Send a thank-you email soon after the interview (same day or next business day). If you get no update, follow up on a data-backed cadence: use Careery’s response-time research as a proxy for how fast hiring processes move—then adjust your follow-up window by time of year (some months are consistently slower).
- When to send a thank-you email vs. a follow-up email (different purposes)
- How long to wait before following up (using Careery response-time percentiles as a proxy)
- How the best follow-up window changes by season (fast vs. slow months)
- Copy-paste email templates for every interview stage
- When to stop following up (without burning bridges)
Quick Answers
When should you follow up after an interview?
Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. If you haven't heard back by the stated timeline (or after a practical waiting window when no timeline was given), send a short follow-up email.
How long after an interview should you follow up?
If you weren ’t given a timeline, use a simple proxy: in Careery’s 2025 data, the median time to receive an interview-related email after applying is 6–7 days, and 75% hear back within ~8 days. Treat those percentiles as a seasonally-shifting baseline—then follow up after the local ‘slow tail’ passes.
How many follow-up emails should you send?
Usually two follow-ups is enough (after your initial thank-you). Space them about a week apart. More than that tends to add noise rather than signal.
What should you say in a follow-up email after an interview?
Keep it short: confirm your interest, ask about the timeline, and offer to provide additional information. Avoid long justifications or emotional language.
This article uses Careery’s 2025 response-time percentiles (how quickly interview-related emails arrive after applying) as a planning proxy for interview follow-up timing. The goal is to replace guessing with a consistent, seasonality-aware follow-up cadence when no timeline is provided.
The interview is over. The handshake (or virtual goodbye) is done. Now comes the part most candidates get wrong: the follow-up timing.
Most candidates either follow up too aggressively (daily emails, multiple channels) or not at all. Both approaches damage their chances. The goal is structured persistence: professional, evidence-based, and respectful of the hiring team's time.
Thank-You vs. Follow-Up Emails: They Serve Different Purposes
A brief message sent within 24 hours of an interview to express gratitude, reinforce qualifications, and demonstrate professionalism. Purpose: leave a positive final impression.
A message sent days or weeks after an interview when you haven't received an update despite a passed deadline. Purpose: request status and confirm continued interest.
These are not the same thing—and many candidates confuse them.
Every interview deserves a thank-you email (within 24 hours). Follow-up emails are only sent when silence follows an expected response window.
When to Send a Thank-You Email (The 24-Hour Rule)
The thank-you email should be sent within 24 hours of the interview (same day is ideal; next business day is fine).
If the interview ended late in the day, send it the next business morning. The goal is “soon and specific,” not “instant and generic.”
When to Follow Up If You Haven't Heard Back
Follow-up timing depends on what the interviewer said:
Wait Until the Stated Timeline Passes
If they said "we'll get back to you by Friday," wait until Monday. Never follow up before the deadline—it signals impatience.
If No Timeline Was Given, Wait 5–7 Business Days
This gives the hiring team time to complete other interviews, consult internally, and move through approvals.
Send a Second Follow-Up After Another Week
If your first follow-up gets no response, send one more 5–7 business days later. This shows persistence without becoming a nuisance.
Stop After Two Follow-Ups
If two follow-ups produce no response, further emails rarely help. Redirect energy to other opportunities.
Many teams won’t give a firm decision date. In that case, use Careery’s response-time percentiles as a proxy for how quickly hiring-related emails tend to happen—then adjust by month (next section).
Our response-time research provides a practical baseline for how fast hiring-related email communication tends to happen across months. It measures post-application responses (not post-interview decisions), but it’s still useful for choosing a reasonable “wait window” when you weren’t given a timeline.
Seasonality: Why Follow-Up Timing Changes by Month
Careery’s 2025 response-time data shows that employer responsiveness changes across the year. Some months are consistently faster (tight ranges), while others are slower and more variable.
The research is about post-application response timing, not post-interview decision timing. But it’s still useful: it quantifies how quickly hiring-related communication tends to happen in different months—so you can time follow-ups without guessing.
Fast vs. slow months (what the data implies for follow-ups)
From the monthly medians in the dataset:
- May–June are faster (median ~6.0 days).
- October–November are slower (median ~7.0–7.2 days).
- December is the most unpredictable (the spread between fast and slow responses is widest).
This matters because “follow up after 1 week” is not one-size-fits-all. In slower months, waiting longer before your first follow-up is often the more professional move.
A Data-Backed Follow-Up Rule You Can Actually Use
When you’re not given a decision timeline, use a simple rule based on the dataset percentiles:
Pick your baseline: the 75th percentile (p75)
In the Careery dataset, ~75% of applicants who hear back get an interview-related email within about 8 days. Treat that as a baseline “slow tail” for waiting before your first nudge.
Adjust by month (seasonality)
If the month you interviewed is historically slower (e.g., October–November), add buffer. If it’s faster (e.g., May–June), you can follow up slightly sooner. If it’s highly variable (e.g., December), add more buffer unless you were given a firm date.
Follow up once, then once more
Send one follow-up after the “slow tail” passes; if there’s no reply, send one more about a week later. Then stop.
The best follow-up rule is still: follow up 1 business day after the date they gave you. Use the dataset only when you weren’t given a timeline.
The best follow-up timing is seasonal: use the month-by-month response-time percentiles as your baseline, and follow up after the slow tail passes—not on an arbitrary calendar rule.
Follow-Up Email Templates By Situation
After Your Thank-You Gets No Response (First Follow-Up)
Subject: Quick check-in — [ROLE] interview Subject: Next steps for [ROLE]? (quick question) Hi [NAME], Hope you're doing well. Thank you again for the conversation about [ROLE] on [DATE]—especially the part about [SPECIFIC DETAIL FROM THE INTERVIEW]. I'm still excited about the role and wanted to make this easy to answer: - Is the team still targeting a decision around [ROUGH TIMEFRAME THEY MENTIONED]? - Or has the timeline shifted? If helpful, I can also send a short [work sample / 1-page plan / relevant link] that maps to [THE PROBLEM YOU DISCUSSED]—just say the word. Thank you, [YOUR NAME]
Second Follow-Up (One Week Later)
Subject: Closing the loop — [ROLE] Subject: Any update on [ROLE]? (last check-in) Hi [NAME], Quick follow-up on the [ROLE] interview from [DATE]. Totally understand hiring timelines shift. If the team is still in process, could you share an updated timeline? If the role is on hold or has been filled, a short note would be appreciated so I can plan accordingly. Thank you, [YOUR NAME]
When You Have Another Offer (Time-Sensitive)
Subject: Timeline question — [ROLE] Hi [NAME], I wanted to share a quick update: I'm expecting to make a decision on another offer by [DATE]. [COMPANY] remains my top choice, so if you're able to share an updated timeline for the [ROLE] process, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you, [YOUR NAME]
After a Final Round Interview
Subject: Following up on final round — [ROLE] Hi [NAME], Thank you again for the opportunity to meet with the team during the final round. I enjoyed learning more about [SPECIFIC TOPIC FROM INTERVIEW] and remain excited about the possibility of joining [COMPANY]. Do you have an updated timeline for next steps? I'm happy to provide any additional information that would be helpful. Best regards, [YOUR NAME]
What to Include in Every Follow-Up Email
- Clear subject line with the role name
- Brief greeting and context (interview date, role)
- Confirmation of continued interest
- Specific ask (timeline update, next steps)
- Offer to provide additional information
- Professional sign-off
The ideal follow-up email is 3–5 sentences. Long emails signal desperation and get skimmed. Make it easy for the recruiter to respond with a one-line update.
What NOT to include:
- Your resume (they have it)
- Lengthy justifications for why you're right for the role
- Guilt-inducing language ("I've been waiting for weeks...")
- Multiple questions requiring detailed answers
- Salary or benefits discussions
When to Stop Following Up
Signs It's Time to Move On
- Two follow-up emails have received no response
- The job posting has been removed
- More than 3 weeks have passed since your final interview
- The recruiter is responding to others but not you (visible on LinkedIn)
- You've been told the role is on hold with no timeline
After two follow-ups with no response, continued emailing rarely changes the outcome. The hiring team has either:
- Made a decision and not communicated it
- Put the role on hold due to budget, restructuring, or reprioritization
- Moved forward with another candidate but hasn't closed the loop
None of these scenarios improve with more emails.
Even if frustrated, keep final communications professional. Recruiters change companies. Hiring managers remember names. A graceful exit preserves future opportunities.
Optional: The Close-the-Loop Email
If you want closure (and to stay on good terms), a brief final email can work:
Subject: Thank you — [ROLE] Hi [NAME], I wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to interview for the [ROLE] position. I understand timelines can shift, and I appreciate the time your team spent with me. If circumstances change in the future, I'd welcome the chance to reconnect. Wishing you and the team all the best. Best regards, [YOUR NAME]
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Follow-Up Mistakes That Hurt Your Chances
- Following up before the stated timeline passes
- Sending multiple emails on the same day
- Using guilt or frustration in your language
- Contacting every person you interviewed with separately
- Demanding a response or explanation
- Sending the same generic template without personalization
- Mentioning that you're applying to other companies (unless strategic)
The biggest mistake is emotional escalation. A frustrated, desperate, or accusatory tone never improves your chances—it just confirms that silence was the right choice.
What Works Instead
- Professional patience: Show you can handle ambiguity without spiraling
- Value-forward framing: Offer to provide additional information rather than demanding a response
- Clear asks: Make it easy to reply with a one-line update
- Continued activity: Keep your job search moving so you're not dependent on one outcome
Keep Your Pipeline Moving
The emotional trap of interview follow-up is making one company "the plan." When they go silent, your entire job search feels frozen.
The antidote: build a pipeline so no single silence can control your week.
While you're waiting on one company, keep your pipeline active. Careery auto-applies to matching jobs 24/7—so you can focus on interview prep and relationship-driven follow-ups instead of repetitive applications. Learn more →
The core idea: don’t pause your job search while you wait. Keep new opportunities moving in the background so no single process can control your week.
Follow-Up Email Playbook
- 1Send a thank-you email within 24 hours of every interview
- 2Follow up 5–7 business days after the stated timeline (or 5–7 days if no timeline was given)
- 3Send a maximum of 2 follow-up emails, spaced 5–7 business days apart
- 4Keep follow-ups short (3–5 sentences), professional, and easy to answer
- 5After 2 unanswered follow-ups, redirect energy to other opportunities
- 6Never burn bridges—keep final communications graceful
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I follow up by email or LinkedIn?
Email is the standard channel for interview follow-ups. LinkedIn is acceptable as a backup if you don't have the recruiter's email or if they've been unresponsive to email. Don't use both channels simultaneously—it looks like chasing.
How long should I wait after a final round interview?
Final rounds involve more stakeholders and approvals. Wait 7–10 business days before your first follow-up, longer if they mentioned a specific decision timeline. Patience here is expected.
What if the recruiter responds but the hiring manager goes silent?
This is normal. Hiring managers are busy and rely on recruiters to manage candidate communication. Keep your primary contact with the recruiter unless you have something specific (like a work sample) for the hiring manager.
Can following up hurt my chances?
Following up professionally never hurts. Following up aggressively, emotionally, or excessively can. Stick to the 2-email maximum rule and keep your tone calm and professional.
What if they said 'we'll get back to you soon' with no specific date?
'Soon' typically means 5–7 business days in hiring contexts. Wait a full week before following up, then reference their statement: 'You mentioned you'd be in touch soon, so I wanted to check in on next steps.'
Should I follow up after a phone screen?
Yes, send a brief thank-you email after every interview stage, including phone screens. If you don't hear back within 3–5 business days, a short follow-up is appropriate. Phone screens are early-stage, so timelines tend to be faster.
What if I'm ghosted after multiple rounds?
After 2 follow-ups with no response, assume it's a soft rejection (or a stalled process) and move on. If you want a structured playbook, see [what to do when ghosted after an interview](/blog/ghosted-after-interview-what-to-do).
Researching Job Market & Building AI Tools for Job Seekers since December 2020
Sources & References
- Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead — Laszlo Bock (2015)
- Business Communication: Process and Product — Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy (2018)
- Job Application Response Time Benchmarks — Careery Research (2025)