Applying, step by step · 5 min read
When and how should I follow up on a job application?
Wait about a week or two after the closing date, then send one short, polite note. After an interview, thank them within a day.
The short answer
After applying, wait until about a week or two after the closing date, or two weeks after applying if there isn't one. Then send one short note to the recruiter or hiring manager: the role, the date you applied, one line on why you're a strong match, and a polite question about timing. After an interview, send a thank-you within a day. If you hear nothing after one follow-up, record it and move on; silence is common and usually about volume.
On this page 4 sections
When to send what
| After | Wait | Send |
|---|---|---|
| Applying | 1-2 weeks after the closing date | A short note asking about timing |
| An interview | Same or next day | A thank-you with one thing you enjoyed discussing |
| A promised decision date passes | 2-3 working days | A polite check on timing |
| A rejection | Same week, optional | Thanks, and a request for brief feedback |
A follow-up note
Hi Alex, I applied for the Customer Success Manager role on 14 October. I'm still keen: my last two years running onboarding for 40 business clients line up closely with what the post describes. Could you share when you expect to be in touch? Thanks, Jordan.
Keep track so you don't have to remember
Write down every application: the role, the date, who you contacted and what happened. After a month you'll see where you're hearing back and where you're not, which tells you more about what to change than any single reply.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, saves each job you tailor a CV for to your OffLadder account and writes a follow-up note at the right time. Your account then asks whether you heard back, so you can see which applications are working.
Questions people ask
- How many times should I follow up?
- Once after applying, once after an interview if a promised date has passed. More than that rarely changes the outcome.
- Who should I send it to?
- The recruiter or hiring manager if you know them. Otherwise the contact address on the post, or the careers team.
- Email or LinkedIn?
- Email when you have an address. LinkedIn works for a short note if that's how you first contacted them.
- What if they said not to contact them?
- Respect it. Some posts say 'no agency or applicant calls'. Your follow-up then is simply applying to the next good post.
- Does following up make a difference?
- It can bring a missed application back to someone's attention, and it shows interest. It won't change a decision already made, so keep it short and don't wait on it.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.