How to Follow Up on a Job Application

When to follow up

About one to two weeks after you apply. That gives the employer time to look at applications without your message getting lost among them. If the posting gave a closing date or said when they would be in touch, wait until a few days after it.

If the posting asks for no calls or emails, respect that: a follow-up will not help there.

Who to write to

The person named in the posting or in the email that confirmed your application, if there is one.
The recruiter or hiring manager for the team, if you can find them. A message to a person is likelier to be read than one to a general inbox.
The company’s careers or hiring email, when no one is named.

What to say

Keep it short: four or five sentences. Name the job and the date you applied, say you are still interested, give one reason you fit, and ask if they need anything else. Don’t attach your resume again unless they asked for it; they have it.

A follow-up email you can copy

Subject: Following up on my application: [Job title]

Hello [Name], I applied for the [Job title] position on [date] and wanted to follow up. I am still very interested in the role, and my experience with [one thing from the posting you have done] fits what you are looking for. Is there anything else I can send to help with your decision? I would be glad to talk whenever suits you. Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Phone number]

Replace everything in [brackets], and change the middle sentence to something true for you and this job.

After an interview

Send a short thank-you within a day: thank them for their time and mention one thing you talked about. Then, if they told you when you would hear back, wait until that day has passed before you follow up.

How many times to follow up

Once, then once more about a week later if there is still no answer. After that, put your time into new applications. A company that does not answer two polite messages has given you its answer, and many never reply at all, whatever they decide.

Where the answer will come from

From the employer: their email, their careers site, or a phone call. Watch your spam folder for the company’s name, and keep the confirmation email you got when you applied, so you know which address they write from.

Keep a listWrite down each job, the date you applied and the date to follow up. Jobareer’s application tracker does this, and shows each follow-up when it is due.

Ask for a referralSomeone who works there can pass your name on. In the tracker, Ask for a referral finds people to message and drafts the request.

Apply earlyThe first applications to a posting are the likeliest to be read. Job alerts send new postings for your title as they come in.