When you’re waiting for a recruiter to get back to you, it’s easy to second-guess yourself:
“Am I being pushy?”
“Will they think I’m desperate?”
The truth? You should always follow up.
Recruiters Are Managing More Than You Think
My girlfriend is a recruiter, and here’s her reality:
She has 5–10 open roles at any given time
For each role, she’s talking to 5–10 candidates
She’s coordinating with 5+ cross-functional stakeholders like hiring managers, HR, and department heads
That’s 50–100 active conversations plus all the internal coordination. No matter how organized they are, things slip through the cracks.
Following up isn’t just about getting a status update, it’s a way to demonstrate:
You’re not being a nuisance. You’re making their job easier by keeping your application top of mind.
Timing matters. Here’s a simple follow-up rule to use:
If a recruiter says they won’t have an answer this week, don’t follow up that week
If you haven’t heard back the following week, send a follow-up
You can follow up up to 3 times, spacing each attempt 2–3 business days apart
If you still don’t get a response, move on — it’s no longer in your control
Subject: Following Up on [Role Title] Application
Hi [Name],
I wanted to check in on the [Role Title] position we discussed.
I'm still very interested and would love to know if there are any updates or next steps.
Thanks so much for your time,
[Your Name]
Following up is part of a successful job search strategy. It’s how you stay visible in a crowded field of candidates. And in many cases, it’s the difference between moving forward in the process and being forgotten.
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