Not Heard Back From a Job Application? Here's How to Follow Up.
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When you’ve put a lot of time, energy, and thought into applying for a job, you’re probably anxious to hear back from the hiring manager. But a week or two has gone by, and so far it’s been crickets from them. What’s going on here?
If you haven’t heard back yet about a job you’ve applied for, don’t take it personally -- the reasons could have nothing to do with you. Every company’s hiring process is different, and things are moving a little slower during the time of the pandemic.
Still, if you haven’t received word from a manager within a reasonable time frame, it’s a good idea to send a quick follow-up email to ask about your application status.
Why should you follow up?
Following up on your application in a courteous manner lets you reiterate your interest in the position and confirm that your application was received. Job applications can sometimes get lost or misplaced, so it’s always worth checking to ensure that yours made it into the right hands. It also creates an opportunity to ask the hiring manager whether they need any additional information from you.
On top of that, though, you can use the follow-up message to establish a connection with someone at the company. That way, you may be able to keep this person as a contact for the future even if this job opportunity doesn’t pan out. In the business world, you can never know too many people!
When is the best time to follow up?
Before you follow up, always re-read the job posting; it could have information regarding the company’s time frame for hiring. If they specify a window of time, you’re best off waiting to follow up until after that time has passed. However, if the company’s stated time frame has passed, or if you haven’t heard anything within about a week of applying, it’s reasonable (and smart) to follow up.
Occasionally, a job posting might even tell applicants not to call or email regarding their application -- if that’s the case, you should respect the company’s request and not reach out to them. It can be stressful to not hear back after applying for jobs, but often, all that’s needed is a little patience -- usually, the company will reach out to you.
Who should you contact?
Most of the time, you’ll want to reach out to a hiring manager -- or whoever is listed in the job posting. Chances are, they’re the ones who are in charge of the hiring process. If that’s not an option, you can also contact a recruiter or someone in HR; you may find contact info for these professionals on the company website or LinkedIn.
Whoever you decide to reach out to, pick one specific person and contact them via an email or LinkedIn message. Avoid spamming multiple people at the company or sending your message to an automated (non-human) email address.
When you’re ready to follow up on your application, you may be wondering how to inquire about the job in a professional, non-intrusive way. If you’re not quite sure what to say, try one of the following message templates. You can copy-and-paste these as they are, adding your name and other relevant details to personalize the message, or use the templates as inspiration to write your own message.
