How to Follow Up After Sending Your CV or Application
Most job seekers apply and wait. They check their email repeatedly, wonder if the application was received, and assume that no news is bad news.
Strategic follow-up changes this dynamic. It keeps you visible, demonstrates initiative, and sometimes surfaces an opportunity that would otherwise have been missed.
When to Follow Up
After applying through a job board or email
Wait five to seven business days before following up on a standard application. For roles with a closing date, wait until after the closing date.
After a networking conversation that mentioned an opportunity
Follow up within forty-eight hours while the conversation is fresh.
After a phone screen or interview
Always follow up within twenty-four hours (covered in the interview follow-up guide). If you were given a timeline and it has passed, one follow-up after that point is appropriate.
After submitting your CV to a recruiter
If you have not heard back within a week, one follow-up call or email is reasonable.
How to Follow Up on an Application
Find the right person to contact. If the job advert included a contact name, use it. If not:
- Check the company website for an HR or recruitment email
- Search LinkedIn for the in-house recruiter or hiring manager
- Call the company's main number and ask to be directed to the recruitment team
Your follow-up message should be:
- Brief (three to four sentences maximum)
- Specific (reference the exact role and when you applied)
- Value-forward (a brief reiteration of why you are a strong fit)
- Action-oriented (a specific ask — confirmation of receipt, timeline, next steps)
Example:
"Dear [Name],
I applied for the [Role Title] position on [date] and wanted to confirm my application was received. I am very interested in this opportunity — my background in [relevant area] aligns closely with what you are looking for, and I would welcome the chance to discuss it further.
Could you let me know if my application is still under consideration, and what the timeline looks like for next steps?
Best regards,
[Your name]"
Following Up With a Contact Inside the Company
If you know someone at the company — even loosely — and applied for a role there, let them know. "I have just applied for [role] — wanted to flag in case it helps."
This is not the same as asking for a referral (though you can do that too). It simply puts your application on someone's radar. Sometimes that person mentions your name to the hiring manager unprompted, which is the most natural kind of advocacy.
What Not to Do
- Do not call repeatedly or follow up more than twice total
- Do not follow up after being told the outcome (unless invited to stay in touch)
- Do not be sycophantic or self-deprecating in your follow-up
- Do not follow up on the same day you applied
Tracking Your Applications
Keep a simple record of every application — company, role, date applied, date of any follow-up, outcome. This prevents following up twice, lets you see which applications need follow-up, and gives you useful data on which application approaches are working.
When No Response Is the Answer
If you follow up twice and receive no response, the application has almost certainly not progressed. Some employers do not notify unsuccessful candidates — it is poor practice but unfortunately common.
Move on without burning bridges: do not send a frustrated message. Circumstances change, companies re-post roles, and you may want to apply to the same organisation again.
Use CVCircuit to build an application that generates interest in the first place — so your follow-up is reinforcing genuine enthusiasm rather than chasing an application that was not strong enough to warrant a response.