How to Follow Up on a Job Application (and Check Your Status)

The Short Answer

Follow up about 7 to 10 business days after applying through an online portal. If you were referred by someone inside the company, follow up sooner, within 3 to 5 days. After an interview, send a thank-you note within 24 hours, and if a stated decision date passes with no word, check in the next business day. Keep every message short, polite, and specific.

This guide covers the timing, how to check your status, exactly what to say, and when to stop.

Why Follow Up at All

Following up is one of the highest-return activities in a job search, and it's the step most people skip. Recruiters handle large volumes, and applications slip through the cracks. A brief, well-timed note can lift yours back to the top of the pile and signals genuine interest, which matters more than candidates realize. The risk is low and the upside is real, as long as you do it politely and don't overdo it.

When to Follow Up

Timing depends on how you applied:

• Applied through a portal, no contact: Wait 7 to 10 business days before reaching out. Applying and emailing the same day reads as impatient.
• Referred internally: Follow up within 3 to 5 days. The referral gives you a natural reason to check in, and your referrer can nudge things along.
• After a phone screen or interview: Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. If they gave you a timeline ("we'll decide by Friday") and it passes, follow up the next business day.

How to Check Your Application Status

Before you email anyone, check the obvious sources:

1. The application portal. Many company and ATS portals (Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, and others) show a status like "under review," "in progress," or "no longer under consideration." Log back in and look first.
2. Your email, including spam. Automated updates and interview invitations sometimes land in spam or promotions.
3. The recruiter directly. If the portal shows nothing new and it's been a week or more, a short email is appropriate. If you don't have a contact, a brief, professional LinkedIn message to the recruiter or hiring manager can work.

If a portal clearly shows the role is filled or you're no longer under consideration, take the answer and put your energy into the next application.

What to Say

Keep follow-up emails to three or four sentences. Restate the role, express continued interest, and offer to provide anything else. Don't apologize for reaching out, and don't sound demanding.

A simple template:

Hi [Name],

I applied for the [Role] position on [date] and wanted to follow up. I'm very interested in the opportunity and believe my experience in [relevant skill] would be a strong fit. Please let me know if there's anything else I can provide.

Thanks for your time, [Your name]

For an interview thank-you, reference something specific from the conversation and reaffirm your interest, again in just a few lines.

How Many Times, and When to Stop

Follow up at most twice. One well-timed follow-up, and if needed a second a week or so later, is plenty. If you've had no response after two attempts, mark the application closed in your tracker and move on. Repeated messages won't change a "no" and can leave a poor impression.

This is much easier when you're tracking your applications, so you know exactly when you applied, whether you've followed up, and when to stop. For a simple system, see How to Track Job Applications Effectively.

The Bottom Line

Wait about a week to ten days after applying, sooner if you were referred, and always send a thank-you within a day of interviewing. Check the portal before you email, keep your message short and specific, and cap it at two follow-ups. Done right, following up costs you a few minutes and occasionally rescues an application that would otherwise have been forgotten. Pair it with a resume that gets you noticed in the first place, covered in How to Write an Effective Resume.