Any job seeker familiar with the recruitment process understands the frustration of not hearing from employers after a job interview. The waiting period can be tense and filled with a mix of hope and anxiety.
While the hiring process might seem out of your control, sending a follow-up email after the interview can help you stay engaged. A follow-up email helps keep you on the hiring manager’s radar and demonstrates your continued interest in the position.
In this article, I cover everything you’ll need to know about how to follow up after an interview. We’ll outline a detailed, strategic approach to crafting follow-up emails. Plus provide some sample email templates.
Key Takeaways
- Always send a personalized thank-you email within 24-48 hours of your interview.
- If given a timeline, respect the process and follow-up for a status update as advised.
- Follow the 3 follow-ups rule to give yourself the best shot of hearing back without sounding too needy.
- While waiting for a response, continue applying to other roles to keep the momentum.
Expert Strategies for Following Up After an Interview
To craft the perfect post-interview follow-up email, you don’t necessarily need to be overly elaborate. It’s more important to be sincere, appreciative, and clear about your continued interest in the position.
In most cases, the best way to follow up after your interview is to simply reply to the latest email thread, meaning you won’t need a subject line. Continuing with the existing email thread and leaving the subject line as-is will boost your email’s chances of getting opened faster.
However, if you don’t have a previous email to reply to, here are a few short and sweet follow-up email subject lines you can use:
- Job interview follow-up – [add your name here]
- Following up regarding job interview – [add your name here]
- Thanks for the interview, just wanted to follow up – [add your name here]
EXPERT ADVICE
How to avoid being ghosted after an interview
Ask for the direct contact information for anyone that you interview with…then you can contact them about your application status…and don’t forget to connect with everyone you meet on Linkedin. This a great way to keep connected, tap in with them and comment on posts. This keeps you top of mind!
Jasmine Escalera, Ph.D
Reinvention Coach, Life & Career Coach
https://linktr.ee/jasmineescaleracoaching
Always Send a Thank-you Follow-up Email after your Interview
According to a CareerBuilder study, 22% of employers are less likely to hire a candidate who doesn’t make an effort to send them a thank-you note. A thank-you email is not the same as the follow-up email that has been discussed so far in this article. Candidates should ideally send a thank-you email within 24 to 48 hours after the interview.
Key Insights – CareerSidekick Survey Findings
50% of job applicants don’t send a follow-up email
An independent survey done on CareerSidekick Readers found a staggering 50% of job applicants didn’t send a follow-up email after their interview.
What can we learn from this? This data presents a case that applicants have a prime opportunity to stand among other interviewees by simply sending a follow-up email. Confidently showcasing why they’re the ideal fit for the role.
A thank-you email/note is a message sent to express your gratitude for the opportunity to interview. It’s also a chance to reiterate your interest in the position and highlight what you can add to the team.
Sending a thank-you email helps you stand out to the employer as a courteous and proactive candidate, strengthening your chances of being remembered positively.
In a thank-you email, you should:
- Express gratitude for the interviewer’s time.
- Reference a specific topic or moment from the interview to personalize the note.
- State your continued interest in the position and eagerness for the next steps.
- Offer your availability for any further questions or additional information.
If you forgot to send a thank-you email after your interview, you can find the combined thank-you email and follow-up email template below. You can also check out this article on how to write a thank-you email.
Here’s an example thank-you email template you can tailor for yourself:
Dear Ms. Smith,
I just wanted to say thanks for discussing the Project Manager role at Innovatech with me today.
I’m especially excited about contributing to the sustainability initiative. Your insights on fostering team collaboration resonated with me, further solidifying my interest in joining your team.
I look forward to hearing back about the role.
Thanks again,
John D.
Ph: +11 1111 1111
Website: johndoe.net
A well-timed thank-you email is also a great way to refresh your email thread and allows you to reengage with the interviewer without coming across as overly pushy.
If the employer has provided an expected date for feedback after the interview, it’s best to follow up for a status update one business day after that date has passed.
Remember, the interviewer is likely managing a handful of candidates (on top of their regular work) so timing and grace are the best ways to ensure your follow-up emails are effective.
EXPERT ADVICE
Don’t hesitate to send follow-up emails
“So many individuals I encounter say: “I don’t want to seem needy or sound like a pest” when it comes to contacting the hiring manager or recruiter [after an interview].
But that mindset is stopping you from showcasing how valuable you really are. Change that mindset into something more empowering like:
“I am the best candidate for the position and they deserve to hear from me, they deserve to know why I would be the perfect fit” to rock this interview”
Jasmine Escalera, Ph.D
Reinvention Coach, Life & Career Coach
https://linktr.ee/jasmineescaleracoaching
What Every Follow-Up Email Needs, According to a Recruiter
Most employers prefer to receive a short and sweet follow-up email after the job interview without any unnecessary info. So, be clear and direct about why you’re following up.
Don’t be timid. However, you should be polite and respectful, no matter how long you’ve been waiting. Follow these tips to keep your email short, sweet, and professional, and leave a lasting impression on the interviewer:
- Start with a friendly greeting: Be sure to mention the interviewer’s first name.
- Say thanks for the opportunity: Before asking about the status it’s always a good idea to express your gratitude for the interviewer’s time.
- Reaffirm your interest in the position: Here’s where you can mention any notable takeaways from the interview or reinforce some reasons why you’re a great fit for the role.
- Ask directly for an update: Say you look forward to hearing about the next steps.
- Finish by thanking them once more before signing off with your first and last name.
- Send and be patient.
That last point is critical. Even if you’re about to send a second or third interview follow-up email after two weeks, writing a rude message or showing frustration won’t make the employer’s decision-making process move any faster, and it could even cost you the job.
So use a positive tone, tell the employer you’re checking for status updates and you’re excited to hear feedback when they have a chance, and then conclude by saying something like, “Thank you so much for your time. I look forward to hearing back when you have a chance.”
You can also decide whether to write your first and last name or just your first name. Choose based on your previous interactions with the hiring manager or employer and what you feel fits with the industry and company culture.
How many follow-up emails to send
After sending an initial follow-up and thank-you email you may not always hear back immediately. This can feel like torture, especially if it’s your first pick when it comes to dream jobs.
While it can be tempting to send emails daily, avoid acting impulsively and try using this follow-up frequency and framework we’ve put together. Do keep in mind, if the interviewer has given you a response date, avoid sending more than a thank-you email before then.
EXPERT ADVICE
Use the “3 Follow-Ups” Rule
The first message should be sent immediately after the interview to everyone you interviewed with…the second message should come right around the time you expected to hear back from them… the third message should come about a week after that if you feel like you’ve been ghosted.”
Jasmine Escalera, Ph.D
Reinvention Coach, Life & Career Coach
https://linktr.ee/jasmineescaleracoaching
Email 1: Thank-you email
Ideally sent within 48 hours after the interview.
Hi Chantelle,
I just wanted to say thanks for discussing the Project Manager role at Innovatech with me today.
I’m especially excited about contributing to the sustainability initiative. Your insights on fostering team collaboration resonated with me, further solidifying my interest in joining your team.
I look forward to hearing back about the role.
Thanks again,
John D.
Ph: +11 1111 1111
Website: johndoe.net
Email 2: Follow-up after no response
Ideally sent after 4-7 days without a response. Ask for a status update and aim to send this email on a weekday, during work hours to help it be seen.
Hey Chantelle,
I hope you’re well. I’m writing to follow up on my interview for the Project Manager position. I was wondering if there might be any status updates regarding my application.
I’m still very interested in joining the Innovatech team and keen to hear about the next steps.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
John D.
Ph: +11 1111 1111
Website: johndoe.net
Email 3: One last message
10+ Days without any response. Reach out one last time in a friendly way and let the interviewer make the next move.
Hey Chantelle,
I wanted to reach out one last time as I haven’t heard back from you since our interview. If there are any status updates do let me know, I’m still interested in the position.
In case you have any further questions or updates on the position, please feel free to contact me directly via my mobile line below if that’s more convenient.
Best regards,
John D.
Ph: +11 1111 1111
Website: johndoe.net
Interview Follow-Up Email Etiquette
A common part of the hiring process is that candidates often forget that the recruiter is most likely interviewing several other candidates for the same job. You shouldn’t feel too disappointed if you don’t hear back in the first few days. The hiring manager hasn’t forgotten you; they’re dealing with other responsibilities. Keep your chin up and continue applying for jobs that interest you in case this one doesn’t work out.
Below are some basic etiquettes of post-interview follow-up emails:
1. Show Gratitude
After greeting the hiring manager or interviewer by their name, you should thank them for taking the time to interview you. I’d mention the specific date you spoke to remind them, too. You’re trying to make a positive impression on the recruiter, and gratitude is always a key element in making that positive impression. For example: “Dear Jeff, thank you for taking the time to meet with me on Thursday.”
2. Keep It Professional
Like any work-related email, you should keep your follow-up email as formal as possible. Keeping it professional entails starting with an appropriate subject line and having a professional closing.
Also, there is always the option of matching a company’s brand tone, especially if it is a tad laid-back. However, you will be on the safer side by maintaining a professional and formal tone in follow-ups. According to Mollie Khine, VP of Learning and Community at Flatiron School, “It’s okay to tone match, but you also want to level up a little bit with professionalism.”
3. Make it Meaningful
Making the email meaningful could mean adding the key takeaways from the interview or even the most interesting aspects of the job. Referencing these specifics helps the recruiter remember you easily.
Jordan Campbell, technical recruiter at IBISKA, said, “We’ll meet a lot of people; so when following up with a recruiter after a job fair, it’s a good idea to try to bring up something specific about your meeting in your message to jog their memory.” This applies to follow-up emails sent after interviews, too.
4. Proofread Before Sending
Although your follow-up email isn’t your first impression, you still shouldn’t send it out without checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When proofreading, be sure to weed out overly casual punctuations like interrobangs. A well-written, error-free email reflects your professionalism and attention to detail.
How to Handle Silence
Your interview follow-up email is no guarantee that you’ll get a response. Sometimes, it will be total radio silence from the recruiter’s side. This is no fault of yours; it just wasn’t meant to be. In your job-seeking journey, silence is a part you must learn to handle. Here are some time-tested strategies for handling post-interview silence even after you’ve sent follow-up emails.
EXPERT ADVICE
Dr. Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES
Tech & Interview Career Coach
caffeinatedkyle.com
Use ‘no-response’ interviews to improve your follow-up strategy
Recruiters are often juggling 20 (or more) requisitions at a time, so it’s normal for them to drop the ball from time to time. Rather than taking the non-response personally, you can use it as an opportunity to demonstrate your written communication skills and send a quick follow-up email to check in on the status of your candidacy.
If you’re interviewing with other companies and have updates on your status, you can also include this information in your email to the recruiter, hiring manager, or HR department.
Practice Self Care and Stay Positive
There’s always that feeling of disappointment that comes with not getting any feedback from a recruiter. However, you need to take care of your mental and physical well-being. Engaging in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax can improve your overall mood and resilience during this period. The silence from the recruiter isn’t something you can control. Nonetheless, you can control your reaction and maintain a positive outlook.
Reflect on Your Interview
Reflect on your interview performance to identify areas for improvement and achievements you might have omitted. Take note of what went well and areas for improvement. Use this reflection not to dwell on past mistakes but to prepare for better communication and to identify skill gaps to address.
Mei Yu Lim, technical recruiter at Microsoft, emphasizes the value of reflection: “Being reflective helps. You can recheck the company and the role you have applied for and interviewed. Revisit the job description, identify the key competencies and traits for the role if you haven’t already done so and reflect if you have demonstrated the ideal competencies and traits the hiring manager or the interviewer is looking out for.“
Apply to Other Jobs
For the vast majority, job-hunting is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay resilient and keep up the momentum by seeking out new roles that match your skill set. While waiting for responses, diversifying your applications can reduce the emotional weight of any single application’s outcome. Check out this article on job-seeking tips and techniques that can improve your chances of getting hired. This article contains interview preparation and tips for various industries to help you ace your next interview.
Effectively Managing Multiple Interviews and Applications
Keep in mind that delays happen, and the hiring process takes time. So, the best thing for you to do while waiting for a status update is apply for more jobs and try to schedule more interviews. You shouldn’t stop doing this until you’ve signed a job offer! No matter how well you write your follow-up email, it isn’t going to get a company to move its process faster, bypass delays, or skip over other candidates.
While applying to multiple jobs, you will inevitably have to manage multiple follow-ups. Here are strategies to help you stay on top of your game:
Use a Tracking System
Create a spreadsheet or use a job search management tool to track each job application, interview dates, follow-up actions, and any responses received. Include columns for the company name, position, date of application, interview date, notes from the interview, and follow-up dates. This system will help you quickly see which jobs you need to follow up on and when.
Prioritize Your Opportunities
Rank your job opportunities based on your level of interest, the likelihood of getting the job, and how well it matches your career goals. Focus your energy on the highest-priority follow-ups, but don’t neglect the others. This approach ensures you allocate your time and resources effectively.
Set Reminders
Use digital calendars, apps, or the reminder system within your tracking tool to set alerts for when it’s time to send a follow-up email. Timing is key in maintaining a professional image and showing your interest without being overbearing.
Don’t Hesitate to Move On
The average response time after an interview is 24 business days. This means you may sometimes need a second follow-up email if the first one goes unanswered. However, if you’ve followed up a couple of times with no response, it might be time to focus your energies elsewhere. It’s important to recognize when it’s time to let go and redirect your efforts to other opportunities.
Hi Biron,
I applied for an internal position on 8/11 and got a prescreening email to complete. I sent it the same day and have not heard anything back. Would it be pushy to follow up in this case since there was no formal interview?
Hi Chanel,
I’d follow up since it’s been more than a week.
Hi Biron,
I had an interview on the 3rd of July for an Audit Trainee post. The interviewer told me the Hr people will get back to me after a week. After the interview i did send a thank you email.Now it’s 5 days + 2 days after the interview. Should I email them and ask for feedback or i should wait for this week to end?
if i should email,should i email the person who scheduled the interview or the person who interviewed me since they are different people?
Quite informative and eye opener. Thank you.
How about a phone call? it’s more personal and shows more effort. Especially since I wasn’t given an email.
That’s fine. Especially if you don’t have their email. Go ahead and call
Great article Biron.
My interview was done on ~Nov 2019, I got a call after few days that they are considering me for a role, and asked me the expected compensation and some documents.
They didn’t respond for a week or so. On following up, I was told that there is some budgeting work happening in the company. Again after few days, I was told that some big leaders are coming in, and the HR didn’t get a chance to talk to different teams.
Again after 2-3 weeks, I followed up with the HR, but he said he is still talking to the teams and also mentioned he didn’t want to loose a good candidate(Why they do it?).
It’s been 2 weeks now since I got the last update, Should I include any other person of the company in the email?
Hi Biron! I wanted to ask if it would be appropriate for me to send a followup email to a company after I already sent two. The first one I sent was on the 13th, a week after my third interview. The hiring manager I was in contact with said I would get an update on the 17th, but nothing came, so I emailed again on the 19th asking for an update. I didn’t receive a response to that. The company was closed for the holidays and just reopened today. I’m not sure if sending a third email at this point is appropriate. I don’t want to pester the HR person I’m in contact with because I really want to work here, but I also need to know about this position because whether I get this job affects other financial things in my life.
Hi-
It can’t hurt to send another. But your odds are not great at this point. I’d be focused much more on applying to more jobs and getting more interviews lined up. But since there’s literally nothing to lose, yes – you can follow-up again.
I sent an email. I’ll remain hopeful, but I’m definitely going to apply for more jobs just in case. Thanks for your honesty!
Hello Biron,
I got a job interview which referred by my boss. The interviewer sent a message to my boss said I could join the second interview. But after one month, I still did not receive any email from this company’s recruiter. Do I need to follow up this position and how to ask would be manner way?
Thank you
Chengbing Fu
I just have a quick question. What if when you follow up with an email, they reply back that there was a delay and they will be getting back to you in the next week also that they will be in touch and it’s the end of the second week…Does one send another email or just wait up on them as they mentioned that they would be in touch?
Hi Biron,
I had an interview for a job I really liked the sound of on 29/10/19, they said I would hear back from HR by the end of the week. It is now nearly the end of the second week (07/11/19) and I still haven’t heard back. I didn’t send a thank you email, as it’s all been done through an online system via HR. I felt the interview went really well and was told I would be able to get feedback regardless of the outcome.
When you don’t know the email, and only have a generic email, how is it best to address it?
Also, is it best to assume I was unsuccessful and request feedback, or hope for the best and ask for an update?
Thanks!
You didn’t use email communications to schedule the interview? I’d follow-up with whatever method you were using to schedule your interview. Or call if not.
Hi Biron,
I had a good call interview with a senior designer and after 3 days of interview I got an email from the recruiter that she will keep update as soon as possible as the senior designer likes my profile but wanted to interview few more candidates. What should I reply after a few days of this email? I am eager to know and excited for this position.
Hi Sachi,
I’d recommend waiting a full 5 business days to send the next follow-up email.
After that, you can check back in and ask if they have any updates. I’d also recommend asking when it would be appropriate to follow up again if not.
So your email should have 2 key parts:
1. Asking if they have any updates they can share
2. Asking when they’d recommend checking back in with them and following up again if not
That’s a nice casual, non-desperate way of following up.
But again, I’d recommend waiting 5 full business days to do this. Give them some time. If they are interviewing other people after you (which is entirely normal), that can take at least a few days, plus they’ll need time to make a decision after they’ve met with everyone.
my interview went well with the hiring manager I was given a tour after the interview and she gave me a huge hug. I was told that those things was a good sign, I also sent a Thank You email a few days after. the hiring manager responded right away and said she would let me know something after the interviews were completed. Should I send a second thank you email or should I wait for a phone call?
I had an interview for a DRC 2 weeks ago, and I havent heard back for the 4th interview. Who should I contact in an email. HR, Director of Clinical Operations, or the Administrator of the place of the DRC, all of which I had an interview with?
Hi,
so, I got a positive response after sending a follow up mail. That they thought I was apt and met the company’s profile stating an email would be sent to me as soon as possible for contract signing. its been over two weeks since the mail and some of the people I went for the interview with have been shortlisted and have commenced training. Do I still need to do a follow up with them ? if yes any ideas on what the body of the letter should be?
Thank you for your assistance
Are cover letters a complete waste of time? I’ve been to multiple interviews and no one even bothers to read them, because if they did, they wouldn’t ask, “why do you want this job?” Cover letters seem completely pointless and a waste of time. Am I wrong?
There are specific situations where you should send a cover letter, but it’s not always needed. In general, if you weren’t referred/recommended for the job via someone the hiring manager knows, and if the company doesn’t specifically ask for a cover letter, then I’d skip it.
After an phone interview, I had an on site in person interview with a big pharma company about 17 days ago, and the interview went really well! I emailed them and thanked them for interviewing me. I got a kind and friendly reply back! On average, it takes 2-4 weeks for this company to reply with an job offer. On the other hand, I see they are still interviewing for the position. I asked them the day of my interview how long it takes to hear back from them and they said they are trying their best and they are hopeful to wrap up the interview process by end of June. Can you please advise me when is the best time for me to email them and ask them for any update? thank you so much.
So I haven’t heard from my phone interview last month. The hiring manager mentioned to me the next round would be in June. It is now June, I am thinking of sending a follow-up email since my application now says “Process completed”, which I have no clue on what it means. My question is who do I sent the email to? The Hiring manager, HR, or both? Since they copied everyone on the initial phone interview set-up email, I can just hit reply to all. Is that ok? Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend replying to all. I’d send it to whomever has been scheduling your interviews for you (probably HR?)
Thank you for these great tips! I may agree with Gillian that these emails sound informal, but things are changing. I used the ‘don’t want to follow up too often’ template and modified it a little – for a recruiter. It was perfect! Thanks again, Biron!
Biron
Good info. I almost missed out on a job because I didn’t followup with the person that referred me for the position. I had sent a thank you emails to each of the individuals with which I had face to face interviews and one response was very promising. A few weeks went buy and I heard nothing. I sent a followup email to the former colleague that recommended me to the company. It was s very big company that was in the process of a very large hiring wave. Turns out my file got misplaced due to the high volume.
By reaching out to my former colleague, my offer was resurrected.
Hi Biron,
Thank you for your article. It is super helpful!
If you get a response from HR that they are still interviewing other candidates and they will take a decision in the next few weeks, what should be the next step in this case? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks for you help!
Hi Kim,
The next steps are:
1. Ask when you can expect an update (so that you’ll know when to politely follow up if that date passes)
2. Apply for a ton of other jobs and keep interviewing. NEVER count on one single opportunity. They’re not even sure they want you yet!
3. If the date they said they’d provide an update passes, follow up with them. I’d wait an extra 2-3 days sometimes, too. For example, if they said they’d get back in touch on Friday, I’d follow up Monday or Tuesday.
^^ That way you won’t seem too eager/desperate.
Good luck!
Thanks Biron for your reply and your advice.
In the mean time, would you suggest to send an email to the hiring manager to reiterate my interest? I’m not sure if that will help in the decision making process.
Thanks again!
Hi Biron,
I recently went to a job fair for a company that is opening up a new location. I applied for a Supervisor position but was interviewed for a higher position then the Supervisor position.
I didn’t send a thank you email because I wasn’t sure that was appropriate given the situation. I now have the contact of someone who is doing the process. Should I email them and ask? And would I be in the wrong to ask about the supervisor position as well as the manager?
So.. I think the interview went well (thursday 9) they gave me a feedback deadline for friday 17 because they said they had a pending interview the 16, so I received an email on friday letting me know that they would let me know their desition monday or tuesday. Its just wednesday but I´m pretty anxious because the job is abroad and they expect a quick move to take te position (3 weeks).
Any advice?
Hi Maria,
If they said they’d let you know by Monday or Tuesday, I’d go ahead and send a follow-up email today just asking if they have any updates they can share.
Good luck!
Hi Biron,
My phone interview was done on April 23, 2019 and at the end of the interview, panel said you done very well. they told me they will decide in two weeks,I sent first thank you email with in 24 hours of interview to recruiter as I don’t have email addresses of interview panel I got response that if they will need any further information they will contact me, but after 2 weeks I did not receive any response. I sent email after 2 weeks to recruiter and she sent response as ”Please note at this time no decisions have been made regarding this position. I will be sure to share any updates with you as I have them.” now after one week I yet not receive any update , please suggest what can I do now.
Biron Please reply me
Hi Biron,
I had interviewed for a role in early march and was then progressed to do other background checks two weeks later and then did not hear anything back. Later in early april i was contacted and told the application was waiting for signoff and the person signing off was on leave and back in early may. I have not heard anything back as of now. I am wondering if I should send a followup email or would it seem too eagar? Are you aware of any other steps after sign off process?
Thanks. I had a great phone interview on 4-4 and the hiring manager said he wanted to fly me in for face to face on during the week of 4-15. He said he would get back to me the same day but had to get a few people together for a round robin interview and that he would be out of pocket this week. i did send thank you follow up the next day and did not hear back. I sent a second follow up on Monday 4-8 with another reference.. I still have not heard back. When is appropriate for me to follow up again ? Should I wait until Monday. ?
Yes, I’d wait until at least next Monday to follow-up again. Delays happen, so I’d give it a week to see if they respond.
Try to apply for more jobs in the meantime. You never know when one job will fall through, so the best thing you can do is keep applying instead of sitting around anxiously waiting for one employer.
I recently had an interview with a company about 2 weeks ago. I sent a follow up email but I did not RE: to the last message the employer sent. I haven’t received a reply back from my email, Should I send another one or just call them instead?
Go ahead and give them a call. It can’t hurt.
You should be applying for a LOT of other jobs too, while waiting for a response. Don’t wait around for one employer – that’s a huge mistake
(I don’t know if you’re doing that or not, but I see a lot of job seekers do that).
Hi Biron,
I had a phone interview with the hiring manager and then a sit down interview at the location that they need help.
After the interview they said nothing about what was nest, when i asked they stated that the hiring manager would be in touch
I immediately send out thank you letters, but did not mention any time frame.
The following week I emailed the hiring manager about what will be next. He simply stated that he will try and keep me posted during the process.
It has been 2 weeks and i don’t know what to do next.
At what point is it safe to email again and what do I say?
Biron:
I interviewed last Tuesday and was told that I would hear back by the end of the week. Since I did not hear anything back I sent a follow up email this week, also on Tuesday (8 days after interview). Today, 24 hours after the email, I received this response:
You should hear something back from recruiter in the next few days. Thanks for your patience and continued interest.
Not sure what to expect. Do you think this is good news or should I move on?
The person who e-mailed me, and the only person I have contact info for, is the admin assistant for the team that interviewed me. Should I still respond directly to this e-mail? Should I make any adjustments to the wording?
That’s fine. You can email that person the same. Of course, everyone should adjust the wording to fit their situation, industry, personality, etc. (I write pretty casually because I come from a background recruiting in very modern/relaxed industries like Tech). So write what you think fits best, but the general idea and templates should still work.
Hi!
I had a phone interview on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The interviewer seemed genuinely interested in me and overall, I thought the interview went well. She explained next steps, asked when I was available to start, which office I would be working in etc. She told me the location I would be training in and for how long, what kind of office it was and that I would be able to work from home from time to time. Everything seemed perfect. However, she told me she would call me back within a couple of days but never did.
I didn’t want to he impatient but she even told me she thought I would be a good fit for their company and the role. I’m sure they are busy but I got all the flags that I aced the interview.
She went on that after our interview, I would have a Skype interview with a partner in another office location and then if I passed that, then I would be invited for an informal coffee meeting with one of the managers in my own city.
Would a recruiter tell me all of this if they weren’t serious in considering me for the position?
It’s only been 2 full days but I was really expecting a call yesterday when she told me “a couple of days”.
When should I follow up? Today or wait until next week?
Thanks!!
Hi Biron
I could really use some advice,
Jan. 22nd (Tuesday) I had an interview and everything seemed great when I left the interview. I wasn’t given a definitive answer as far as when they would be making their decision to hire; the manager only said they were looking to hire someone ASAP. When I left the interview I gave the front office a thank you card to give to the Manager that interviewed me.
Jan. 25th (Friday) – I was contacted via email asking if I could provide references (2-3 references). Which I quickly responded to.
Jan. 28th (Monday) One of my (2 references) was contacted & the other reference seemed to be playing phone tag.
Jan 30th (Wednesday) – Received an email from manager telling me that she was in the process of calling my references and would hope to have an answer very soon.
Jan 31st & Feb. 1st (Thursday & Friday) Manger was out sick 1/31 & 2/1, my 2nd reference had left 2 messages.
Feb. 4th (Monday) The last time I followed up and sent an email for the manager with an additional reference just in case she had problems getting a hold of one of the ones previously provided. Received a response the dame day thanking me and letting me know that she had been out sick. But was in the office and would attempt to resume her calls (to reference).
On the same day my 2nd reference also received an email stating that she received the messages left for her, and stating that as soon as she felt better she would reach out to him. That was on Monday and hasn’t heard anything back from the employer.
I’m not sure if I should follow up again? If they wanted to hire me wouldn’t they have called me by now? What could be taking so long?
Hi Elizabeth,
I’d follow up again next Monday. But the truth is (I posted this on LinkedIn recently):
Most job seekers spend too much time thinking about when/how to follow up with that one employer that’s gone silent for 2 weeks…
… and not nearly enough time thinking about how to get new leads in the pipeline – new companies to apply to, new interviews on their schedule, etc.
Don’t stop applying until you’ve accepted a job offer!
—
That’s what you should be focusing on during this period of waiting.
Hi Biron,
I know this is an older post but wanted to see if you are still following up on questions.
I was curious about using a first name when following up. I’ve always heard from hiring managers this can come across as unprofessional, and just wanted to get your insight as to why you suggest that.
Everything else though is super helpful, thanks so much for taking the time to write this up.
Hi Michael,
Good question. It really depends on the industry. Everywhere I’ve worked as a recruiter, first name is fine. But I am sure there are some very traditional, old-fashioned industries where this would be frowned upon.
But in general – if you’re following up with employers in a modern industry like tech, healthcare, manufacturing, etc., I don’t think it’ll be a problem. I also personally wouldn’t want to work for anyone who minds me calling them by first name, but that’s just my opinion :)
Hey Biron,
Thank you for this article !
I really need your advice, I applied on January 2018 to a position in a well known university in the Middle East and I have been contacted on August 2018. After two successful interviews occurring in September 2018, the head of department asked me to send documents for the HR which I have done the next day ( October 2nd).
I followed up on October 17th and the head of department told me he can’t give me any updates as he is not entitled to follow up on candidates applications and that I had to wait for the HR to contact me.
After nearly two months with no news from the HR, I sent another email to the head of department ( December 7th 2018) asking him about the hiring process timeline and eventually about my application and a contact that I can send an email to, to follow up on my application. The Head of Department answered my mail by giving me the contacts of a the director of the department and told me that it will take up to one month for the offers to be sent to the successful candidates….
I sent an email to the director the same day .. crickets…..
While doing some research on the internet about the University, I found some people saying that it almost took them 6 months to get their job offers…
I feel like I will sound pushy and desperate if I send another e-mail ( which I actually am, but whatever :) )
I really don’t know what to do!!!!!
Thank you for your time Biron,
ISMA
Hi Biron,
I had an interview on Jan. 7th –a position which i’m very interested in. I wrote them a thank you follow up email the next day, and they responded in like and said they would be interviewing through this week. They would be making a decision shortly after. I got another job offer which is my second choice, but I said yes to and the start date is the 28th. Should I send another email next week to the employer that is my first choice on the job status? Would that be considered too pushy? Should I let them know I have another job offer and I would like to know where I stand in their decision making process? I would like to be fair to them both. How should I word this? Looking forward to your answer. Thank you!
Ideally you should wait to accept the offer, go tell your first choice that you have another job offer, and ask what they can do to speed the process up. But since you’ve said “yes” to this first offer, you’ll need to decide what you’re comfortable doing.
I can’t write a word-for-word follow up email for you, but if you keep it polite/professional, it’s not too pushy. You can definitely ask where they stand in the process, etc.
Hi. I ve attended the video interview in the month Oct 2018 .. they told they’ll email me the result… After a week I ve sent a follow up email to know about my result.. they replied that the result was positive and they’ll update me soon. Aft that I’ve heard anything from them… I’ve waited for a month again sent a email to know about the result… Bt they told my profile is in hold. I’ve sent a thank u email… It’s already 2 months over from the date of interview. Shall I again send a follow-up to know about the result. Please help me with the content.
Hi Biron,
Thank you for your great job.
Fist template very helpful for my sinerio. I had an interview on Nov 15th. after 10 days I ‘ve sent them a follow up email and they said they are interviewing someone. They will let me know if they see any fit. Ultil now I haven’t gotten any updates. Should I sent them second follow up email now? Thanks you
Hi Biron, I had a interview December 03. In the interview the hiring manager said someone will get back to me the following week on December 04. I sent the thank you email and no response yet. I received an automatic out of the office reply. Apparently she was going to be back the next day. Its been week. Should I send a follow up email.
Yes, I’d send a follow-up this week.
Hi… After my video interview I’ve not heard from them… So I’ve sent a follow-up to know the status… They’ve replied as “positive response we’ll update u soon” like that… It’s almost a month now… I’ve not heard anything from them .. Could you please help me with the content for the follow up email…
I can’t write an email for you. But I’d recommend just being polite, telling them you were hoping to check in since a month has passed, and then ask if they have an update they can share. Put that into your own words. Good luck!
Hi,
Lunch interview on a Wednesday. Following Monday, 11/5 interview with the hiring manager. Went well. Asked for email with production numbers . Said he wants to continue this conversation. Sent numbers that Monday evening also with a thank you. No response. Called that Friday to folllw up(he said I could). This coming Monday will be 2 weeks from the interview, with Thanksgiving next week. Need advice! Thank you!
Sonja
Hi Sonja,
I’d follow up today or Monday to ask if there are any updates they can share.
I did a phone interview with a multinational company on June 14 followed up with an in-person interview on June 22. The final phone interview (with the hiring manager’s manager) occurred on July 23. All of the interviews went well. The HR recruiter told me that I am the hiring manager’s choice to hire for the position, but he was working through “red tape” in actually filling the position. I have maintained contact with the HR recruiter and hiring manager and there is currently a hiring freeze and the position cannot be filled at this time. I really want this job, but how long is too long to keep hoping that I will be hired? Does anybody have any advice about how I should or should not proceed? Thanks in advance!!
Apply for more jobs. Keeping in touch with them takes 2 minutes per week at this point (literally). There’s nothing else to do.
If you’re in an active job hunt, what you should be doing is applying for more positions and going on more interviews… focusing on the things within your control. A hiring freeze is not within your control.
Hi Biron
I was able yo clear my interview and uploaded the documents (payslips etc.) required by HR.
Its been around 5 days, i hvnt heard back from them.
What kind if email should i write.
Please suggest.
Thank you for your helpful suggestions for follow-up emails. However, there are some grammatical errors. Some of your sample texts end something like this: “Please let me know when you get a chance, thanks!” Please correct this, as anyone who uses your text will be sending a major grammatical error to a potential employer. This should actually be, “Please let me know when you get a chance. Thanks!”
Good catch. Thanks Lorie. Fixed (in two spots)
Hi Biron,
Great site and great advice! I sent a resume to a law firm on 7/10; was contacted by internal Talent and Acquisition on 7/16; had phone interview with T/A on 7/17 and that went great; had additional phone interview with current employees in same position I am interviewing for – that too when great; had an in-person interview with partners in the department on 8/15 which I thought went great.
After each interview I sent a thank you/follow up email with the T/A. In the case of the in person interview with the partners of the firm I again sent a thank you/follow up email with the T/A but NOT the partners. Was it a mistake to not thank the partners directly? I have been out of the interview loop for 14 years and felt that since I had all communications with the T/A that I should direct all of my thank yous/follow ups directly with her.
Fast forward two weeks and no response from T/A. Sent thank you (to T/A only) the day after (8/16/18) the in person interview and then a follow up on 8/22/18 and no response either way.
Should I follow up again? Did I make a mistake by not emailing the partners directly? How should I handle this going forward?
Thanks,
Shree
Hi Biron,
Would you send a follow up email to a temporary agency if you gained an interview through them or would you directly email the hiring manager on the status of your interview?
Some context: I had an interview for a temporary job on the 18th July and was told that the training day would be held the week beginning 23rd July. It is the 27th July now but I have not heard back from the agency as to whether I was accepted or rejected for the position.
Hi, I’d email the temp agency. They should be handling it. In fact, even your pay will come from them, I believe (after you start). They’re technically going to be your employer.
Thank you Biron for this website. I was interviewed on 7/16 and today is 7/26. I emailed the manager the next day. And today i send them a follow up email using your template. Hopefully, Ill get any type of response :)
valuable information ,thanks a lot
Thank you so much that was really helpful
Hi Biron, I had a phone interview a week ago. I was told that I will be contacted few days later to speak with another manager to go overt the job details. I believe that interview was good, but no nobody had contacted yet. Should I sent a follow up email?
Yes, I’d follow up and check in. Just politely ask for an update and tell them that you’re still very interested in the role.
I just used this method to follow up on an interview I had on the 23rd. The supervisor has promised to get back to me mid next week. I am wishing myself all the best. Thank you so much for this site. It sure is helpful!!
Hi Beth,
Really glad it helped! Good luck!
Hi Biron
I had an interview last week. The hiring manager told me they will have a decision early this week. I still have not heard back from them. I left a voicemail and wrote the follow-up email to the hiring manager. I still have not heard any back from him. I know his boss, so I called his boss asking if he has any update for me. His boss told me he will let me know during a day, but a day by, still not heard back. Could you please give me advice?
Hi Biron,
Please help me to get clear. I have attended an interview for manager post. For which they interviewed lot of people. My friends also attended the interview. They said that they will send the result through email. But for me they asked to call after my exams are over. So i did and they are not reachable. I sent a message regarding that. They questioned me again the same question asked in interview about relocation. I replied the same answer but i explianed with my expectation of Salaray, in order to manage my living cost.then there is no rely at all. After 5 days i sent a follow up message. They said that they will keep me posted. Still there is no update from them. Its been 10 days. Can i ask them again for update?
How should i ask them
Hi Biron,
I had an interview with one of US company and I felt the interview went great and I will be a perfect fit for the position. . Next day of my interview, I got email of CEO and he asked my VISA status and told me to send my visa stamp and related documents which I sent immediately and I got reply that he will talk to his attorney about my case. After 2 weeks I followed up with him and told what VISA I may be eligible, but I didn’t get any response. Later after 2 weeks I sent another email and asked if he got a chance to discuss my case with his attorney, but didn’t get any reply. Now it has been almost one week to my previous email but no luck. Not sure if they are still interested in my profile or looking for a candidate who doesn’t need VISA sponsorship. What do you suggest?
I’d follow up again. It can’t hurt.
Hi Biron,
Not sure if I should send another email, I interviewed last Thursday, they said they’d know by Friday afternoon and tell HR then HR would inform on Monday or Tuesday of outcome. I sent a thank you email to HR and then yesterday a week after my interview I sent an email to HR asking for an update. Should I try sending an email to the person who interviewed me as she is the person the role reports to?
Thanks
Hi Biron,
I just wanted to ask for advise. I had a phone interview with a company based in Berlin few weeks ago, on 21st March.
The interview was with one of the company founder and it went really well, in fact she very kindly explained their application process, wanting to select about 3 candidates to interview face to face, and she did confirm over the phone the i was going to be one of them and that her HR would have contacted me with further details.
After the interview i sent a thank you email to the HR contact (is the only one i have), reiterating that i was looking forward to meet the team and have an interview at the offices in Berlin.
HR replied few days later saying that they were still in the application process and they would have let me know by the end on the same week – i responded by thanking them for the update and that i would have waited for more info at the end of the week.
I’ve then not heard anything until 10th April, when HR in reply to my last email said:
“sadly I can not give you a feedback yet as we are still in the application process and our CEO is currently not in the office. I am really sorry and hope that we can provide you with additional informations soon.”
Again i have replied to this email by thanking them and by asking them to please let me know as soon as they have an update.
Now another 2 weeks have gone by and i have still not heard anything from them. I know the position is still available as they have updated their site last week, in fact they are now looking for more roles to cover within the company.
My question really is, should i follow up asking for any updates? I am worried i could sound to pushy or desperate, but at the same time they showed interested first and left it really open…
Great tips, Biron. Thank you.
I had an interview with a company last Tuesday, April 24. The feedback they gave the recruiter was very positive. The recruiter is with an outside company. I was told they would contact him on Wednesday; the next day, about scheduling a second meeting. I emailed him on Thursday and got the response that the individuals I interviewed with was meeting Friday morning to discuss and schedule something for this week. I was told he would update me. Friday afternoon I still had not heard anything so I sent him a quick email to follow up. I got the response that he was going to follow up today; Monday and update me. As of 1817 today I still have not heard anything. I have been contacted twice by another recruiter for a contract position since last Friday. I don’t really want to take a contract position when I have this one so close. Since I am not getting any updates from the recruiter should I contact the company directly or just be painfully patient?
Usually going around the Recruiter isn’t a good idea. I’d just follow-up with the Recruiter, and mention that you’re considering another job opportunity also.
Hi, I went for an interview last week Wednesday with the 2 company directors, a day later they came back saying that they both enjoyed meeting with me the day before and that they will get back to me formally early next week. Its now Thursday and I have yet to hear back from them, when should I follow this up without seeming desperate or pushy?
Hey Biron,
Thank you so much for this article. I would be grateful if you can help me out with a query. I gave an interview on March 7th. I thought it went well and got their reply after a week. They called me for second interview. But interview was cancelled day before because of their busy schedule and I was told that they will contact me as soon as they match their schedules. Now it’s been more than two weeks I got no response even after following up last week. Should I follow-up again this week or move on?
I interviewed for a nursing job yesterday for kaiser. I have been applying now for 2 yrs, but recently have been getting interviews. Yesterday the interview was in obgyn (my dream job) The interviewer was the hiring manager for the dept., She told me the position was a 6mos temp position because she had staff on leave right now. After asking me situational questions, she went ahead and said she would like me to start april 23, and if this was ok. I said yes. Then she said she had to get approval because the orientation for that day may be full and if she did not get the ok to have me start she would have me start the beginning of may. I responded thats ok too. She then said, “I have to be honest with you , I have one more person to interview today but I will make my decision by tomorrow, so I will be giving you a call tomorrow.” She then asked me if I had time for a tour and I agreed and was blown away from this new unit that is all tech wired. It made me completely excited for this position , I felt like a kid in a candy store. She then introduced me to 2 MD’s and then walked me out. Mentioned its really hard to get hired with kaiser but a temp position is the way to get your foot in the door (wink) then she said so nice meeting you stay close to your phone I am going to call you tomorrow. After I got home an hour later yesterday from the interview, I sent her a thank you for the interview email. No response, and I was on pins & needles all day and no call. :-( I’m hoping something came up & that I am still in the running for the position but I want to follow up to “check in” . I felt like everything went well, I just get frustrated when I get led on about a position when they tell me things to seem as if they are going to offer the position to me and then there is no response what so ever. So rude in my opinion. At least send an email that the filled the position or went with another candidate ya know? Im so disappointed and bummed.
Hi Biron,
I had a phone interview with a recruiter from a hospital, at the end she said that she would refer my resume to the hiring manager. I heard from her two days later sending me a link for referrals and asking me for my availability, as they would love for me to come in for an interview. I sent her my availability and it’s been 3 weeks now and I haven’t heard anything back. I already followed up twice and nothing. Should I give up . I would really love to work for that company but I don’t want to be pushy.
Thanks.
This has been a great help. I wasn’t sure what to say, or write about… This gives me the necessary leverage to go forward… Perfect and thanks
I am in a similar situation, the HR wrote me saying they have gave my cv to the recruitment manager and he will contact me shortly, it has been more than a week now…should I email them or I should patiently wait? thank you
Hi Biron, I am so glad to find your article especially I am struggling to hear back from companies that I interviewed for but haven’t hear back. I think your templates are very good. Sometime I taylor my message, but mostly for thank you note purpose. But I definitely agreeing following up (not to overwhelm the company) and keep the coversation to the loop.
Thank you for the great article!
Glad it helped! Thanks for commenting here.
Hi Biron,
Thanks for your helpful article and advice.
I had my second interview by phone 13 days ago with the Managing Director, he said that they were interviewing other candidates and that they would provide me with feedback in a weeks time. It has now been 13 days (including weekends).
I sent a thank you email to the Managing Director and copied in HR and also the person who would be my line manager who was the person who I interviewed with first. However I didn’t hear back from any of them (for my first interview it took the line manager 3 – 4 days to reply to me). I know that the Managing Director is very busy and travels a lot, so I want to follow up and am wondering whether I should:
a) Follow up on the Thank You email that I didn’t get a response to? if so, should I copy them all in again (MD, HR & Line Manager) and address it again to the Managing Director? or
b) Reply to the second interview confirmation email that was sent by HR – with a hope that it will be more likely read and opened because it looks like a continuation of an email they have sent. Although I think this one has a higher chance of being replied to by the HR (how have already invited me to follow up with them if there is anything I want to know about the interview process). The trouble with this option is that it doesn’t include the MD or Line Manager – and so i think it is a missed opportunity to show my continued interest to the MD and Line Manager. It is a big matrix company and they all sit in different countries so showing my keeness to HR will probably not get back to the decision makers.
My gut is saying I should probably just bit the bullet and go for option A and then fall back to option B if I still don’t get a response, what do you think? or do you have other ideas?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Biron
I went for an interview on the 16 of Jan and the lady said that she is looking for someone that has over 10 years of exp for the Job i applied for,but she has 2 more vacancy that ill be perfect for and i will send me more information.
3 weeks ago i sent her a follow up email but she still hasn’t responded. i dont know what to do can i send her another mail?
thanks
Hello,
So I had my final rounds of interview on oct 25th which were 3 back to back interviews. The company flew me over, booked me a hotel & took care of me. There were 9 other people who interviewed for the same position as me. After the interview they told us that they will get back to us within 2 weeks even if it is a NO. So as the routine goes I sent an thank you email to my recruiter & after two weeks flew by I started following up as per your instructions here in this website. My recruiter would reply back to e-mails every time within 30-45 mins max but she keeps saying that she is still awaiting on updates & will let me know as soon as she hears something. My question to you is today it is 29th November & I still haven’t heard anything from the company of whether I got the job or not. Can you please help me of what should I do next? The last email I sent was the one you have posted here in website I basically copy & pasted it so just so you know. Is it because it’s end of the year & the company is on hiring freeze due to budget issues and all? Or I don’t know what is going on?
Thank you,
Respectfully,
Raj
This is perfect. Very short, simple, and to the point. Thanks!
Thanks. Glad it helped :)
Hi Biron,
Maybe you could give me some helpful advice! After a phone interview, I had an in person interview 8 days ago. Went well – she said she will get back to me in 1-2 weeks and that they have some other people to interview 2 weeks from that day. I sent a thank you email with my references (which have not been called as far as I know). I did not get a reply. Is it too early/annoying to ask for an update? It has not been 2 weeks yet and I suspect they are waiting to interview all candidates until they make a decision. I am only inpatient because I did get another job offer but I would prefer the job I am waiting for. I have extended the job offer but only for 1 week. Any suggestions?
Hi, I’d like some advice on a job I’ve had 2 interviews for so far. I’m pretty sure there will not be a 3rd required.
When I got called for the 1st interview, I was told that they had many applicants but mine stood out. (Fyi, This is for a office job working for a Government organization). I had my 1st interview and it went Well! A few days later I was called to set up a 2nd interview. I was also told that I was the 1st one they called back for the 2nd interview… Also, before I went to the 2nd interview, I had to take a test on personality traits as well as small mathematic equations. I must have passed as the 2nd interview went on as scheduled. For both interviews I sent the customary, yet personalized thank you emails too. Also, during the 2nd interview I found out there were 2 other candidates they were considering.
I hadn’t heard anything exactly a week later, so I sent a follow up email noting I simply wanted to touch base with them, reiterating my interest in the position and inquiring if they were able to share any update on the hiring process. Still no response. I wonder if a week was too soon to follow up? But then when I sent it, I was thinking the polar opposite and had I not popped up once more to show I’m truly interested, they might not think I want it badly enough. Thus job is my dream job and I know I would be a tremendous success, as well as asset to them. But I’m full of doubt now and worry they don’t see the potential in me due to this radio silence I’m being met with.
Hi, I was interviewed by the Team Lead last September 19, 2017 in a company which I really liked. On the same day, he asked me for a few samples of my work and had a confirmation by September 21 that they have received my email. By September 26, I did send a follow up email to the team leader but got no reply. It’s October now, and haven’t heard anything yet but I am truly interested in the company. Is it okay if I send another email? to whom should I send it? The HR sent me the invitation but the Team Leader was the one who interviewed me. Or should I just wait? this is already the 2nd week after the initial interview. It’s really hard here in the Philippines wherein you don’t NORMALLY get an email/response whether you are not qualified or they are still in the midst of processing applications.
I did everything you said to do. Great advice! In the interview, the mention it may take up to 30 days before a decision is made, there is only 3 days left. Should I contact them again or just wait? Thanks again for your help.
Hey, normally I recommend waiting the full amount of time, or even giving them an extra day. But 30 days is a very long time. I’d go ahead and follow-up now. 27 days is a long time to not have any contact with them.
I had an interview September 1st with a hiring manager and two of his subordinates. After the interview, the manager offered me his business card and requested to email references. The next day, I sent a thank you note to the hiring manager with the references but not to the two others. The manager stated that processing will take about 3 to 4 weeks. It is 3 weeks now and I am becoming impatient. Do you think that I should send a follow-up email to the manager to inquire an update? Did I make mistake not sending thank you email to the two subordinates? Is it too late to do so now and can I email them for an update?
This is very helpful. But I do have a question/comment. After the interview, I sent a thank you to the hiring manager. I waited a month (per the timeline given by the HR recruiter during our in-person interview) and sent a note requesting a follow-up from the Hiring manager. No response. 3 days later, I sent a follow-up note to the HR person. Again no response after almost a week. I’m taking the silence as rejection. Which is okay. It was my first choice job, though now I feel I wouldn’t want to work for an organization or people who can’t be bothered to send a quick, thanks but no thanks.
This is so helpful. Thanks alot for this post. ?
Hi Biron ,
Thank you for this very helpful article. Do we have to give an explanation as o why we are inquiring about the interview status. For example, i’m inquiring about the interview because my current organization goin to extend my current project etc.
Thanks
No, you don’t need to do that. I wouldn’t.
Hi Biron,
Thanks, these are really helpful. Keep up with the good job.
I agree 100%. Last month (7/19), I began interviewing for a leadership opportunity with a large tech company. That day I interviewed (following initial recruiter interview) with a consultant and hiring manager (separately), followed by two separate Sr. VP interviews within the following week. Interviews commenced on 7/25 (all phone), at which point I followed up with thank you letters reflecting on key topics of discussion. Throughout the process, all parties seemed engaged and interested, and although only conducted via phone, all required a considerable amount of prep time and blocks carved out of my busy day (including my wife and kids having to leave the house on one occasion for the final interview). Not one response has been received to the thank you letters or follow-up candidacy status check earlier this week (1.5 weeks after last interview) that was sent to the two recruiters. As the hiring manager had mentioned expecting to make her selection by month’s end, I would simply like to know whether I’m still in play as a candidate at this stage. Although I realize these individuals are all busy, it baffles me how it’s common practice these days to be so inconsiderate of the time and efforts candidates put into the interview process, as well as their expectations to be informed of decision, either way that decision may go. Granted, certain legal considerations may be at play with regard to internal policy not to communicate directly with applicants, but at least the recruiters themselves can respond.
My outlook on this is that no one – I don’t care how “important” the person is – no one is “too busy” to answer an email – if you do not receive a response after sending a “Thank you” after the interview email or a “Follow-up” on the status of the position email – they are not interested in pursuing your candidacy. Do you really want to work for a company that is that rude to not respond to an email after you met with them?
As an HR professional and/or Manager, It’s simply common courtesy to respond to an email to anyone who has invested their time with you regardless if it’s a phone interview or an in-person interview. No one should be in a management position if they can not be respectful of people and their time. It only takes a couple of minutes to make a phone call or at the very least fill out a form letter thanking the candidate for their time and letting them know that “a better candidate has been chosen”. Unfortunately this has become the “Norm” .
Chris, I totally agree. My daughter went to an interview last week, met with two different supervisors. she sent out her thank you email and to date has not received a follow up by neither of them…
I agree. It’s definitely *not* cool. I guess some hiring managers stop caring. They get so many applicants and they stop treating people how you should treat them.
It takes a LOT of time to apply for positions. And to come in for an interview or even take a phone call. I 100% agree that if you’ve done these things, you deserve a prompt, detailed response explaining the outcome.
Hi Biron, I interviewed July 12th, sent thank you’s the following morning to who I interviewed with. The following week I followed up with HR and no response, however, I heard back from the person I would be working under thanking me for coming in and staying late but no definite answer… Now coming on two weeks… should I follow up with HR again?
Yes. I would.
I interviewed on a Tuesday, was told they would reach a decision by Thursday. I followed up Thursday with my interviewer and was told they hadn’t reached a decision yet but I would definitely know the next day. They didn’t reach out Friday, and I’m not sure if I should send another follow up email? A call? What should I do?
Hi Dee- I’d reply to that same email and ask for an update at the end of the day today. It’s been a few days so I think it’s fair to ask.
If they don’t reply to this, I’d give it a week though. Good luck!
Hi! I was interviewed on (07/06/2017) and the interview went positive. The next day I received an email from the recruiter saying the interviewer had positive feedback regarding the interview and will let me know the next steps the following week. Today is (07/17/2017) and I haven’t heard back anything from the recruiter. I followed up with the recruiter on (07/11/2017) but did not get any reply. What should my next steps be? Should I email the interviewer that I am still interested in the opportunity and waiting for the response?
Dear Biron, I had 3 interviews within a span of a month, with the last at the end of June. All felt positive. At the last interview, no date was communicated to me and the interviewer mentioned he would provide feedback to the hiring manager. Since then I have emailed HR twice, with the last email about a day ago. Still silence. I like the company but wouldn’t it be professional if they could give me a quick up date regardless of my outcome? What should my next steps be pls?
Hi! Is it ok to call and followup a week after sending thank you note and interview? I think maybe there is some problem with network maybe?!
Hi Mina- yes, you can definitely send an email or call them after a week of silence. I’d choose one or the other though. Call or email but don’t do both. Leave a voicemail if you do call.
Hello Biron,
Thanks for all the useful tips, my situation is: about 3 weeks after my interview with this company I’m applying to (it’s a university-affiliated research center) I still haven’t heard anything back, their recruiting system online, however, still shown my profile as “in process,” so I figured I might still have a chance.
I’ve sent out a follow-up email to the Center coordinator (who does HR work such as arranging interview time) a week ago, and haven’t heard back. I then sent out another email to my interviewer a few days ago, and still haven’t heard anything back. Should I keep sending follow-ups? or should I / could I give them a phone call?
I just want to know the outcome, or their decision on this, even if I’m not selected.
Hey Tim- if you just want an answer (and I don’t blame you), I might call at this point. Give them a call and see what they say.
It’s not right to go a week without replying to you. It’s unprofessional and ridiculous, and you have my full permission to call them until they pick up :)
I hope it ends up being good news by the way, when you do reach them (such as the interview process is delayed but they do like you)
Hi Biron,
I need your advice. I got a call from one of the interviewer and they set me for an interview on June 5, 2017. During the interview, I asked them how long are the process, and how many applicants who applied for the position? Their response is after two (2) weeks. Apparently, the duration of those two weeks they called my three (3) references. I am scared to make the follow up and I don’t know what kind email letter I should address to them. After the interview I didn’t made any thank you letter to them because it’s an internal hiring. What move do you think I should do?
If you interview for a job and it’s likely not your first choice, is it inappropriate to send a follow up email? I have applied to about 10 jobs in the past month and a half and have a few favorites. However, one or two positions that I have interviewed for were not my top choices, although I’d still consider them. I just want to get a sense of whether it looks bad to reiterate interest and seek a status update and then ultimately not accept a job if one is offered? I am unsure right now exactly what offers I will get and what job I want, but I want to keep my options open and keep the process moving along.
Totally appropriate Bri. You should try to get a job offer from every company if there’s even a slim chance you’ll accept. You owe it to yourself and them :) Don’t worry. Follow up, no question.
When sending a request for status email, should the email go to the HR recruiter or the hiring manager? I sent the thank you email to the hiring manager.
Hi JC-
I’d probably send it to whoever scheduled the interview for you. So, Hr.
Hi Biron,
I have a question. So my husband was interviewed last Wednesday afternoon. He indicated the interview went well and the person indicated he would recommend him for a 2nd interview. We still haven’t heard anything. Now, the person who scheduled the interview is different than who he interviewed with. When he initially set up the interview, he indicated that HE would follow up with my husband after the interview and hasn’t done that yet either. He did send a follow up email on Friday afternoon. Maybe it’s just me being impatient since he’s been looking for a job for a long time. What should he do next at this point?
Thanks
Hi Biron,
I need your advice. On May 5th i was interviewed for a huge aviation company. Everything went very well. My interviewer was the supervisor for the department i had applied for. On the interview she told me the shift they had to offer me and the shift i will be doing my training. Upon finishing my interview she said to expect a call within one or two weeks she also said it might take a little longer. Three weeks after i send an update email to the HR that contact me for the interview. She said i was still on the candidacy pool for a selection that she didn’t had any updates as of yet.
Its been a month and two days that i haven’t heard anything.
Do you think is a bad idea to contact the supervisor i was interviewed with? or should i wait patiently?
Its been a hard month waiting for that call. This is my dream job!!
Hi Biron
Thanks for all the guidance you provide in this platform. Question for you, I interviewed for a position that I believe is a perfect fit on May 1st. The hiring manager adviced he will get back in the next 2 weeks. I sent a thank you email to hiring manager and interview panel. Didnt get a response from anyone on thank you note. I have waited 2 weeks and havent heard back. Hiring supervisor adviced to reach out any time I had a question, he mentioned “you can email me or text me”. He emphasized that text msg sometimes work better as he gets lots of emails. I am planning on following up- my question to you is can I follow up via text message if so what message verbiage do you suggest? Should I stick to email and risk not having a reply similar to my thank you note? Any advice will be very valuable. Thank you
Hi Biron,
Thank you for the great advice! I had a terrific interview last month followed by a second one a week later. Both interviews went for 2 hours though they were scheduled for 1. The second interview didn’t go as well, and I’m not sure I was on the same page as the company. They wanted a lot of ideas and to do some brainstorming, but it seemed as though the ideas I was coming up with were either things they had already thought (too obvious?) of or else not quite on the page they wanted to go. I didn’t feel confident at all when it was over. At the end of the interview they told me they wanted to figure out if I might fit, and that they may not get back to me right away. I still went ahead and sent a thank you and also acknowledged that I understand they want to assess their needs. It has now been two weeks and I’ve heard nothing. I would like to follow up, but should I address any of these issues or just keep it short and simple? I really want the job, but also feel a little rattled that I didn’t give the best 2nd interview.
that was very useful
many thanks,
Hi Biron,
I had an interview on 04/15/2017. The day after I sent a thank you letter to the HR manager, and a week after that I sent the second follow up letter. She replied back saying that they are currently still in the interviewing stages, and are hoping to have everything wrapped up in the next couple of weeks. Once they are proceeding to the next step, they will contact me. 10 days after I didn’t hear anything from them then I sent them another email and they replied me again saying due to unpredicted circumstances, they had to postpone a couple of the interviews they had already lined up until next week. They are hoping to have the first phase completed by mid-month (MID MAY 2017) and will certainly keep me updated, as they were very impressed with me. Please Biron what should I do. I really like this job and it seems like they really liked me, but not sure why its taking too long.
Hi, I’d wait until late May to follow up. They clearly haven’t forgotten about you at this point, but you can’t rush the process if they have delays. Sometimes it’s outside of your control.
Send a friendly, casual note next Tuesday or Wednesday if you haven’t heard an update.
Hi Biron,
I got this interview through a headhunter, now it has been 2 weeks since the last round of the interview, no any news, the headhunter could not provide me even any clues about the hiring manager’s attitude, let alone timeline when the decision is to be made, should i send an email to the hiring manager directly asking for update?
Thanks,
Phoebe
Biron:
I just want to thank you for this information. I found it to be very helpful.
I had my 2nd interview with this organization a month ago, and I followed up right after with emails thanking them and reiterating my interest in the career.
So, after a month and no more updates, I came across to your suggestions, and decided to follow up with a short note incorporating some of your suggestions. I sent the note yesterday, and today I received a response.
The hiring manager thank me again for the follow up. He also added: ” We are still rescoping the role. We should have final scope decisions in about two weeks – one of the Directors is [traveling] right now and we will wait until he returns for his insights. Since this is a FTE position and a new role, and these are rare, we are proceeding slowly and carefully.”
I am sending him a thank you note now for the update, and wish me luck!
Thank you again!
Hi Biron
these are helpful. Thank you so much. Keep doing great work.
Hi Biron!
I had interview on March 29 and they said we will inform to me about the result after 1 week. It’s been a week since last interview. I already sent the thank you letter on April 3rd but still no respond. Should I send the follow up email right now? thanks
Hello brion
I had interview with company 10 days before.Interview was so good.Actually they want person with 6 years exp but I have 3 years of exp.but they said exp does not matter much more for us..skills are.n my skills exactly match with them.But still I am waiting to hear back from him.I have already send a follow up mail to him.I am in confusion that whar are going in his mind..Pls suggest me.
Thanks
Hi. The article above does include scripts for what to send if you followed up and did not get a response. I recommend using that.
Hello Biron,
Great page and advice.
I had a Skype interview last week Wednesday for an international school in the Netherlands and received an email that same evening saying that I had been selected for the second round of interviews which would be on site. The email said that the interviews would be organized over “the next few days” and that I would receive information on when they would take place. I sent a thank you mail but haven’t heard anything since. How long is “the next few days”? Should I send a follow up mail or wait it out a bit longer?
Thanks!
I’d give it more time in this case. This is different than not having feedback. Scheduling takes a while sometimes. Your goal here is just make sure they don’t forget, and don’t mess anything up.
I might follow up in 4-5 business days, if they said “a few days”.
So if they gave you the feedback this Monday, follow up next Monday.
Hi Biron,
I’m a recent postgrad graduate and I applied online for an internship of sort to gain experience in my finance field.
They replied after 1 week with a question about one of my details, to which I replied within 2hrs.
It has been 2 weeks and I have not heard anything. Everyone I know has “easily” obtained interviews and positions in this company. I have all the relevant qualifications required. A friend did mention prior to my waiting for the reply, that the HR are slightly busy at the moment.
Should I send a follow up email and see where I stand? What should I say? I feel like a reject as they haven’t replied to me at all. Do I not qualify or what?
Thanks!
Hi Biron,
I had a conversation with an alum of my school in January. He got in touch with his colleague in his company in charge of undergraduate recruitment (on the side, this is not her direct role at the firm) via an email in which I was CC’d. I emailed her a couple times and finally got a response at the end of February she said her and the team would be in touch again soon with an interview time.
I circled back with her earlier this week, and I have still not had a response to set up an interview. I am not sure if I should throw it in the bag or continue to follow up. Thanks!
Hi Biron,
Can you please help me. I had an interview two weeks ago, I met an executive through a referral after he met me he said that he would like to introduce me to the hiring managers of the position. I have not heard back yet. I did send a thank you email same day now I don’t want to be a pain yet I don’t him to forget about me. What should I say in the follow up email.
Thank you
It’s been 2 weeks and you’re worried about being a pain? Don’t. You need to follow up.
Send a follow up this week (ASAP). Remind the executive what he said, and ask if there are any updates on his end, or how things are looking.
2 weeks is too long. You’re not bothering anyone.
Hello ,
After an interview I was called and announced that I have passed it and they are pleased but the procedure included taking a test at home and send it back . Done and done , I sent the test completely solved , and the hr interviewer send me an amail announcing that she had passed the test to her colleges to check it and come back with a reply . And that was it , no sign from than , I have send an email as you said , short and formal asking for update , and still nothing , I have made a short call and not only she dit not reply but no call back as well . Should I hive up ?
Hi Luiza,
Don’t give up. You have nothing to lose. Stay polite, but send another email 5-7 days after you sent the most recent one. What’s the worst that happens? Nothing.
It’s possible the person you’re emailing is out of the office, sick, having an emergency, was fired, quit, etc. Keep trying.
One time I was interviewing at a company and the recruiter left the company and nobody told me. Ridiculous. Fortunately I followed up with someone else and eventually found out.
So that’s another idea: follow up with 1 more person.
Ok I need some advice here. I applied to a startup at 1/10 and they contacted me 2 weeks later to to the preliminary screening. Aced phone screen with internal recruiter following week. Aced phone screen with hiring manager following week. Sent requisite thank you after each call and was informed that I progressed to onsite the same day as the last phone screen.
After some scheduling finagling with the internal recruiter (he said he would confirm the line up on such and such date but didnt), I was set for a 6 hour onsite with 10 people on 2/8. I like to believe I did “ok”. Wasn’t strong in one round, second to last but they were not the hiring manager and were pleasant to me – e.g. informing me it’s their bday etc. I actually think I hit it off with the hiring manager – who gave me a tour of the grounds and smiled encouragingly and said Id hear from them very shortly. All good right? I send the recruiter a thank you the next day – asking him to thank the panel, etc as I didn’t have their email addys. He replies that it was great meeting me and hoped to get feedback from the panel later that day. That was thurs.
Well I get an email from the internal recruiter monday night – apologizing for the silence. He said “I’ve been OOO last few days and will be back in on Wednesday. Apologies for not getting back to you w/ feedback as of yet, hoping to do so later this week”. To which I say “Its quite ok. Thanks for letting me know. I hope your OOO was restful and look forward to the feedback.”. Then crickets. So last friday I email him “I hope all is well. You had mentioned that you’re anticipating some feedback this week. I’m keen to hear when you will potentially have an update. Please let me know if there’s anything I can provide to assist xxxx and company in their decision-making process.” Still crickets.
So after finding your blog & advice I sent this to the hiring manager yesterday (correctly guessed her email addy) – first thing am. I titled the email “update on 2/8” – “I emailed (insert internal recruiter’s name) last week and hadn’t heard back so I wanted to send you a brief note. Is there any feedback you can share about my interview or the status of the x position? I’m still excited about the opportunity and would love to move forward, but time is a factor, so any information you can share at this point would be most helpful.” Crickets.
Now what do I do? Yes I want the job as they’re actually an amazing company or at least I thought so. The silence on their part is baffling to be honest. They’re not a big company – say 100 strong so I’m suspecting that the recruiter is the HR for the whole company. I dont understand why they’re not telling me I didn’t get the job at this point or anything at all.
The job is still posted. In fact I accidentally found that it reposted on thurs. But my friends (including one who is a recruiter herself) are telling me that some job listings auto-post depending on the site and purchased package.
I’m leaning towards calling the recruiter directly first thing tomorrow to hopefully put this to bed. What do you recommend? Why are they still mum?
TIA!
Hi Biron!
I was just wondering, is there any way recruiting managers can block our email ids or something?
I have been approached by plenty of recruiters and I respond to their emails, but get no response, even after a followup. This happens even after I’ve interviewed with them, my thank you emails will either bounce back or not be read by them.
Since it’s happened quite a lot of times with me, I’m just wondering can they block us?
I can understand if I am not suitable for a position, but it’s a little odd when they were the ones to initiate the email conversation.
I’d love it if you could help me with this.
Thanks a lot!
Urvi
Hi Urvi,
Almost any email provider will allow someone to block your email or mark it as spam. Unfortunately it’s likely just a case of Recruiters being very flaky!
Try to work with those who are responsive. Or tell them that if you work with them, you realize you aren’t a fit for every position but you do need feedback after a conversation, and you expect to hear at least something from them. Ask if they can do this (they’ll say Yes).
Unless you’re sending 3 or 4 emails in a row to somebody, or being rude/spammy, I doubt they’re blocking you just for following up.
Hello Biron,
I had a phone interview for a counseling position at a charter school in Boston ( I am from New York) and it went great! Had a second phone interview with the dean of the school about a week later and that went well also. I have already sent my thank you e-mail and also a follow-up e-mail last week because the dean mentioned that they would reach out to me for a face to face interview which is the next phase of the interview process. I had not heard back so I had sent an e-mail following up and I was told that they’d reach out to me with a decision last wednesday. Weather conditions were bad all weekend but I still haven’t hard back and it’s going on a week after the Wednesday I was supposed to hear back. Any suggestions? I don’t want to seem to pushy but I am also pending a background check from another job that I already got an offer from so i’m trying to make sure I make the right decision as the charter school is the job that I would want ideally.
I always give the same answer here. Follow up. You’re not being pushy. You’re giving them the opportunity to “get” you before it’s too late. You’re warning them and alerting them that other companies are moving forward.
If they’re not interested in you, they won’t care. But you have nothing to lose. And if they ARE interested, this will improve the odds that they hurry up. Or if they cannot hurry up they’ll say “sorry, we simply can’t do anything to speed up the process at this point”. And at least you’ll know.
So follow up. Don’t overthink it. Just send a direct, polite, concise email today and be done with it :)
Good luck!
Thanks! Any idea on how to word that e-mail? A part of me feels as if i am starting to sound repetitive : (
They said they’d give you an update last Wednesday. And they haven’t. Follow up and ask for the update. Don’t over-think it.
Also tell them that you’re moving forward in the process with other companies and just wanted to make sure they know. Tell them you’re still excited about their opportunity and would love to move forward, but that time is a factor, so any information they can share would be helpful.
It’s okay to tell them that they’re your #1 choice and you were extremely excited after meeting with them (since it sounds like that’s true).
Now I just have to muster up the courage to send the update/ descion email! Thank you for making the anxiety a little more bareable!
Hi Biron,
I interviewed a position on Wednesday last week. I forgot to send the Thank you email after the interview. Should I send thank you email and follow up with the hiring process?
Hi! Good question. I’d combine them. Send an email thanking them for their time and asking for an update at the same time.
Hi Biron! I interviewed for a position a week ago from today, that same day I sent a “thank you” email. The branch manager said that she had 3 more interviews to do. I felt as though the interview went great and I will be a perfect fit for the position. Within that week I went for 2 more interviews for different companies and both companies got back to me very quickly and want to hire me on. My issue is that the first job I interviewed for is my first preference and I’d like to wait to hear back from them but the other positions can’t wait too long for me to make a decision. I don’t want to ruin the other opertunities by counting on a position. But I also don’t want to accept a position then have my dream job call me. I understand a follow up is needed but should I add in the email that I have other job offers but I’m waiting to hear back from them before I make a decision? Not wanting to sound pushy but I have to make a decision soon and its stressful.
Thank you in advanced!
Hey Jordan,
Common (and tough) problem.
Tell them. It’s okay to be a bit pushy.
If they don’t want to hire you, it doesn’t matter. If they do want to hire you, you’re giving them the OPPORTUNITY to make a move
You’re not begging or asking for anything. You’re providing them with useful information, and you’re an in-demand job seeker :)
Hi Biron,
I’ve interviewed with several companies and have received offers. My issue is that I am very interested in a company that I did not interview with. After contacting them, I was able to schedule a phone conversation with HR, the rep saw a good fit and decided to forwarded my credentials to multiple offices within. After sending a thank you letter and following up several days later, HR, replied that they have not heard back from the hiring managers and once contacted by them, HR will get back to me with a status.
There is a fine line between becoming an overwhelming burden and showing interest. What is the best business approach to follow up again?
Hi Chris,
I’d tell them you have job offers, and you wanted to follow up one more time to see if they had an update. The fact that you have job offers is definitely a good excuse to follow up. You can tell them they’re your first choice but you need to move quickly if this is going to happen.
What if you were called in to a second interview and you reached out (as above) and they reply that they are still holding interviews, would I write a follow up?
Hi Lori,
If they’re still talking to more people, I’d say something like this: “Great, thanks for letting me know. Do you have an estimate of when the process will move forward, just so I know what to expect?” That way you’ll know when you can follow up again.
Does that help?
Hi Biron,
I had my last interview with the hiring manager on the last day of November and he said I will be hearing back in 1-2 weeks for the end result but there hasn’t been any replies so I took your advice and sent a follow-up e-mail to the recruiter (not to the hiring manager) last Monday. He replied (in 10 minutes after my inquiry, very fast guy) that my application is still pending review and once a further update comes, they’ll contact me. What is your advice to do (it’s been a week after the recruiter’s response) and what should I expect from (pending review) ? By the way they’re hiring multiple people with the same title and I saw even a new job ad from them posted on 2nd of December with the very same position.
Hey Onder,
How is an application still pending review when you had an interview? Wasn’t your application accepted and they chose to interview you? So you’re waiting for feedback from that interview, right? Just making sure I understand.
Also, is this a recruiter from a recruiting agency? Or a recruiter who is directly employed by the same company as the hiring manager?
My advice is different depending on that.
Either way, if this much time has passed and the company cannot even provide feedback after an interview, my advice is keep job searching and assume this opportunity is gone. If it comes back, it will be a pleasant surprise. But sometimes employers will drag the process out for months because they’re not sure what they want, they have bigger priorities, etc.
And this can really hurt your job search if you are counting on them and not looking at other opportunities.
Hi Biron,
Thank you for your answer, you are the best! The recruiter is from the company which I applied, not from an agency. I had three interviews (one phone screening, one HireVue interview and the last one with the hiring manager, also a third party company completed a background check report for me. I asked the recruiter last Monday and the exact words were “pending review.” and I’ll contact you when a further update is received with your application status.
Thanks again!
Onder
Hi Biron. I interviewed for a global company on December 5th. It was a panel interview. I mailed out my thank you letters on December 6th. As of today, I have not heard anything regarding the position. Is it too soon to send a follow up email? Thank you!
Hi Amy,
Definitely not too soon to follow up. It’s been approximately two weeks. I’d send something on Monday morning asking if there’s any update they can share, and reaffirming that you’re still eager to hear about the next steps.
Hi Biro,
Actually my interview was done on @7th oct 2016 but on last 17th november i was told that there is budgeting work took place in company so as you can see one and half months i have waited so now how much more time i have to wait and which follow up letter now i shall send.small piece of advice from your side will really help me.hope for your quick answer.
dhrumil shah.
Hi Dhrumil,
You’ll need to write a new email for this scenario I think, don’t use a template. A lot of time has passed so I would follow up right now. If it has taken this long, there’s a good chance the company is not serious about filling this position. Which means you should look at other companies immediately. But do send a follow up too. Tell them you’d like to know if you’re still being considered for the position, and then ask when they expect to put the budget in place and fill the role.
Thanks Biron, the first template worked perfectly for me. Great info here, I saved this as a PDF for future interviews
Hi Anthony, glad it helped! Hopefully it saves you some time and hassle in future job hunts.
Big help thank you so much!
Glad it helped! Good luck following up.
Isn’t this too informal to write back to a company? It doesn’t sound as professional as I thought I should send.
You’d be surprised… It’s just a person on the other end. A busy person. People appreciate straight forward messages.
You need to adjust this for your industry. If you’re in a very “stiff” industry like investment banking, law, etc, then yes you need to be more formal.
But what I see WAY more often is somebody NOT in those industries still writing like it’s a PhD paper.
It’s an email asking for an update. That’s it.
This applies to things like cover letters too. I read cover letters all the time that are BRUTAL to get through because the person is just trying way too hard to sound smart, impressive, professional.
Be polite, write like a real person, and see what happens….
edit: I did adjust the template a bit. I wrote this a while back and worded it slightly better now, so thanks for the feedback!
I agree with Biron. HR people or hiring managers are too busy to read long emails.
Nice and crisp email suggestions. Thanks Biron.
I agree with Biron here. I looked for about 10 minutes for follow up email templates and a lot of them were ridiculous and had phrases “I truly appreciate your ongoing consideration for this position.” I don’t think it sounds genuine. Nobody talks like that and sending something like that sounds crazy.
I’m a recent graduate who is applying for marketing positions in tech companies and feel a lot more confident sending your templates, Biron. Thanks
I agree…short and sweet…that’s great, but seems a little aggressive on the approach of emailing others in the office and throwing them under the bus before you even work together.
Hey Quinn, good point. I’d only recommend that last step as a final attempt. Basically, you don’t think this person you’re emailing is going to ever respond, so you might as well try this before giving up on the company.
I know as a Recruiter if I saw that email about a colleague, I wouldn’t take it too harshly. I’d go to my colleague, find out what’s going on, and then have them reply probably (rather than me replying).
Or if a colleague came to me and said “hey this guy just emailed me saying you hadn’t responded”, I’d fill them in on the details and talk about what type of response we should give. But I don’t think I would think the person was too aggressive, or use it against them. If anything it’d remind me that I had dropped the ball and not responded in far too long.
That’s my honest take on it. Others might recommend differently.