How to Follow Up on a Job Application

Job Seeker Insights | The JOBSHIFT Advantage

How to Follow Up on a Job Application

The waiting game can be frustrating and tough, especially when you are waiting on news about a job that you are very excited about! You may want to follow up on your application, but are unsure of how to do this without jeopardizing your status by crossing any boundaries unintentionally. Read on for a comprehensive guide on how to best follow up on your job application without frustrating your potential employer!

Tips for Following Up on a Job Application

There are some unspoken etiquette rules to follow when you are following up on a job application. For example, you do not want to pester hiring managers and follow up with them too soon. You also do not want to interrupt their day, which could leave them with a negative impression when they get around to reviewing your application. 

Opt for E-mail

Rather than calling the company you have applied to, you should send your follow-up message via e-mail. Typically, a hiring manager will prefer to communicate by and receive e-mail correspondence. Phone calls can be more disruptive to the flow of someone’s day, especially if other prospective candidates are calling to check on their application status as well. Communicating by e-mail also allows hiring managers to keep tabs on your conversations and have a written record of these communications on file. It is easier for them to follow up with you and respond when they do have updates or further information to share. 

Know When to Avoid a Follow-up

This may seem like a contradiction to the rest of the list. However, you should be careful to note whether or not the company dissuades candidates from contacting them after applying. Some businesses will state quite clearly that they do not want candidates to contact hiring managers regarding their applications. After all, this can potentially derail or slow their review process, since it can prove to be an interruption. You should be sure to check the job listing for this type of requirement or this sort of language before you reach out. 

Wait Two Weeks

If the job listing does not prohibit you from following up with an employer, you are in the clear to contact them regarding your job application. When doing so, you should be sure that you have given them ample time to review what you have submitted. The typical rule of thumb is two weeks. Do not reach out to a company before this time period has passed. After all, nobody likes to be rushed– hiring managers included! Plus, if you wait the appropriate amount of time, it greatly increases the chance that the team will have had the time to review your application and will therefore actually have useful information or updates to share with you.

Be Concise

Your potential employer does not need a long, drawn-out message when you write them to check-in. Instead, keep your messages as clear and concise as possible. Since your application has already been submitted, you do not need to go on about your qualifications or past experience. Keep the message brief and use it to check-in and quickly get your name back to the top of the hiring team’s minds. This is a good opportunity to remind the employer that you are a great candidate, but do not overdo it. A good rule of thumb here is to keep your e-mail follow-up to three short paragraphs or less.

Confirm Your Interest

The first– or at least, one of the first– things that you should mention in your message is your interest in the job opportunity. You should be sure that this is in the very first paragraph of your e-mail. Be clear to the potential employer how serious and excited you are about this position. Begin the e-mail with a mention of your application to the position, and follow this with the clarification that you are still very interested in the opportunity.

Restate Your Qualifications

Once you’ve confirmed your interest in the job and mentioned the application you had previously submitted, you should reiterate your top qualifications. However, you should keep it brief here! This follow-up message is not a second application– they already have all of your information in the application and do not need a second lengthy e-mail. Instead, keep the focus on your most impressive skills, as well as any relevant certifications, credentials, and experience. This will help you to position yourself as a top job candidate. A good tip here is to limit yourself to a top three so that you can avoid going on for too long. 

Express Your Appreciation 

When closing out your follow-up message, thank the hiring manager or hiring team for their time and for their consideration. This is standard protocol throughout the interview process and shows them a level of professionalism and respect. If you are subtle about it, you can also send your e-mail with a prompt for the message’s reader to take whatever next steps are necessary for the process. The next steps may vary and could include contacting you with any questions, reaching out to schedule an interview, or checking your references. Let them know that you are ready and available if they need any clarifications, for example, and encourage them to reach out! You should also provide your contact information, even if they already have it from your application, to make it easier for hiring managers to get in touch.

Sample Follow-Up E-mail Script

What follows is a very basic template for a follow-up e-mail on your job application. You can use this and simply customize it to fit the company and position you are applying to in order to follow up on the status of your submission.

 

Dear (Hiring Manager’s Name),

On (Date of Your Application), I submitted an application for the role of (Job Title) at (Company Name). I have not received any further information and am therefore following up on my application to see if you have any further updates, as well as whether or not you received my application.

 

I am very excited about the opportunity to join your team as (Job Title). I believe my skills in (Your Skills) would be a great match for the responsibilities of this role. My time with (Past Employer or Experience) has equipped me with many of the skills and qualifications that are required of this position, and also makes me a strong candidate for this new opportunity. 

 

Please contact me if there is anything else you need from my application. I am happy to provide additional references and materials, as well as answer any questions you may have during the review. I look forward to discussing this further, and I thank you for all of your time and consideration thus far. 

 

Sincerely,

 

(Your Name)

(E-mail Address) 

(Phone Number)

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you say when following up on a job application?

When you are following up on a job application, you should make sure to be polite and respectful, and also reiterate your interest in the job position. What follows is an example of a follow-up message that you could send.

Hello,

I hope you are well. My name is (insert your name here), and I interviewed recently for a position with your company. I’m following up to reiterate my interest in this career opportunity and check on the status of my application. Please let me know if I can clarify anything else for you.

How do you politely ask about your application status?

You should be sure not to sound impatient or disrespectful. Also, keep your wording and grammar professional. As with any interview follow-up, you should make clear your interest in the role you had interviewed for. Thank them for their time and consideration at the end of your follow-up message.

How do you follow up on a job application with no response?

The hiring process can be lengthy, even if you have already interviewed for the position. After all, the employer may be interviewing several candidates, and there may be more than one round of interviews. If it has been two weeks without any update in regards to an interview or application, it is perfectly acceptable to follow up. At this point, you can send a polite follow-up e-mail, asking if you can clarify anything or answer any questions.

Is it OK to follow up on a job application?

While you might feel as if you are being pushy or annoying, it is completely okay for you to follow up on a job application– especially if it is a job that you are really excited about! There are a few things that you should keep in mind, though. You do not want to follow up too soon, as you want to be sure to give the team proper time to consider your application. Once it has been two weeks from the submission of your application, you are in the clear to follow up on it!