Feeling lost? Here’s how to follow up on a job application! [+Email samples]

how-to-follow-up-a-job-application
Created by CakeResume

We all have been there. You have just sent your resume to a company you are very interested in. A couple of days, or even weeks, have passed. You are starting to feel anxious, waiting for a response. Should you do a job application follow-up? When should you follow up on a job application? How to follow up on your job application

Do not worry about it! In this article, we will go over why, when, and how to follow up on a job application while also providing follow up email examples.

You can either write a follow up email or make a follow up phone call (keep in mind that most recruiters prefer a job application follow-up email). Its purpose is to check your status after you submit your resume. 

While it’s not usually required, it can help you reinforce your interest in a position. Additionally, if successfully done, it can bring extra attention to your application, given your extra effort. 

However, to avoid overstepping, make sure you pay attention to the following pieces of advice on how to follow up after sending a resume (whether you send your resume via email or directly on job listing sites, or company's websites). 

How to Follow Up on a Job Application

There are several approaches you could take to make a job application follow-up. Each has pros and cons you need to consider. Read the following guidelines to understand which one fits you best and what to do after applying for a job:

✉️ How to Write a Follow Up Email for a Job Application

You might be excited to move towards your new dream job. Alternatively, you might be so nervous that you cannot even sleep. It is acceptable to send a follow up email after applying for a position if enough time has passed.

Sending an email is usually the best way to do a job application follow-up. Especially because recruiters like to keep a record of your interactions just in case they need them. Additionally, they can get back to you as soon as they have some free time.

However, it also has some disadvantages. If you do not send it at the right time, it can get buried under tons of other emails. Moreover, if you need a quick response (perhaps you have another job offer), sending a follow-up email after a job application might not fit your needs. 

📞 How to Follow Up on a Job Application by Phone

Other than sending an email asking for an update on a job application, you can call to check on a job after applying to inquire about your application status.

Making a follow-up call can help you remind the recruiter that you have applied for the position. Moreover, it shows that you are willing to take the extra step to demonstrate your interest in the company. 

Nonetheless, making a phone call can be nerve-wracking to many. To avoid forgetting the questions you want to ask, you should make a list of what to say when following up on a job application to keep your call brief and effective. 

On the other hand, not all recruiters are open to receiving a job application follow-up call. Make sure you double-check the job listing to see if it’s ok to call them. Otherwise, you will come across as impolite, pushy, and even needy. Therefore, when a company does not want applicants contacting them, you need to respect them. 

🧑🏻‍💻 How to Follow Up on a Job Application on LinkedIn

Social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, provide incredible tools for job seekers. Many companies post their job listings regularly on LinkedIn. You can apply directly through and contact HR through the website. Therefore, you need to know how to reach out to a recruiter after applying on LinkedIn.;

It is not important whether you applied through LinkedIn or traditional venues. Most of the time, you will find the hiring manager’s profile on LinkedIn. Does that mean you should message to recruiter after applying for a job? Well, there are some things you still need to consider. 

First, make sure it is ok to contact them beyond their traditional platforms. Additionally, your LinkedIn profile needs to be updated and active. Otherwise, it can harm your application. 

If you decide it is a good idea to do your job application follow-up on LinkedIn, we recommend you follow the company’s profile. It will allow you to be up to date with the company’s projects. Additionally, it reinforces your interest in the position, too. You can also add the recruiter to keep in touch with them.

💁🏻 How to Follow Up on a Job Application in Person

While this can be more time-consuming than sending a follow-up email after submitting a resume, it is also a more personal way to do a job application follow-up.

There is something good to this old-school approach. You can get your face and name on the employer’s mind and shows them how serious you are about the position. If things go your way, the recruiter can even decide to invite you to an interview, so be prepared! 

However, remember that it is very different from sending a follow-up email after a job application.

First of all, you need to dress to impress! Wear an attire you would wear for a job interview. You will need to make a positive first impression, as it is probably how the hiring manager will remember you. Furthermore, keep in mind that most of the time, big companies won’t allow people to enter their premises, at least not without an appointment.

Make sure that you know they will welcome you if you go. Perhaps, you need to find someone who can connect you with the hiring manager if you intend to follow up on your job application in person.

Tips on How to Follow Up on a Job Application

Regardless of which approach you choose the following tips are great for you to learn what to do after applying for a job. 

1. Find the right person to contact.

Whether you are wondering if you should send a follow-up letter after your application or if a job application follow-up call might suit you better, one thing is certain. Finding out who to reach is one of the most important steps before you even begin. 

While you might want to send an email to the hiring manager after applying rather than the HR department, you don’t always have their email address. 

It is a good idea to double-check the job listing. If you’re lucky, the information will be right there. Nonetheless, if it’s not available, you can visit the company’s website or LinkedIn profile to find the information you need.2. 

2. Keep it professional and brief.

Even if you have been in touch with the hiring manager for a while, you should still maintain a professional and respectful way of communication - especially when you want to make a  job application follow-up. It’s always a great idea to start your interaction by thanking the recruiter for their time and effort. 

Additionally, bear in mind to keep your message brief and clear. Hiring managers and recruiters are very busy people. Consequently, brevity is something they appreciate. Whether you are making a phone call, paying a visit, or sending an email to the recruiter after applying.

Your job application follow-up inquiry should focus on two things: reinforcing your interest in the position and asking about when you should expect to hear about the following phase. 

3. Follow up at the right time.

When deciding how to ask for an update on a job application, take timing into consideration. If you want to know the best time to send a follow-up email after applying for a job, or in general, when to get in touch with a company to inquire about your status, you need to consider many factors.

First, hiring managers need to take some time to review the applications before getting back to each applicant. Many suggest waiting for one to two weeks before sending a follow-up email (unless the job listing includes the closing window, which gives you the perfect target date to do it). 

Moreover, avoid sending your job application status email or making your phone call on a Monday or a Friday. Mondays tend to be the busiest days in offices with regular schedules, as people are trying to catch up with a weekend’s amount of work.

On the other hand, if you send your email on a Friday, you are risking it to get buried under a whole weekend’s worth of emails. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are your best options to email the recruiter after applying. 

4. Show your interest in the role

After considering how soon should you follow up on a job application, you need to think of the content you want to cover. Figuring out what to say when following up on a job application can be hard. One of the things you do is to reinforce your interest in the position. 

A good way to show them your interest, when following up on a job application, is to ask them whether you need to send them any additional information, such as portfolios or pre-interview tasks. Show your willingness to help make their job easier!

5. Highlight your qualifications.

No matter how you are making your job application follow-up, you should always try your best to briefly mention why you are a good candidate for the job.

You can even add some new achievements or qualifications you managed to attain after sending your application if you think they can help your application. By correctly doing this step, you might help the hiring manager and improve your chances of moving to the following phase.

6. Express your gratitude.


Never - and we cannot stress this enough - never send your job application follow-up email without letting recruiters know that you are thankful for their time and dedication.

The same applies to other means of communication, through which you decide to follow up on a job application. Such a small gesture can impress recruiters and show how you fit corporate etiquette.

How to Follow Up on a Job Application – Samples

Before sending out emails and making phone calls, we suggest looking at these job-status inquiry email samples. We provide examples of what to say when following up on a job application by phone, message, or in person.

🖋 Sample Follow-Up Email for a Job Application

If you are going to email the recruiter after applying, remember to keep the email short, and to talk about your relevant skills. Check this job status inquiry email sample:

Email Subject: Following up on Project Manager application

Hello Mr. Mario,

I’m writing to inquire about the application I submitted on March 10th for the project manager position advertised on your company’s LinkedIn page. I wish to confirm you received my application and reinforce my interest in this position.

I’ve been looking for a position at your company for a while. I think that my values align with your company’s values. Moreover, my international background and years of experience as a project manager are a great match for what your company requires. I hope I get a chance to go over them with you. Thank you for dedicating your time to reviewing my application.

Best,
Lincoln Dragmire
0909123456

🖋 Sample Follow-Up Email for an Internship Application

If you are still a student, you might be wondering how to write a follow-up email for an internship. We suggest you focus on how your academic background supports your application. Do take a look at this sample on how to send follow up email after applying for an internship

Email Subject: Customer service internship - Application for Lincoln Dragmire

Hello Mr. Mario,

I would like to follow up on my application to make sure you received my resume, and let you know I am very interested in starting my career as a customer service representative in your company. 

I am currently in the last year of my business administration bachelor program. I would be honored to learn from you and be of use to your company.  Please do not hesitate to inform me if I need to provide any additional documentation. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Lincoln Dragmire
0909123456

🖋 Sample Job Application Follow-Up Call

If you choose to make a job application follow-up call, the following sample might be helpful to you.

Hello, this is Lincoln Dragmire, and I am an applicant for the project management position. Is now a convenient time for us to talk? 

Of course, you’ll have to wait for their response. And you might have to follow your guts. However, we recommend you try to cover the same points as the following example:

I am calling to reiterate my interest in the position. I applied on March 10th, and I am still excited about working for your company. My years of project management experience make me an excellent candidate for this position. Please, contact me at 0909123456 or [email protected] if you need any additional documents or information to process my application. 

Make sure to be polite when finishing the conversation:

Thank you again for your time and consideration. 

🖋 Sample Follow-Up Message for a Job Application

Alternatively, if you are wondering how to check the status of a job application by sending a message (for instance through LinkedIn), you can follow this example: 

Hello Mario,

I have been following your company for a few months. I was delighted to find the opening for Project Manager yesterday. I applied through the link you provided in the job listing. However, I hope it is okay to send you a request to stay connected. 

Please let me know if you need additional information. I hope you can look at my profile. You will see that I am a good fit for your company. 

Thanks, 
Lincoln

🖋 Sample In-Person Job Application Follow-Up Conversation Script

Similarly to making a phone call, you’ll have to wait for the hiring manager’s response to guide your conversation. However, if you are not sure about what to say when following up on a job application in person, we recommend you try to cover the same points as the following example:

Hello Mr. Mario. Thank you for accepting to see me today. I am Lincoln Dragmire, an applicant for the project management position I applied for on March 10th. 

I am here today to show you my interest in the position. I am excited about working for your company. I would love to have the chance to go on an interview to explain how my years of project management experience make me an excellent candidate for this position. 

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you. If you need any other documents from my side, please do not hesitate to reach me. My phone number is 0909123456. Have a nice day!

Job Application Follow Up Email Template

Feel free to use the following template as a base to build up yours if you still don’t feel confident enough after reading the templates we provided in the previous section and are still wondering how to send a follow-up email after an application.

Email Subject: Following up on [Job title] application.

Hello/Good morning/Afternoon [Hiring manager’s name],

I’m writing to inquire about the application I submitted on March 10th for the [Job title] position. I want to confirm that you received my application and reiterate my interest in this position.

I’ve been looking for a position at [Company name] for a while. I think that my values align with the company’s values. Moreover, my [relevant work experience/qualifications] are a great match for what your company requires. I look forward to having the opportunity to deeply explain why to you. Thank you for dedicating your time to reviewing my application.

Regards,
[Your name]
[Your contact information (Phone number, LinkedIn profile)]

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--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa ---

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