In Career Transition / Job-Seeking? Use this Follow-Up List!
Apr 11, 2025
In Career Transition / Job-Seeking? Use this Follow-Up List to help prompt more conversations after phone screens and interviews, for positions that seem to have stalled.
Keep in mind that most hiring managers and recruiters ARE BUSY. Their non-response may not be because they aren't interested in you. They might be:
- Still interviewing candidates, interested in you, and they haven't told you a timeline.
- Still interviewing candidates, but this is one of 100 tasks on their list. And since there is a vacancy, they are stretched thin.
My recommendation for you:
- Follow up weekly, once a week for 4 weeks.
- Follow up twice in the second month.
- Follow up once in the third month, with a "ball is in your court" message.
Here's what to say:
Follow up weekly, once a week for 4 weeks.
In each follow up message, inclulde the following:
- Thank them for the interview for the (position title) name.
- Mention the date of the interview.
- Reiterate your qualifications and interest in the position, including anything they mentioned about your unique qualifications as related to their role requirements.
- Include your information for follow-up (email, phone)
- Tell them you'll follow up in one week if you don't hear back from them, and include the date.
- Change the text slightly each time.
- The tone should be pleasant, polite, and professional. You're going with the assumption that they are busy, but still interested in you.
Follow up twice in the second month.
In each follow up message, inclulde the following:
- Thank them for the interview for the (position title) name.
- Mention the date of the interview.
- Reiterate your qualifications and interest in the position, including anything they mentioned about your unique qualifications as related to their role requirements. Mention that you are very interested in the role and their company, but you are continuing to interview for other roles.
- Include your information for follow-up (email, phone)
- Tell them you'll follow up in two weeks if you don't hear back from them, and include the date.
- Change the text slightly each time.
- The tone should be pleasant, polite, and professional. You're still going with the assumption that they are busy, but still interested in you.
Follow up once in the third month, with a "ball is in your court" message.
In your final follow up message, inclulde the following:
- Thank them for the interview for the (position title) name.
- Mention the date of the interview, and that it sounds like the hiring process may be taking longer than expected or stalled.
- Reiterate your qualifications and interest in the position, including anything they mentioned about your unique qualifications as related to their role requirements. Mention that you are very interested in the role and their company, but you are continuing to interview for other roles, and this will be the final email to them. Use the words, "The ball is in your court."
- Include your information for follow-up (email, phone)
- The tone should be pleasant, polite, and professional.
If you struggle with what to say, use your favorite AI / ChatGPT / Gemini tool to help with the email copywriting, but make sure it's in your voice.
This process should help you to:
- Prompt responses back from the hiring manager or recruiter, regarding their timeline and/or interest in you. They will know you're not going away unless you get an answer.
- Illustrate that you are polite, professional, and persistent! Persistency wins! Most candidates won't do this. NOTE: This process can work especially well for sales roles, which illustrates you're not afraid to follow up.
- Get back more control into the job search process. Assume they are busy -- because THEY ARE. And while this job may not be top of mind for them, it is for you.
Find this helpful. Let me know! Email me at [email protected]
