Most applications disappear into silence. A well-timed follow-up will not rescue a hopeless application, but it does two useful things: it moves you from a database row to a name, and it tells you when to stop waiting and spend your energy elsewhere.
The timing
- Do not follow up within the first week. Nothing has happened yet. Chasing early reads as anxiety.
- First follow-up: 7–10 working days after applying, or two working days after any stated decision date has passed.
- Second and final follow-up: one week after the first. If there is still no answer, treat it as a no and move on. A third message costs you more than it gains.
After an interview the clock is faster: follow up within 24 hours with a thank-you note, then chase if the date they gave you passes by two working days.
Who to contact
In order of usefulness:
- The named recruiter or hiring manager in the advert. Always use the named person if there is one.
- The internal talent team, findable on the company site or a professional network. Search the company plus "talent" or "recruiter".
- The generic careers inbox. Lowest response rate, but it costs nothing.
Do not message the hiring manager on three channels at once. One channel, one message.
What to write
Keep it under 120 words, make it easy to answer, and give the reader a reason to reply that is not simply your curiosity.
Template 1 — first chase after applying:
> Subject: Application for [Role] — [Your Name] > > Hello [Name], > > I applied for the [Role] position on [date] and wanted to check the application arrived safely. > > The part of the brief that caught my attention was [specific detail from the advert]. In my last role I [one sentence of directly relevant evidence with a number]. > > Happy to send anything else that would help. Is there a rough timeline for first conversations? > > Best regards, > [Name] — [phone]
Template 2 — after an interview, no response by the promised date:
> Hello [Name], > > Thanks again for the conversation on [date] — I enjoyed hearing about [specific thing]. > > You mentioned you expected to decide by [date]. I wanted to check whether there is any update, and whether you need anything further from me. > > I remain very interested in the role. > > Best regards, > [Name]
Template 3 — the closing message:
> Hello [Name], > > I have not heard back on [Role], so I will assume the process has moved on. Thank you for considering my application. > > If something similar opens later I would welcome the conversation — I am particularly interested in [area]. > > Best regards, > [Name]
That last one is not a gesture of defeat. It closes the loop politely and is the message most likely to get a genuine reply, sometimes including honest feedback.
What not to do
- Do not send the same message to five people at the company on the same day.
- Do not ask "any update?" with no context — the recruiter is running twenty roles and will not remember yours.
- Do not express frustration, however justified. It is remembered and the industry is small.
- Do not attach your CV again in the follow-up unless you are also attaching something new, such as a portfolio piece.
Track it, then move on
Keep a simple sheet: role, employer, date applied, source, follow-up dates, outcome. Two things come out of it. First, you stop double-applying and stop forgetting to chase. Second, after thirty applications you can see which sources and which types of employer actually reply — and that pattern should change where you spend your time far more than any individual follow-up ever will.