Write a Follow Up Email for a Job Application

Waiting in the deep gulf of time between sending in a job application and hearing back from the company can seem endless and daunting. Communicating in the right way to the company to follow up on your application can set you apart from the competition. As long as you're professional and don't sound pushy, you can write a follow up email that leaves a lasting positive impression.

Steps

Writing the Followup Email

  1. Give it at least a few days. Though there are mixed reports about how long you should wait to follow up on a job application, the general consensus is that you should follow-up no sooner than three to five days. Some say that you should wait a full week or longer, while others say that five business days is appropriate. Just remember that it's likely that dozens, or even hundreds, of applicants applied for the same position as you did, and that it takes time to sort through applications and find qualified candidates for the next round; you don't want to seem pushy or impatient by following up too soon.[1]
    • In fact, some hiring managers say that they prefer not to receive follow up emails at all. They believe that this tactic is attention-grabbing and takes away from the time they need to select qualified candidates; that said, other hiring managers say that following up will make you stand out and will show your enthusiasm and passion for the position.[2]
  2. Address your email to the correct person. Ideally, you should address your email to the same person you reached out to when you applied for the job. If you have the person's name, then this will show that you've really done your research; if you've searched everywhere and can't find it, then "Dear Hiring Manager" may be the best you can do.[3]
    • If you do enough poking around on the company's website, you may be able to find the contact information for the hiring manager.
    • You can also check out the company's page on Linked In to see if you can find contact info for a hiring manager there.
    • You should avoid calling the office to ask about the name of the hiring manager. If you can't find the name of the point of contact, don't call just to ask.
    • Always check the spelling of someone's name. Nothing can create a negative connection quicker than misspelling someone's name.
  3. Write the correct greeting and subject line. Once you know the name of the hiring manager, just write "Dear" in front of it before you get into the body of your email, just as you did when you wrote your cover letter; "Dear Mr. Smith" is an appropriate salutation. Don't try to get chummy or informal and say "Hi" or "Hey" just because it's an email; it's important to keep things on the formal side.
    • As for the subject of your email, something simple like, "Application Follow-Up for Editor Position" will do the trick. If the position had a reference or requisition number, then you can add that to the subject.
    • Remember that the hiring manager may be hiring for multiple positions at once, so it's important to be as specific as possible. You can even put your name in the subject to make it easier for the hiring manager to find your application.
  4. State the position you applied for and when. Keep it short and simple. Just start off by saying when you applied for the position, how you found it, and that you have not heard back. You can add that you would like to make sure that the hiring manager received your materials if you didn't get any kind of confirmation of receipt; this is a sneaky way of following up. You can say something simple like this:[3]
    • Dear Mr. Smith,
      Last week, I applied for the Editor position you advertised through Jobster. I have not yet heard back from Writerly Company regarding this position and would like to confirm that my application was received.
  5. Reinforce your enthusiasm and qualifications for the position. Now, in just one or two sentences, you should tell the hiring manager that you're excited to apply for the position and explain why you'd be a great fit. This makes the email more than just a pesky "checking in" email, but one that reinforces your qualifications for the position. You can say something simple, like this:[4]
    • My enthusiasm and experience make me a great fit for this position. I have been an editor for a lifestyle magazine for the past five years and am excited about the opportunity to take my writing and editing experience to the next level with your company.
  6. Have an enthusiastic closing. Close with a positive statement saying that you look forward to hearing from them soon; make an offer to resend any files in case they were not forwarded to them correctly and reaffirm your contact details while making sure to thank the hiring manager for his or her time. Keep it short and simple while showing how much the position would mean to you. You can say something like this:
    • Please contact me at any time if you have questions about my qualifications or need any additional materials. I look forward to hearing from you and want to thank you for your time.
      Sincerely,
      Martha Jones
  7. Proofread your draft. Give the email a break for a small period of time and come back to it. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes and assess and fine tune the general flow of the email. Getting this right can be as important as having a polished cover letter and resume, so give it the attention it deserves.
    • You can even try reading your draft out loud to make sure it flows smoothly and makes sense. This can also give you a sense of whether or not you've maintained an enthusiastic, respectful tone.
  8. Send your email. Once you have completed the necessary checks and you are happy with the email, send away. But do not send more than once––the last thing the hiring manager needs is 50 emails from you by misclicking on the send button. Take a deep breath, click that send button, and step away from the computer for a while.
  9. Sit back and wait. Now that your email is complete, give it some breathing room. Do not follow up with a phone call 30 minutes later to make sure they got the email and do not write another email tomorrow. At this point, you can consider that you tried your best to apply for the position: You submitted a strong application and followed up on it. Be confident that the strength of your resume and cover letter coupled with your persistence in following up, will put you in a strong position to land an interview.
    • Don't be discouraged if you don't hear back right away. It can take hiring managers weeks to sort through the applications of potential candidates, and some of them may never reach out to you at all because they are so overwhelmed with work. Try not to take this personally and move on toward your next opportunity.
    • Though some people are tempted to follow up over the telephone, you should make sure you've been patiently waiting before you consider this move. This can also make you stand out as a candidate, but it may also come off as pushy, so make sure you sound confident, remind the hiring manager why you're a good fit, and stay respectful if you do decide to make that call.

Sample Follow-up Emails

Doc:Application Followup Email,Internship Followup Email

Tips

  • Really consider your email address and what is says about you. Does "hotsurferdude" or "shopaholicgirl" really communicate what you want to a potential employer? Maybe create another account using your name or something professional. This whole process is about a connection and image with the hiring manager and this requires attention to all aspects of your communication.
  • Remember that often the hiring manager will have their own jobs to do as well as running the recruitment process. So being respectful and brief when communicating will help ensure a smooth delivery.
  • Check your email signature make sure it looks professional, sometime we have email rules set up in our inbox for communications with our friends that have our names shortened, or funny texts or pictures after our name. Remember if you want to be taken seriously you have to take yourself seriously, so give your email the best chance you have.
  • Take the opportunity to re-communicate the best quality you have to offer, this will help the hiring manager frame in their mind your application if they have not yet read it, or will assist in re-framing their thoughts if they have.
  • Choose a standard font for your email, writing your email in bold hot pink text, might be good for your friends but you need to portray professionalism in this communication so stick to black Arial, Times New Roman, or another easy to read font.

Warnings

  • Never be pushy, demanding or overbearing. Do not be rude in your communication to the hiring manager as they hold the ultimate decision. They understand the process of recruitment to you is important, but most likely it is only a small part of their day so being rude or pushy will only create a negative impression.
  • Be careful when addressing the letter, often in a larger company the person who responds acknowledging your application will not necessarily be the hiring manager, it will be a someone within the human resources department working with the recruitment process. Always check the position title of the person who contacts you against the position you applied for. If it seems a human resources department employee has contacted you, politely inquire who the hiring manager is and how you can contact them.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.snagajob.com/resources/sample-application-follow-up-email/
  2. ↑ http://www.careercast.com/career-news/when-follow-after-applying-job
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/01/23/how-to-follow-up-on-your-job-application
  4. ↑ http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/getting-started/recruiter-roundtable-the-followup-hot-jobs/article.aspx
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