applying to the same job again. Everyone’s situations change and now might be a better time for you to take the role!

How to apply for the same job again

There are some extra steps to take when applying for the same job again. If you’re applying for the job online, it’s likely that the company is using resumé screening software to filter candidates. If you didn’t hear back from the company the first time around, your application might have gotten filtered out from the system. Or maybe key skills weren’t highlighted enough for the employers to see. Follow the tips below to successfully re-apply for the same job:

Don’t send the same resumé when you are applying for the second time.

Update your resumé to match the skills and responsibilities required for the job. For example, change your professional title to match the job position and change the order of your skills. Reword your resumé and cover letter to complement the language in the job description. You can even change the colours, fonts, and layout of the resumé. Some hiring managers gravitate towards a certain type of layout. If the layout of your resumé didn’t grab their attention the first time, a change in layout might bring better luck the second time.

Re-read and analyse the cover letter you first sent carefully.

Try to see the points you can improve in your cover letter. In your new cover letter, you can even mention that it’s your second time applying, reiterating your interest in the company and the role. Make sure that you have written the cover letter well, in a way that emphasizes your compatibility with this job. This way you are highlighting your reasoning for applying to the same job again.

Include the keywords from the job listing.

Every job description has keywords for the role, including certain skills and company values. You want to make sure that you include these in both your cover letter and resumé. This will stand out in an online filtering system because the program is searching for those keywords. Plus, the employer will see that you have carefully read the job description multiple times. You will be further backing up your application by using their keywords.

Try using a different email address and phone number on a second job application.

Some recruiting systems take note of all your details after your first application. This means that if you apply for the same job again, your application could be filtered out almost immediately. If you have a second email and/or contact number, put these on your new application. This will help reduce your chances of your resumé being filtered out.

Re-submitting your application for a job you really desire might actually help you bag that job. But you should at least wait for three months before applying for the same job again or until that job vacancy is listed again. Remember to make changes to your cover letter and resumé when re-applying to a job!

Some people get very anxious about new jobs, which is why communication with employers is so important. But the good news is that we have the best advice for your job anxiety, especially your first graduate job! There are lots more career advice in our other articles, so be sure to check some out! Alongside our workplace and labour resource articles, Rednax Recruitment is proud to connect employers with reliable skilled and general labour workers.