How to Follow Up After a Job Application
A short, respectful follow-up can confirm your interest, but contacting an employer repeatedly may harm your application. Follow the timeline and instructions in the vacancy first.
Before contacting the employer
Check the advert, confirmation email and recruitment portal. The employer may state that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted or that enquiries must use a specific email address. Government recruitment and large-company processes can take several weeks.
When to follow up
If no timeline is provided, allow a reasonable period after the closing date before asking whether the process is still underway. Do not follow up immediately after submitting. After an interview, send a brief thank-you message within a day or two, then wait until the date the interviewer gave before requesting an update.
What to include
- Your full name.
- The exact position and reference number.
- The date you submitted or interviewed.
- A polite request for an update.
- Your contact information.
Example follow-up email
Subject: Follow-up: [Position title] – [Reference number]
Dear Hiring Team,
I am following up on my application for the [position] submitted on [date]. I remain interested in the opportunity and would appreciate any update you can share about the recruitment process.
Kind regards,
[Your full name]
[Telephone number]
What not to do
- Do not contact employees through personal social-media accounts.
- Do not send the same message every day.
- Do not demand a response or accuse the employer of ignoring you.
- Do not pay anyone who offers an application update or guaranteed interview.
- Do not provide additional personal documents unless the verified employer requests them.
Continue applying
Do not stop your job search while waiting for one employer. Keep a simple application record with the position, company, date, closing date, reference number and outcome. This helps you follow up accurately and recognise which types of applications produce interviews.
If you are unsuccessful
Thank the employer for considering you. Where appropriate, ask politely whether general feedback is available, but understand that employers may not be able to provide individual feedback. Review your documents and continue improving your applications.