You applied two weeks ago, the posting is still up, and you have heard nothing. Should you write to them, or will that make you look desperate? Here is how to follow up on a job application without guessing: when to send it, who to send it to, what to write, and when to stop.
The short version: one polite, specific message after about 10 to 14 days of silence, a second one a week or so later if you really want the role, then move on. Following up after an interview works differently, and it is covered further down.
Is following up on a job application worth it?
Honestly, it rarely changes the outcome of a cold online application. Most hiring teams that want to talk to you will reach out, and many never send rejections at all. Plenty of hiring managers say a follow-up email has never swayed their decision.
It is still worth doing in three situations:
- You really want this role. A short note costs you five minutes, and recruiters do lose good applications in a full inbox.
- You can reach a real person. A message to a named recruiter or hiring manager has a chance. A message to a "no reply" address does not.
- You have something new to add. A relevant project you just finished, a portfolio link, a certification you passed last week. This gives your note a reason to exist beyond "any update?"
If none of these apply, skip the follow-up and spend the time on your next application. The worst a polite follow-up does is go unanswered; the real cost is the time you could have spent elsewhere.
When to follow up after applying
- Wait for the closing date. If the posting says applications close on a certain day, nobody is reviewing yet. Follow up a week or so after that date.
- No closing date: wait 10 to 14 days. Replies often come within a week or two, so a message on day three looks impatient, while day ten looks reasonable.
- Respect "no calls or emails, please". If the posting asks you not to contact them, don't.
- Send it early in the working week, during working hours. It lands near the top of the inbox instead of under the weekend pile.
Who to send it to
The best person is the one closest to the decision who you can actually reach. In rough order:
- The contact named in the posting or in your confirmation email. Application confirmations often include a recruiter's name or a reply address. Check before you go hunting.
- The recruiter for the role, if you can find them on the company's careers page or a professional networking site.
- The hiring manager, if the posting names the team lead. Keep the message even shorter, since they did not ask for applications to come to them.
- A general careers or recruiting address as a last resort, with the job title and any reference number in the subject line.
Email tends to get read more than direct messages on networking sites, which can be crowded with sales pitches. If you only have a networking profile, use it, but keep the same short format.
What to write in a follow-up email
Keep it under 120 words. Name the role, say when you applied, add one specific reason you fit, and make it easy to reply. Attach your resume again so they don't have to search for it.
Subject: Following up: UI Engineer application (ref. 4821)
Hi Jordan,
I applied for the UI Engineer, Design Systems role on October 30 and wanted to check whether you need anything else from me.
The role's focus on a shared component library is close to what I did at my last job, where I built and documented 40 components used by three product teams. Since applying, I have published the Storybook for that library, and the link is here: [link].
I have attached my resume for convenience. Thanks for your time, and I'm happy to work around your schedule for a call.
Best, Maya
What makes this work:
- The subject line says what it is, so it is easy to find and forward.
- One concrete reason, tied to something in the posting. Not "I'm passionate about your mission."
- Something new, if you have it. A link or a result gives the reader a reason to open your file again.
- No guilt and no pressure. Avoid "I haven't heard back", "just checking in again" or deadlines of your own.
If you are not sure your resume makes that one reason obvious, fix that first. A follow-up sends people back to your resume, and it should back up what your note says. Our guide on tailoring your skills section and the one on quantifying achievements can help.
A second follow-up, and when to stop
If the first message gets no answer, wait about a week and send one last, shorter note: you are still interested, you know they are busy, and here is how to reach you. After that, stop. Two follow-ups after the application is the limit. Silence after that is an answer, even though a late reply sometimes still arrives weeks later.
How to follow up after an interview
After an interview, a follow-up is expected and more likely to be read, because you now know who is involved.
- Within a day: a thank-you note. Two or three sentences to each interviewer whose email you have. Mention one specific thing you talked about, and restate your interest. Don't use it to ask about next steps.
- Ask about the timeline in the interview itself. "When do you expect to make a decision?" gives you a date to work from.
- After that date passes: a short check-in. Wait two or three working days after the date they gave you (or a week after the interview if they gave none), then ask whether there is an update and whether they need anything else.
- Late-stage silence: write to the person you met. If you reached a final round, had good rapport with the hiring manager, and two weeks have gone by, a brief and professional note to them directly is fair. Name the role and the date of your last interview.
Hi Sam, thank you again for the conversation on October 21 about the Frontend Developer role. I enjoyed hearing about the migration to the new design system. You mentioned a decision around the end of the month, so I wanted to check whether there is any update or anything else I can send. Best, Maya
Keep follow-ups from slipping in Curri
The hardest part of following up is remembering to do it on the right day for the right job. Curri's Applications page keeps track of it for you. It is the same tracker covered in our guide to keeping track of job applications, so here we focus on the follow-up parts.
Set a follow-up date when you apply
When you add an application, the form has a Follow up on field next to Applied on. Set it 10 to 14 days out, or a week after the closing date. Use the Contact person field for the recruiter or hiring manager's name, and Notes for what you plan to mention, such as the link you want to send.
When the day comes, open the application. The note, the posting link and the CV you sent are all in one panel, with an Open CV button, so your message matches what the reader has in front of them.
Let Needs attention remind you
At the top of the page, Needs attention lists the applications that need a move from you, most urgent first:
- Follow-up due today and Follow-up N days late, based on the date you set. Click Done once you have sent your message to clear the reminder.
- No reply in N days, for applications still in Applied after 21 days with no follow-up planned and no changes in the past week. Follow up in a week sets a reminder seven days from today (use it for your second and last follow-up), and Mark rejected closes it out when you decide to stop.
On the board, the same flags appear on each card, so you can spot overdue follow-ups at a glance. When you hear back, drag the card to Interviewing, Offer or Closed.
Talk it through with the career coach
Each application card has an Add to chat button that makes that job the chat's context. From there you can ask Curri's career coaching chat about the application, for example which of your achievements best fits the role before you write your note, or how to prepare if your follow-up turns into an interview. The chat reads your profile before it answers. Chat messages are paid from your credit by usage; see the pricing page for plans.
Quick checklist
- Wait for the closing date, or 10 to 14 days.
- Find a named person: confirmation email, posting, recruiter, hiring manager.
- Under 120 words: role, date applied, one specific fit, something new, resume attached.
- One more short note a week later, then stop.
- After interviews: thank-you within a day, ask for the timeline, check in after it passes.
- Log the follow-up date the moment you apply, so you never have to remember it.