Following Up On a Job Application | Full Guide for 2025

Should You Follow Up On a Job Application?

Yes, in most cases you should follow up on your job application. 

Following up can demonstrate that you’re genuinely interested in the position, and it shows initiative – a quality most employers value highly. It can also help you stand out from other candidates who might not risk taking this extra step.

But sending a follow-up can leave a good or bad impression, depending on how you do it. 

According to our recent HR survey, the majority of hiring managers do prefer that you follow up within one or two weeks, but some prefer that you don’t – 41% don’t want a follow-up at all.

So, how are you supposed to navigate this?

Always read the job ad and the company’s website carefully. If it specifically states something like "no calls or emails," or “only approved candidates will be contacted,” respect that boundary. Some companies have their own career portal – if that’s the case, you might be able to check your application’s status there directly without contacting anyone.

In most cases, sending a single, polite follow-up email after a week or two is perfectly acceptable. That way you convey your interest and show that you respect the hiring manager's time.

The goal of following up on a job application is to gently remind hiring managers about you as a candidate and show your enthusiasm for the role, not to pester them or outright ask for an interview.

But what if you did get that interview, it went great, and they haven’t contacted you since? If they told you they would be in touch, it’s more than appropriate to reach out to them and ask.

So, keep it professional and show humility – they’ll decide if you’re a good candidate themselves; you just need to remind them you’re available.

How to Follow Up On a Job Application

To make things easier, we’ve divided the process of following up on a job application into easy-to-follow steps. Starting with:

#1. Wait for The Appropriate Amount of Time

Following up too soon can make you seem impatient or desperate, but waiting too long might mean the position has already been filled. If you don’t adhere to the follow-up etiquette, it won’t matter how good your resume is – your pushiness will put the hiring manager off.

As a general rule, we recommend this timeline:

• Wait at least one but no more than two weeks after submitting your application before following up.
• If the job posting mentions a timeline (e.g., "we'll be reviewing applications through the end of the month"), wait until after that period before following up with them.
• If the position is advertised as urgent, you can follow up sooner, such as after five business days.

The hiring process often takes longer than you might expect. HR departments review hundreds of resumes, coordinate with busy managers, and handle all sorts of other administrative tasks. Giving them grace and patience shows that you understand professionalism.

#2. Research the Right Contact

Following up with the right person increases your chances of getting a response. You want to address the hiring manager directly, so take your time until you find them.

Here's how:

• Check the job ad to see if it mentions a recruiter or hiring manager by name.
• Visit the company's LinkedIn page and search for recruiters, HR staff, or the head of the department for the role you applied to.
• Use LinkedIn to find employees with titles like "Recruiter," "Talent Acquisition," or "HR Manager" at the company.
• Check the company’s website and the "About Us" or "Team" page to identify any relevant contacts.
• As a last resort, call the company's main number and politely ask for the name and email of the person handling recruitment for your position.

Even if you can only find the hiring manager's name but not their contact information, such as their professional email, you should still address them by name in the email provided by the company (e.g. careers@email.com). You’re showing them that you put in effort to reach out to them, and you’re creating a personal connection that makes you stand out from other applicants.

#3. Choose the Right Communication Channel

Different companies might prefer different communication channels. Before you can actually reach out to them, you need to figure out what works best for your situation.

This step is pretty straightforward - just research the company.

However, some companies only use an internal career portal where you can upload your resume, so you might not be able to find an email, phone number, or contact on LinkedIn. In that case, it might be better not to follow up on your job application at all since the company probably omitted that information on purpose.

Here are the typical communication channels you can use to reach potential employers:

So, sending an email is generally the safest and most widely accepted method for following up on a job application. It's professional, not intrusive, and it gives the recipient time to review your application and respond thoughtfully.

#4. Keep It Short and Relevant

Your follow-up message should be brief, professional, and to the point. Hiring managers are busy people – and they already have a cover letter from you. Your follow-up should simply serve as a quick reminder about your candidacy.

Here’s what to include:

• A greeting that addresses the hiring manager by name.
• A reminder of who you are and what position you applied for. Always include the date you submitted your application to help them locate it.
• An expression of your interest in the role and a very concise mention of why you think you're qualified for it, such as one or two skills relevant to the job.
• A polite question, either about your application status or the hiring timeline.
• A call to action that makes it clear what you're hoping for, such as an interview opportunity or a heads-up about how your application is moving.
• A formal closing line with your full name, phone number, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable).

If you’re sending an email, be sure to also add a clear subject line that mentions the position you applied for. This immediately tells the hiring manager the purpose of your email, so they’re less likely to miss it or mark it as spam. Here are some examples:

Be sure to keep your entire message under 200 words. Remember, you just need to remind them that you’re interested in the job. You don’t want to overwhelm them with information they already have from your resume.

#5. Send Your Follow-Up at the Right Time

While there’s a certain amount of time you should wait before sending your follow-up, it also matters when you send it.

This might seem like a minor detail but it could increase your chances of getting the hiring manager’s attention. 

It’s generally recommended that you send a follow-up in the middle of the week, so Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Monday is too busy - HRs have to catch up on their emails from over the weekend, and it’ll be easy to miss yours. Friday afternoon is when people are winding down, so they’re less likely to think about your application – if they see your message at all.

As for the time of day, there are two ideal windows: between seven and ten in the morning or between three and five in the afternoon, since that’s when the HR manager is most likely to check their email.

#6. Keep Track of Your Follow-Ups

When you're actively job hunting, you're probably applying to multiple positions at various companies. Without a system to track your applications and follow-ups, things can quickly get confusing and disorganized.

So, you need a simple tracking system to manage your job search. You can:

• Use a spreadsheet. Add columns for company name, position, application date, follow-up dates, contact person, and notes about each interaction.
• Set calendar reminders. This way, you know when to follow up on each application, and it prevents you from forgetting or following up too early.
• Take detailed notes. Any communication with a potential employer is worth recording, so include what was discussed, any promises made, and your next steps.
• Update it regularly. You don’t want anything falling through the cracks, so update your tracking system immediately after each interaction.
• Color-code everything. Adding a splash of a different color on your applications based on their status (e.g., applied, followed up, interview scheduled, rejected) can help you keep track of them more easily.

Since keeping track of your job application can be a hassle, we recommend trying a specialized job tracking tool to save yourself some time.

This way, you can focus more on analyzing any patterns in your job search. You might notice that specific industries have longer response times. This could help you refine your approach and set realistic expectations as your job search continues.

#7. Know When to Move On

While persistence can demonstrate your interest, there is a fine line between being persistent and pushy. You need to know when to redirect your energy so your job search can be successful.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Accept that you won’t get a response to every application. Most companies are overwhelmed with applications, so they’re unlikely to respond to everyone who applies.
• Consider an application closed if you've followed up three times over several weeks without getting a response. Beyond this point, waiting for or contacting them is just counterproductive.
• Check for changes in the job posting. If the position is removed from the company's website or job boards, then they've either filled the role or put hiring on hold.
• If you do get a response and it’s a rejection, take it gracefully. Respond briefly by thanking them for their consideration so they can remember you positively if more opportunities arise in the future. 
• Prioritize applications where you've received some form of contact, even if it's just an acknowledgment.
• Reflect during the application process. Consider what you learned and how you might improve your approach for future applications.

Not getting a response doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not qualified – sometimes, you’re just not lucky and someone gets the role before you do. For every position you don't hear back from, other potential employers will find that your skills and work experience are a perfect match, so save your energy and enthusiasm for them.

5 Tips for Following Up On a Job Application

You know the steps to follow up on a job application, so now you just need to consider a few tips to make sure your message leaves a good impression on the hiring manager.

Be sure to:

1. Be polite and professional. Maintain an appropriate tone throughout your message, whether it’s written down or over the phone. Make sure you don’t convey any frustration or entitlement, even if you've been waiting around for a response for weeks.
2. Focus on your qualifications. Very briefly remind them about some of your relevant skills or your greatest strength that matches the job requirements. This serves as a quick reminder of why you're a strong candidate.
3. Include any necessary materials. If you have any new achievements or relevant examples since your application, mention them to show your continued professional development.
4. Ask specific questions. Try to end with a question about the next steps or the hiring timeline. This encourages a response more than just asking if they received your application.
5. Proofread carefully. A follow-up with typos can undo the good impression your application made. Check your message multiple times before sending it – hiring managers all agree that poor grammar and typos are one of their biggest pet peeves.

Plug & Play Job Application Follow-Up Templates

Not sure what to write in your follow-up message? No worries!

Just copy any of our plug-and-play job application follow-up templates and replace the placeholders in the brackets with your information.

FAQs About Following Up On a Job Application

Do you still have some questions regarding job application follow-ups? Check out the answers below:

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end of our guide – good job!

By now you know everything there is to know about following up on a job application.

Before we send you on your way to secure that dream job, let’s just recap the key points we covered in this article:

• It’s perfectly acceptable to contact an employer if you’ve submitted a job application and haven’t heard back from them in several weeks. Most hiring managers prefer that you do so within one or two weeks.
• Be patient and research the company to determine whether following up at all is the right call, and if so, which channel you should use for that.
• Find out the hiring manager’s name so you can address them directly and establish a personal connection. Keep your message short and to the point.
• If you’re juggling several job applications, create a functional system to keep track of them. Whether you design a spreadsheet or use a professional job tracker, this will let you know when to reach out to them again and when it’s time to just move on.
• Don’t be discouraged if you don’t receive a response, just focus your energy on other opportunities until you make it.