“Future Consideration” on a Job Application Response

Have you ever heard someone say “I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you?”

This is sometimes the way that people try to soften the blow of delivering bad news.

There are also some stock phrases that you often encounter when someone is trying to deliver news to you that isn’t great.

“Future consideration” is part of a stock phrase often used by hiring manager and human resources departments.

Keep reading to find out what it means in the world of job hunting!
 

What does “future consideration” mean on a job application response?

If you applied for a job that you did not get, the rejection email or letter might say, “We will keep your application on file for future consideration.” This is a polite way of telling you that your job application was not successful, but they might keep you in mind for other positions.
 

Why would an employer use “future consideration” in response to a job application?

You’ve just heard back from a job you applied for, but unfortunately, you didn’t get it.

However, it looks like the news isn’t all bad! Your rejection message probably has a sentence like one of these in it:

We will keep your resume on file for future consideration.

We will retain your application for future consideration.

Does this mean that you might hear back from the same company in a few weeks or a few months, offering you a job or at least a job interview?

You might. However, it’s probably a good idea not to count on this.

This is a standard polite phrase that could mean a few different things.
 

“We really liked you and we’ll be in contact later”

Sometimes, the competition between job applicants is very close.

One or more of the people that you interviewed with may have wanted to hire you, or you might have been one of two or three exceptionally strong candidates.

When you encounter a statement that your application will be kept on file for future consideration, the least likely outcome is that you will hear from the company again.

However, this isn’t always true!

If the first candidate they offer the job to turns it down, they may contact you.

If you made a great impression on one or more of the interviewers and they want to fight to hire you, you may also hear from them in the future.
 

“You’ll never hear from us again”

Sometimes, a statement that your application will be retained for future consideration is not really true.

This is what is sometimes referred to as a “white lie,” meaning that the truth is withheld to avoid upsetting someone.

The hiring manager pitched all the applications in the garbage once they had their candidate.

However, the company does appreciate your time and effort, and they are trying to convey that with the line about future consideration even if it isn’t true.
 

“We keep all job applications on file for a little while”

Probably the most likely possibility is that the company or organization has a policy of hanging onto all job applications for a certain amount of time.

However, if the same position or another position in the company opens up, they will probably put up a new ad and try to get in a new round of applications.

In some organizations, such as government jobs, there may be certain requirements to follow when a new job opens that includes an effort to recruit a wide variety of new applicants through job postings.

The people in charge of hiring are unlikely to go digging through old resumes and applications in hopes that the applicant is still interested.

There is one exception. This phrase might also be used if you applied not for a single position but with a company that tends to keep a pool of applicants.

For example, maybe it is a tutoring business that matches your skills with their clients’ needs.

The company may be perfectly satisfied with your application and your qualifications, but perhaps your specialty is tutoring algebra and they don’t have any students at the moment who are looking for an algebra tutor.

In that case, you may get a reply that says something specific like this:

At present, we are only hiring tutors in English and Spanish. However, we may need algebra tutors later in the school year, so we will keep your application on file for future consideration.

These types of organizations really do go back and look over their “pool” sometimes to match candidates with job opportunities.

You can always follow up with them in a few months and see if you need to resubmit.

One good way to do this if you are worried about being too pushy is to ask if you can submit “an updated application.”
 

What if there is another job opening with the same company?

The bottom line is that if you see the same company advertising another job, you shouldn’t assume that you don’t need to reapply.

It’s always a good idea to fill out a new application or send along another resume just to be on the safe side.

When you do, you don’t have to mention your previous application.

Submitting a new application won’t count against you even if the company did say they would keep your resume for future consideration.

The only situation in which you would not resend an application is if the company specifically says that you should not if you have previously applied.

Of course, if you end up interviewing with the same people and they remember you, it is natural to acknowledge that you have been there before!