How to Follow Up on a Job Application (With Email Templates)

You submitted your application. Now you are waiting. A week passes. Then another. The silence is frustrating — and it leaves most candidates wondering whether to follow up at all, and if so, how.

The answer is yes, you should follow up. Done well, a follow-up email demonstrates initiative, professionalism, and genuine interest in the role. Done badly, it can come across as impatient or pushy. The difference is almost entirely in the timing and the wording.

This guide gives you the exact timing to use, what to say at each stage, and ready-to-use email templates for four situations: following up after submitting your application, after an interview, after a second interview, and after weeks of silence.

Should You Always Follow Up?

Not in every case. There are situations where following up is clearly appropriate and situations where it is best to hold back.

Follow up when:

The job posting gave no timeline and more than one week has passed
The employer gave a decision date that has now passed
You have had an interview and not heard back within the stated timeframe
You have a genuine connection to someone at the company you can write to directly

Do not follow up when:

The posting explicitly says "no follow-up calls or emails"
You applied less than a week ago
You have already followed up once and received no response
The role is with a very large employer running a high-volume process — these rarely respond to individual follow-ups

When to Follow Up: The Right Timing at Each Stage

Timing is everything. Too soon and you look impatient. Too late and the decision has already been made without you.

After submitting your application

Wait at least five to seven business days before following up. Most hiring processes take time to sort applications and any sooner reads as pushy. If the posting listed a specific application deadline, wait until two to three business days after that date has passed before following up.

After an interview

Send a thank you email within 24 hours of the interview. If you have not heard back by the date the interviewer said they would be in touch — or within five to seven business days if no timeline was given — it is appropriate to follow up with a brief check-in.

After a second or final-round interview

The same rule applies: follow up within 24 hours with a thank you, then check in if you have not heard within the stated timeframe or within one week.

After complete silence

If you applied and heard nothing at all, one follow-up after seven to ten business days is reasonable. If that also receives no response, it is best to move on. Most companies that are interested will respond to a single prompt; a second chase rarely changes the outcome.

Follow-Up Email Templates

Template 1: Following Up After Submitting Your Application

Use this when you have applied and not heard anything after one week. Keep it brief — you are checking in, not reapplying.

Subject: Following Up — [Job Title] Application — [Your Name]

Hi [Hiring Manager's Name / "Hiring Team" if unknown],

I wanted to follow up on my application for the [Job Title] role, which I submitted on [date].

I am very interested in this opportunity and would welcome the chance to discuss how my background in [relevant area] could contribute to [Company Name]. Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Phone number]
[LinkedIn URL — optional]

Tips for this template:

If you do not know the hiring manager's name, check LinkedIn or the company website before defaulting to "Hiring Team"
Keep the subject line specific — include the job title and your name so it is easy to find
Do not repeat your cover letter; this is a nudge, not a second application

Template 2: Following Up After an Interview (No Response)

Use this five to seven business days after your interview if the interviewer gave no timeline, or after the date they said they would be in touch has passed.

Subject: Following Up — [Job Title] Interview — [Your Name]

Hi [Interviewer's Name],

I hope you are well. I wanted to follow up after our interview on [date] for the [Job Title] role.

I really enjoyed our conversation — particularly [specific topic from the interview]. It reinforced my enthusiasm for the role and I am confident I could make a strong contribution.

I understand hiring decisions take time and I do not want to rush the process. I just wanted to reiterate my interest and ask if there is any update on the timeline.

Thank you again for your time.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Tips for this template:

The specific reference to something from the interview makes this feel personal rather than templated
The line acknowledging that hiring decisions take time softens the follow-up and shows self-awareness
Send it to the person who interviewed you, not a general inbox if you can avoid it

Template 3: Following Up After a Second or Final-Round Interview

The stakes are higher here and your tone can be slightly more direct. You have invested significant time in this process and so has the employer.

Subject: Re: [Job Title] — Following Up — [Your Name]

Hi [Interviewer's Name],

I hope things are going well. I wanted to follow up following our second interview on [date] for the [Job Title] position.

I remain very excited about the opportunity — the conversations across both rounds only strengthened my interest, and I feel strongly that [specific reason you are a great fit].

Could you give me an update on where things stand and what the next steps might be? I am happy to provide any additional information that would help with the decision.

Thank you again for the time and consideration.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Template 4: Following Up After Complete Silence

Use this when you applied, heard nothing for ten or more business days, and want to make one final attempt before moving on.

Subject: [Job Title] Application — [Your Name]

Hi [Hiring Manager's Name / "Hiring Team"],

I applied for the [Job Title] role on [date] and wanted to briefly follow up to confirm my application was received and to reiterate my interest in the position.

I am very keen on this opportunity and believe my background in [relevant area] would be a strong fit. If the role is still open, I would welcome the chance to speak further.

Thank you for your time.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Phone number]

Tips for this template:

Mentioning that you want to "confirm my application was received" gives the employer an easy reason to respond even if it is just to confirm receipt
Keep your tone neutral — do not express frustration at the silence even if you feel it
If this also receives no response, treat the role as closed and redirect your energy

How to Find the Hiring Manager's Name

A personalised follow-up email is significantly more likely to get a response than one addressed to "Hiring Team." Here is how to find the right person:

LinkedIn — search for the company name and filter by job title. Look for a hiring manager, recruiter, talent acquisition specialist, or the head of the team the role sits in.

The job posting — sometimes the contact is named directly in the listing, particularly for smaller employers.

The company website — the team or about pages of smaller companies often list names and roles.

Email signature patterns — if you have had any prior email contact with the company, check the format of their email addresses. Most companies use firstname.lastname@company.com or firstinitiallastname@company.com. Once you know the pattern you can work out the hiring manager's address from their name.

If you genuinely cannot find a name, "Dear Hiring Team" or "Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team" is a neutral fallback.

What Happens After You Follow Up

One of three things will happen:

You get a response with an update.

Note the new timeline they give you and follow up again only if that date passes without further contact. If they invite you to prepare for your interview, use that time well.

You get a rejection.

Disappointing but useful. A clear no lets you move on and redirect your effort. Reply briefly and graciously — hiring managers talk to each other, and a professional response to a rejection is remembered. If an offer does come, knowing how to negotiate your salary is your next priority.

You hear nothing.

After one follow-up with no response, treat the role as closed. Some companies have poor communication processes and simply do not respond to every applicant. This says nothing about your candidacy — it is a reality of high-volume hiring. Move on.

While You Wait: Strengthen Your Next Application

The waiting period after applying is a good time to review the strength of your resume for other roles you are targeting. Rather than refreshing your inbox, use the time productively.

resum8 lets you tailor your CV to each job description — it checks which keywords and skills from the posting are present in your resume and flags what is missing. If you are not getting responses on your applications, that is often a signal worth investigating before sending more of the same thing. The guides to ATS keywords and your skills section cover what to check and how to fix it.

Quick Checklist: Following Up the Right Way

Waited at least five to seven business days before following up on an application
Sent a thank you email within 24 hours of any interview
Personalised the follow-up with the hiring manager's name and a specific detail
Kept the email short — three to five sentences is enough
Did not follow up more than once if there was no response to the first chase
Sent the email on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning for the best chance of being read

Make Every Application Stronger Before You Send

resum8 compares your CV against the job description and shows you exactly which keywords and skills are missing — before you apply, not after.

Try resum8 Free

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I wait before following up on a job application?

Wait at least five to seven business days after submitting your application. If the posting stated an application deadline, wait two to three business days after that date passes before following up. Following up before a week has elapsed almost always reads as impatient.

Is it appropriate to follow up on a job application?

Yes, in most cases. A single, well-timed follow-up email shows initiative and genuine interest. Avoid following up if the posting explicitly says not to, if you applied less than a week ago, or if the employer is running a high-volume graduate or mass-hiring process.

What should I say when following up on a job application?

Keep it brief. Confirm your interest, mention the specific role and application date, offer to provide any additional information, and thank them for their time. Do not repeat your cover letter or press for a decision — three to five sentences is the right length.

Should I follow up by phone or email?

Email is almost always the better choice. It gives the hiring manager the flexibility to respond when convenient, creates a written record, and avoids putting anyone on the spot. Only call if the job posting specifically listed a phone number for enquiries.

What if I have already followed up and heard nothing?

One follow-up with no response is a signal to move on. A second chase rarely produces a different result and risks leaving a negative impression. Redirect your energy to other applications — the time is better spent strengthening your CV than waiting on an unresponsive employer.

How do I follow up after an interview?

Send a thank you email after your interview within 24 hours. If you have not heard back by the stated timeline — or within five to seven business days — send a brief check-in email referencing your conversation and reiterating your interest. Keep it to three or four sentences.