Send a short thank-you within a day, then a polite follow-up after the timeline they gave you, or about a week if they gave none. Follow up once or twice at most, keep every message brief and friendly, and keep applying elsewhere so one silence does not stall your whole search.
What people tell me
I had what felt like a good interview more than a week ago. They said they would get back to me soon, and since then there has been nothing. I do not know whether to email, whom to email, or whether following up will make me look desperate. This has happened before and I never heard anything at all. I keep checking my inbox and it is affecting my focus on other applications.
A composite of the messages behind this question, with personal details left out.
Key takeaways
- Send a short thank-you note within 24 hours of the interview.
- Follow up after the timeline they gave, or about 5 to 7 working days if they gave none.
- Two follow-ups is usually the limit. After that, move on and leave the door open.
- Keep messages short, polite and specific: role, date of interview, a simple question.
- Never pause your other applications while waiting on one company.
Why companies go quiet
Silence after an interview feels personal, but it usually is not. Common reasons include:
- Other candidates are still being interviewed
- The hiring manager is travelling or busy
- Budget or headcount is being reviewed
- They made an offer to someone else and are waiting before rejecting others
- The recruiter is handling many roles and fell behind
A polite follow-up does not annoy a reasonable company. It often reminds them to update you.
The follow-up timeline
| When | What to send | To whom |
|---|---|---|
| Within 24 hours | Short thank-you | Recruiter, or interviewer if you have their email |
| After their stated timeline, or 5 to 7 working days | First follow-up | Recruiter or your main contact |
| About a week after that | Second, final follow-up | Same person |
| After that | Stop, keep the door open | Nobody; maybe connect on LinkedIn |
If they told you "we will get back within two weeks", wait until the two weeks have passed, then add a day or two.
Templates you can adapt
Thank-you (same or next day)
Subject: Thank you, Junior Backend Engineer interview
Hi, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today about the Junior Backend Engineer role. I enjoyed the discussion about how your team handles payment retries, and it made me even more interested in the position. Please let me know if you need anything else from me.
First follow-up
Subject: Following up, Junior Backend Engineer interview on the 12th
Hi, I hope you are well. I wanted to follow up on my interview for the Junior Backend Engineer role on the 12th. I am still very interested in the position. Could you share any update on the timeline? Thank you.
Second, final follow-up
Subject: Re: Following up, Junior Backend Engineer interview
Hi, I wanted to check in once more about the Junior Backend Engineer role. I understand these decisions can take time. If the role has been filled, I would appreciate knowing, and I would be glad to be considered for future openings.
If you have another offer and need an answer
Hi, I have received an offer from another company and need to respond by Friday. Your role is my first preference. Is there any chance of an update before then?
Only send this if it is true. Invented deadlines are easy to spot and hard to walk back.
Whom to contact
- The recruiter or coordinator who scheduled the interview. This is almost always the right person.
- The hiring manager, only if you were in direct contact with them and the recruiter has not replied.
- Not the interviewers individually, unless they invited you to reach out.
A LinkedIn message is fine if you have no email, but email is usually better for formal updates.
How to write a good follow-up
- Keep it under about 80 words.
- Mention the role and the interview date so they can find you quickly.
- Ask one simple question, usually about the timeline.
- Stay warm and neutral. No frustration, no guilt.
- Proofread the names of the person and company.
What to do while you wait
Waiting on one company is the most common way a job search stalls. Keep your pipeline moving:
| Activity | Weekly target while waiting |
|---|---|
| New applications | Keep your normal pace |
| Direct messages | Keep your normal pace |
| Interview post-mortem | Write one within an hour of each interview |
| Skill work | Fix whatever the last interview exposed |
The pipeline post explains why a steady flow matters more than any single process.
A simple step-by-step routine after every interview
- Within an hour: write your post-mortem, including questions asked and what you would improve.
- Same or next day: send the thank-you.
- Put a reminder in your calendar for the follow-up date.
- Continue your normal applications that week.
- On the reminder date: send the first follow-up if there is no news.
- One week later: final follow-up if still nothing.
- Then mark it closed in your tracker and move on.
When the answer is a rejection
If they do reply with a rejection, answer graciously:
Thank you for letting me know. I enjoyed meeting the team. If you are able to share any feedback, I would really value it, and I would be glad to be considered for future roles.
Some will share useful feedback. Even if they do not, a polite reply leaves a good impression, and people do come back to earlier candidates. If a rejection has knocked your confidence, this answer on recovering after a failed interview may help.
Ghosting is common, and it is not a verdict
Some companies never reply, even after final rounds. It is unprofessional, but it happens. Do not read it as proof you were terrible. Close it in your tracker and put the energy into the next application.
Common mistakes
- Following up the next morning after an interview asking for a decision.
- Sending five or more follow-ups. Two is enough.
- Emotional messages such as "I really need this job".
- Stopping all other applications while hoping for one offer.
- Burning bridges after a rejection or silence. The industry is smaller than it looks.
If you are still stuck
The Job search cheat sheet has short templates for each stage. If you keep reaching late rounds without offers, join Sefism, where it is free to learn and you start with credits, and as a member book a 1:1 session or ask your own question about your situation.
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