Following up is often what separates those who get results from those who don't. Many job seekers make contact once and then give up. The persistent ones get the jobs.
Why follow-up matters
- People are busy and forget
- Your message may have gotten lost
- Timing matters – they might not have needed help before
- Persistence shows genuine interest
When to follow up
- After email: 3-5 business days
- After phone call (no answer): Try again next day, different time
- After meeting: Same day or next day with thank you
- After job interview: 1-2 days
How to follow up
Phone follow-up
"Hi, it's [name]. I sent you an email on [day] about [topic]. I wanted to follow up and hear if you had a chance to look at it?"
Email follow-up
"Hi [name], I hope you're doing well. I wanted to follow up on my email from [date]. I'm still very interested in discussing how I might contribute to [company]. Would you have 10 minutes for a call this week?"
Keep track of your contacts
Create a simple system to track:
- Company and contact person
- When you reached out
- How you contacted them
- When to follow up
- Notes from conversations
Common mistakes
- Following up too quickly (seems desperate)
- Being pushy or demanding
- Giving up after one attempt
- Not keeping track of contacts
Next step
What happens when you get a rejection? In the final guide, we cover how to follow up after rejection.