How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job In 11 Steps

Written By Shahzaib Arshad

 If you are looking for new employment, the best way is to ask friends and family or previous coworkers. Here’s how to reach out to old boss for a job.

When someone gets termination, they want to get back into the workforce and land a new job.

Most people realize it’s going to be a tough road. Likewise, it can be challenging to find a suitable position after being out of work for even three months.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job In 11 Steps

If this is your situation, here are some valuable tips on what you should do if you want to get hired by your old boss:

1. First Get A Good Evaluation:

If your termination was due to performance, get an honest evaluation of why you are not working.

Your former boss should be willing to give you some good feedback.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job

In this way, there will be no doubt in your mind that they want you back on the team. It helps with future job hunting.

Likewise, it can also prevent any legal issues down the road if they want to hire you again sometime in the future.

2. Make Sure You Didn’t Get Termination For Cause:

Make sure that the actual reason for leaving has nothing to do with:

– Stealing

– Sexual harassment or other things like that. These types of allegations can follow you forever. Therefore, they make getting a job almost impossible.

If these are accusations against you, it’s essential to overcome them first. Please do not reach out to your former boss without dealing with them.

3. After You Get Your Evaluation, Reach Out To Your Former Boss:

Now you have an evaluation of what you did right and wrong during your employment with the company. The next step is simple: reach out.

Find out how to contact them directly or try their secretary if they are no longer employed there.

Then send over a formal letter summarizing what you’ve done since then. Mention why they should take another chance on hiring you.

4. Send A Strong Resume And Cover Letter With The Job Application:

Once again, make sure these are professional-looking documents. Your resume and cover letter should stand out from the others.

resume

If you want to ensure that your former boss gives you a call or email, see if they are on LinkedIn. Many people use this social media site to connect with past company employees.

5. Don’t Call Or Email Right Away:

It’s essential that you give your old boss time to think about what you’ve said. Please do not call or email them again.

Six months might seem like a long time, but they are likely busy with other things at work right now. Many bosses appreciate it when someone takes the initiative and follows up once in a while.

6. Use The Internet To Keep In Touch:

To stand out from the crowd, you need to be proactive. Connect with your old boss through social media sites like:

– Facebook

– Twitter or

– LinkedIn

You can also join industry-related forums where they might come across your name.

7. If At First, You Don’t Succeed, Try Again:

If one person doesn’t want to hire you for whatever reason, it doesn’t mean that no one will ever want to hire you again.

Many people have a terrible experience in their last job. However, this does not mean that other bosses won’t give them another chance.

It is always better if this former boss is the one who hires you again.

terrible experience

Otherwise, try other methods to get in touch with them. For example:

– Reach out through the company’s tips line

– Even call at night when your former boss might be working.

8. How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job – Keep Your Mind Open:

Even if they don’t want to hire you back right away, it doesn’t mean that they never will in the future. 

Try not to take rejection personally. If things are to work out for the best, they will.

9. Ask If There Is Another Position That You Can Apply For Now:

If no full-time position is open, ask if you could apply for part-time or contract work. 

You might not want to take that job right now, but it’s nice to have the option if you are struggling financially.

10. Ask About Open Positions:

Once again, try LinkedIn and social media sites for this purpose. If your old company is active on something like Facebook or Twitter, send them a message. 

Moreover, if they have a phone number, an old boss might answer your call.

11. Contact Your Old Boss’ Competitors:

If your old company doesn’t have any positions open, try the companies in their industry. Skip this step if you are desperate for work.

old company

Even though you don’t know where they stand with your former boss, it can pay off to get in touch with them.

If all else fails, it is time to leave the ball in your old boss’s court. It might take a long time before they do so, which might hurt your job prospects. 

However, you never know if they want to hire you back until you try.

How Is Reaching Out To Old Boss For A Job A Good Decision?

Even if contacting your former boss might help your job prospects, there’s a chance that it won’t. 

However, there are many benefits to staying in contact with them:

– You can make sure that your old boss knows where you work and how they can reach you

– It is possible the old boss might not be able to hire you back right away. Here they will know about the current opportunities available for people like you. 

It is beneficial if someone leaves or gets fired at their company.

old bosses

– Old bosses often stay in touch with past employees and industry contacts. It could lead to good news down the road.

Rather than seeing it as a waste of time, think of it as a good investment.

– Your old boss might be able to tell you more about the reasons why they don’t want to hire you back. 

Moreover, you can use this information for future job applications.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job When They Fired You

If your old boss fired you and there is no possibility that they will take you back, do not contact them. They might see this as a form of harassment. 

They will move on with their life without ever hiring someone like that again. It’s better to leave things in the past than risk your reputation by reaching out to them.

Close the loop on your last job by following up with your old boss after you leave. It will help further your career, even if they are not hiring right now. 

Remember that it’s important to stay open-minded throughout this process. Do not take the rejection personally. Good luck on the job hunt.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job When They Hired Someone Else

If your old boss hired someone else after you quit, it’s understandable that they won’t take you back.

They already picked their new hire over you. It doesn’t matter how much better an employee you are or what qualifications you have.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job process

The hiring process can be stressful on the company’s end. You decided to leave your boss with no choice but to look for other candidates at the time of your resignation. 

After taking time off from work, consider reaching out to former bosses. Ask them for advice on how to get back into the workforce. “Reaching out” might lead to a better opportunity.

How To Reach Out To Old Boss For A Job When They Quit?

If your reaching out to old boss for job, you might not find them. Especially if leaving was somewhat of an emergency or happened quickly.

If they quit another position in another company at the same level/pay grade, it could happen. Your old boss might put them on their payroll as an external contact. 

If that’s the case, it’s worth reaching out because there is something in it for them, too.

linkedin to reach out to old boss for a job

Do try contacting your former boss via LinkedIn first. It might lead to a better chance of success.

What If My Old Boss Never Replied To My Message?

If you try messaging your old boss and never receive a response, it might be time to give up. There is a chance that they don’t want to work with someone like yourself again.

Don’t take it personally. It may only lead to them blocking you from contacting them altogether.

Conclusion:

Reach out to an old boss for a job, create a proper plan, and use the internet to keep in touch.

Moreover, could you not call or email them again? It is better to give them time to think about what you have told them.

When you first contact your former boss, there might be other positions that you can apply for now. If this is the case, ask about it before moving forward with another action plan.

If things are not working out as you had hoped, it is time to leave the ball in your old boss’s court. If you want success, apply these suggestions and strategies.

Last Updated on 5 months by Saad

Shahzaib Arshad
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