Have you come across a job ad that has been up for more than a few weeks and wondered if you should apply to something that, statistically, should have already been filled by now? While it’s true that companies get hundreds of applications within the first 24 hours of the job ad being published, there is a lot of value in checking into a job that has been out a little bit longer. Here is a process for doing that.

Do Your Research

If you are curious whether a job is still open, check the company’s website and see if it is still being advertised there. Some job board sites may not automatically take down a job that has been closed, so the company site may have a more up-to-date listing of what is available. Your next step is to find contact information for somebody who works in the company, and especially the department for the job if you can determine that. LinkedIn is a good place to find this info. This person does not need to be the hiring manager, in fact it can be better if they are not, but it should be somebody who may know about the position that needs to be filled. Hiring Managers can be hard to get on the phone, so someone who is in the department, but not in charge of the actual hiring, may be easier to get through to.

Get on the Phone

Once you get the name of a contact, call them. Mention that you noticed the position has been open for a while and ask if they know if it’s still open. Ask if they know why the position seems so hard to fill. Are they looking for a unique skill or background? If the job is still open, close the call by asking if you can send them your resume. They may refer you to their online site to apply or refer you to the hiring manager, but if you can get your resume to the manager from somebody else in the company that gives it a bit of extra attention (remember: referrals can boost your chances of getting hired by 300%).

Apply and Win

Once you have confirmed the job is still open and inquired about why it is still open, you can optimize your application to what others may have been lacking. Hiring Managers may find that they were a bit too strict with previous experience with their first set of candidates, so they may be more willing to consider different sets of skill sets for their next set of interviews.

Remember They May Be Hiring For Other Positions

Even if someone just forgot to take down the job and it has already been filled, doing a cold call can help you talk to someone in the company who may be looking for your skills. It’s a fact that 85% of open jobs are not advertised on job sites, so you may end up being the perfect fit for a job for which the company is not outwardly advertising!