Follow up once, about two weeks after you apply, with a short message to a named person: the recruiter or HR contact on the posting if there is one. Say which role you applied for and when, give one reason you fit, and ask about the timeline. If the posting has a closing date, count from the day it closes instead.
Send one more message a week or two later if you hear nothing. After that, treat the application as closed and put the time into new ones.
Key takeaways
- Wait about two weeks after applying. A university career center and Indeed’s own help pages both put the first follow-up two to three weeks in.
- When a posting has a closing date, the clock starts at the close. For U.S. federal jobs, OPM says agencies generally respond 15 to 30 days after the announcement closes.
- Write to a person where you can: the contact in the posting, a recruiter, or the hiring manager.
- Keep it under 120 words: the role, the date you applied, one reason you fit, one question about timing.
- Two messages is the limit. If the posting says no calls or emails about status, send none.
01
When should you follow up on a job application?
No employer answers on a fixed schedule, so use the employer’s own signals first and a default second.
| Your situation | When to follow up |
|---|---|
| The posting has no closing date | About two weeks after you applied |
| The posting has a closing date | About two weeks after it closes |
| It is a U.S. federal job | If you have heard nothing 30 days after the announcement closes |
| The employer told you when to expect news | The business day after that date passes |
| The employer’s careers page states a waiting period | When that period ends |
| An employee referred you | About a week after you apply, through that person |
| You have another offer or a deadline | The same day |
The two-week default has support. The University of Arizona’s career center tells students to wait two weeks after submitting an application before taking action. Indeed’s help center gives a similar sequence for jobs applied to on Indeed: wait one to two weeks, send a polite message after two to three weeks if the employer allows it, and move on after three to four.
Closing dates change the math, because employers that set one often do not start screening until the posting closes. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) says federal applicants generally hear from the hiring agency about 15 to 30 days after an announcement closes, and should contact the agency if they have not. The guide to how long after a job posting closes you hear back covers those timelines.
Some employers publish their own waiting period. UC Santa Cruz asks applicants to wait at least six weeks before emailing for a status update, because it is unlikely to have anything to share earlier. An instruction like that beats any general rule.
02
Who should you contact?
Pick the person closest to the decision that you can reach politely.
- The contact named in the posting. Federal announcements list one: OPM says the agency’s contact information appears in the lower part of the announcement.
- The recruiter. The University of Arizona’s career center suggests looking on the company’s website or on LinkedIn. See how to message a recruiter for longer scripts.
- The hiring manager. Only when you are confident who it is, for example because the posting names the team lead.
- The platform’s own messaging. On Indeed, you can message an employer after applying only if the employer has switched that option on. Indeed says the invitation arrives after a delay of at least a few days, on your My jobs page, by email or as a notification.
- A general careers or HR address. A last resort. Expect a slower reply, or none.
Choose one person and one channel. The same note sent to three people reads as pressure.
03
How to write a follow-up message
- Use a subject line that identifies you. Job title, requisition number if there is one, and your name.
- Open with the facts. The role, where you applied and the date, so the reader can find your application quickly.
- Give one reason you fit. One or two sentences tied to a requirement in the posting. Do not paste in your resume.
- Ask one easy question. When interviews are expected to start, or whether anything else is needed. “Did you receive my application?” is a weak question if you already have a confirmation email.
- Close and sign. Thank the reader and add your phone number. When you write by email you can attach your resume, which saves the reader from searching for it.
04
Follow-up templates for common situations
Replace everything in brackets. The first message is for a posting with no closing date.
Subject: [Job title] application: [Your name] Hi [Name], I applied for the [job title] role ([requisition number]) on [date] and wanted to check that you have everything you need from me. I'm especially interested because [one specific reason]. In my current role at [Company], I [one relevant result]. Could you tell me where the hiring process stands, or when you expect to begin interviews? Thank you for your time, [Your name] [Phone]
For government, university and other postings with a hard deadline, write after the close and ask about the review.
Subject: [Job title], [announcement or requisition number]: application status Dear [Name], I applied for [job title] ([number]) before the [closing date] deadline. My online status still shows [status]. Could you tell me whether applications have been reviewed, and roughly when applicants can expect to hear about next steps? I'm glad to send any additional documents. Thank you, [Your name] [Phone]
If someone inside the company referred you, ask that person instead of the recruiter.
Hi [Name], Thanks again for referring me for the [job title] role. I applied on [date] and haven't heard anything yet. Would you be comfortable asking the recruiter whether my application reached the team? No pressure if the timing isn't right. [Your name]
A real deadline is the one good reason to write early. State the date plainly and do not bluff.
Subject: [Job title] application: timing update from [Your name] Hi [Name], I applied for the [job title] role on [date]. I've since received an offer from another employer and need to respond by [date]. [Company] is still my first choice. Is there any chance of an update, or a conversation, before then? If the timing doesn't work on your side, I understand. Thank you, [Your name] [Phone]
Send the last one a week or two after the first, as a reply in the same thread.
Subject: Re: [Job title] application: [Your name] Hi [Name], I'm following up once more on my application for [job title], submitted on [date]. I'm still very interested. If the role has been filled or the search has changed, a one-line reply would help me plan. Either way, thank you for considering me. [Your name]
05
When to stop following up
Stop after two messages about the same application. A third does not make a busy recruiter answer, and it may be what they remember the next time you apply.
Stop sooner if your status changes to not selected, closed or filled, or if a rejection arrives. Here is how to reply to a rejection email.
Indeed’s own advice is that after three to four weeks without a reply it is fine to move on and keep applying. You can still apply to the same employer again when another role fits.
Record every follow-up as you send it. A job application tracker with a next-action date for each application stops you from following up twice by accident.
06
Mistakes that make a follow-up backfire
- Following up within days. Many postings are still collecting applications, so you are asking for an answer nobody has yet.
- Using several channels at once. An email, a LinkedIn message and a phone call on the same day look like pressure, not interest.
- Sounding owed a reply. “I still have not heard back” puts the reader on the defensive. Ask about the timeline instead.
- Following up on everything. Save the effort for roles you would accept.
After an interview, the timing and wording are different. Use the interview follow-up email guide instead.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long should you wait to follow up on a job application?
About two weeks after you apply, or two weeks after the closing date if the posting has one. The University of Arizona’s career center advises two weeks, and Indeed’s help center suggests a polite message after two to three. For U.S. federal jobs, contact the agency if you have heard nothing 30 days after the announcement closes.
Is it OK to call to follow up on a job application?
Yes, when the posting lists a phone number or the employer is a small business where the owner or manager does the hiring. Keep the call under a minute: your name, the role, the date you applied, and one question about timing. Do not call if the posting says no phone calls.
How many times should you follow up on an application?
Twice at most: one message about two weeks after you applied and a final one a week or two later. If neither gets a reply, treat the application as closed. Indeed’s guidance for its own platform is that after three to four weeks without a response it is okay to move on.
Should you follow up if your application status has not changed?
A status that has not moved is normal and is not a reason to write early. Some employers rarely update it: UC Santa Cruz says that once an application reaches the hiring unit, its portal status does not change until the applicant accepts an offer or is disqualified. Wait the usual two weeks, or the employer’s stated waiting period, then send one message.
Sources
- University of Arizona Center for Career Readiness: How to Follow Up After Applying for a Job: waiting two weeks and who to message.
- Indeed Help Center: Applying for a Job on Indeed: Indeed’s timeline for waiting, sending a message and moving on.
- Indeed Help Center: Following Up On Your Application: when you can message an employer through Indeed.
- OPM: Why have I not heard anything back after applying?: the 15-to-30-day federal window and where to find the agency contact.
- UC Santa Cruz Staff Human Resources: IRD and Applicant Review Process: an employer’s own waiting period and how its portal statuses behave.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.