Break-In Bad

How to follow up on a job application

6 min readPublished

Follow up on a job application by sending a brief, polite email to the hiring manager or recruiter five to seven business days after the application deadline, or ten business days after you applied if no deadline was listed.

Done well, a follow-up shows genuine interest without being pushy. Done poorly, it can hurt your chances. This guide covers timing, templates, and how to make sure you have not already received a reply that got buried.

Before you follow up, check for a reply you may have missed

Automated applicant tracking systems send replies from addresses like no-reply@greenhouse.io or noreply@lever.co. These often land in spam, promotions, or a filtered folder you rarely open. Before drafting a follow-up, search your inbox for the company name, the words 'application received', 'next steps', and 'unfortunately'. Check your spam folder too.

If you applied through a portal, log back in. Many Workday and iCIMS portals update your status from 'submitted' to 'under review', 'interview', or 'no longer considered' without sending any email at all. A status check takes thirty seconds and can save you from following up on a role that has already moved on.

  • Search spam and promotions for the company name
  • Search for sender domains like @greenhouse.io, @lever.co, @myworkday.com
  • Log into the employer portal and check your application status
  • Check any email alias you used when applying

When to follow up

Timing depends on what the job posting said. If the posting listed a closing date, wait five to seven business days after that date before reaching out. If there was no closing date, wait ten business days from the day you submitted.

For roles where you had a referral or a prior conversation with someone at the company, you can follow up a little sooner, around five business days after applying. For roles at very large employers running high-volume hiring, expect slower responses and give it the full ten days.

Send your follow-up on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning in the recipient's time zone. Monday mornings are crowded and Friday afternoons are often ignored.

Who to contact and how to find them

The best person to contact is the recruiter named in the job posting. If no name was given, look on LinkedIn for someone with a title like 'Talent Acquisition', 'Recruiter', or 'People Operations' at that company. Filter by the location of the role.

To find a professional email address, try the pattern firstname.lastname@company.com or f.lastname@company.com. Tools like Hunter.io can verify whether a pattern is correct. If you cannot find a direct address, a LinkedIn message to the recruiter is a reasonable alternative, though email tends to get a faster response.

Do not follow up with the hiring manager directly unless you already have a relationship with them. Going around the recruiter can create friction early in the process.

Follow-up email templates

Keep your message short. Three to four sentences is enough. State the role, confirm your interest, offer one specific reason you are a strong fit, and ask about next steps. Do not reattach your resume unless you are also making a small update to it.

  1. Template 1 (standard follow-up): Subject: Following up on my application for [Job Title]. Hi [Name], I applied for the [Job Title] role on [date] and wanted to check whether you need anything further from me. I am particularly interested in this position because [one specific reason tied to the role or company]. Please let me know if there is a good time to connect. Thank you, [Your name].
  2. Template 2 (after a referral): Subject: [Job Title] application, referred by [Referrer name]. Hi [Name], [Referrer name] suggested I reach out after I applied for the [Job Title] role on [date]. I have [X years] of experience in [relevant area] and would welcome the chance to discuss how I could contribute. Happy to share more at your convenience. Thank you, [Your name].
  3. Template 3 (second follow-up, if no reply after another seven business days): Subject: Re: Following up on my application for [Job Title]. Hi [Name], I wanted to follow up once more on my application for [Job Title]. I remain very interested in the role and would be glad to answer any questions. If the position has been filled, I completely understand. Thank you for your time, [Your name].

How many times should you follow up

Two follow-ups is the limit. Send the first after the waiting period described above. If you hear nothing after another seven business days, send one more short message. After that, move on. A third message rarely changes the outcome and can leave a negative impression.

If you receive an automated reply saying the role is under review, do not follow up again until that stated review period has passed. Respecting the timeline they give you signals that you can follow instructions, which matters to recruiters.

Keep your inbox organised so you never miss a reply

A cluttered inbox is one of the most common reasons candidates miss interview invitations. Create a dedicated label or folder for job applications and filter any email containing the company name or common ATS domains into it. Set that folder to notify you immediately rather than batching with other mail.

Break-In Bad brings employer replies into one inbox and sends you an alert when an interview invitation arrives, along with a reminder the day before the interview. If you are applying to multiple roles at once, having replies in one place means you are less likely to miss a time-sensitive response or let an invitation expire.

What to do while you wait

Do not pause your search while waiting for one employer to respond. Most hiring processes take two to six weeks from application to offer, and many roles are filled without the candidate ever receiving a rejection. Keep applying to other positions so you always have options in motion.

Use the waiting period to prepare. Research the company, review the job description, and think through examples from your experience that match the role requirements. If you get a call, you will be ready rather than scrambling.

Never lose track of a reply again

Break-In Bad collects employer replies in one inbox and alerts you the moment an interview invitation arrives, so a busy inbox never costs you an opportunity. Sign up for 50 free credits and start applying today.

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Questions people also ask

Is it okay to follow up on a job application by phone?

Email is generally preferred because it gives the recruiter time to respond on their schedule and creates a written record. Calling is acceptable only if the job posting explicitly listed a phone number for enquiries. Cold-calling a main company line to ask about your application is rarely effective and can come across as intrusive.

What if the job posting says 'no calls or emails'?

Respect that instruction. Following up when the employer has asked you not to is likely to disqualify you. Instead, log into the application portal regularly to check your status, and focus your energy on other applications.

How long does it typically take to hear back after applying?

Response times vary widely. Many employers acknowledge receipt within a few days via an automated message, but a decision on whether to interview you can take two to four weeks, sometimes longer for large organisations or government roles. If a posting listed a closing date, expect the process to begin in earnest after that date passes.

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