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Follow-Up Email After Applying for a Job (Template + Timing)

After you submit an application, a short follow-up about a week later can move your resume back to the top of the pile — especially at smaller companies where a real person reads inbound mail. Find the recruiter or hiring manager if you can, keep it brief, and restate the one thing that makes you a strong fit.

Template

Follow-Up Email After a Job Application
Subject: Following up on my application — [Role]

Hi [Recruiter / Hiring Manager Name],

I applied for the [Role] position on [date] and wanted to reaffirm my strong interest. With [one standout qualification — e.g. "five years scaling support teams"], I believe I could make an immediate contribution to [team/company].

I've attached my resume again for convenience. Could you let me know if my application was received and what the next steps might be? Thank you for your time.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Replace the text in [brackets] with your own details.

When to Use It

  • It's been about one week since you applied with no acknowledgment.
  • You can identify the recruiter or hiring manager's email or LinkedIn.
  • The role is still posted and you're genuinely a strong fit.

How to Write It

  1. 1Reference the exact role title and where/when you applied.
  2. 2Restate your interest and one standout qualification in a sentence.
  3. 3Politely confirm your application was received and ask about next steps.
  4. 4Attach or link your resume again for convenience.
  5. 5Keep it to three short sentences.

Examples

One week after applying
Subject: Following up on my application — Content Strategist

Hi Maria,

I applied for the Content Strategist role on 2 June and wanted to reaffirm how interested I am. Having grown a B2B blog from 5k to 90k monthly readers, I'm confident I could help your team hit its pipeline goals.

I've reattached my resume. Could you let me know if it reached you and what the next steps look like? Thanks so much.

Best regards,
Leah Schmidt
Reaching the hiring manager on LinkedIn
Hi Mr. Adams,

I recently applied for the Backend Engineer role on your team and wanted to introduce myself directly. I've spent four years on payment systems at scale and was drawn to the reliability challenges in your job post.

Would you be open to a quick chat about the role? Happy to share my resume. Thank you!

Daniel Brooks

Tips

  • Wait about a week — following up the next day reads as impatient.
  • Find a real person if you can; a note to a named recruiter beats the generic inbox.
  • Lead with value: the one qualification most relevant to the role.
  • Reattach your resume so they don't have to dig for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is following up on an application worth it?

Often yes — especially at small and mid-size companies. At large firms with automated pipelines it has less effect, but a brief, polite note rarely hurts.

What if there's no contact name?

Try LinkedIn to find the recruiter or hiring manager. If you truly can't, a polite note to the careers inbox referencing the role is still acceptable.

Related Letters

Thank-You Email After an InterviewFollow-Up Email After an Interview

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