Follow Up Email After Interview: 8 Templates + Timing Guide

When should you follow up after an interview?

Timing matters more than wording. Follow up too soon and you look impatient. Wait too long and the role may be filled. Use this table:

Situation	When to send	What to send
Any interview	Within 24 hours	A short thank-you email
They gave you a decision date	1 to 2 business days after that date passes	Polite status check
No timeline was given	About 1 week after the interview	First follow-up
No reply to your first follow-up	About 1 week later	Second follow-up
Still no reply	About 1 week after that	Final, brief check-in, then move on
After a phone screen	About 5 business days	Short status check
After a final round	After the stated date, or about 1 week	Follow-up that restates your fit
You receive another offer	As soon as it is in writing	Competing offer note with your deadline
You are rejected	Within a day or two	Thank-you note asking for feedback

The easiest way to time your follow-up is to ask at the end of the interview: “What are the next steps, and when do you expect to make a decision?” Our list of questions to ask at the end of an interview has more like it.

What should a follow-up email after an interview include?

A strong follow-up email has five parts and fits on a phone screen:

A clear subject line with the job title and your name.
A reminder of when you interviewed and for which role.
A short line of interest, ideally tied to something you discussed.
A polite question about the timeline or next steps.
A professional sign-off with your phone number.

Reply in the same email thread as your last message when you can, so the hiring manager sees the history.

Here is a fill-in-the-blank version you can adapt for almost any stage:

Subject: Following up: [Job title] interview, [Your name]

Hi [Name],

I hope you are doing well. I am following up on my [interview type] interview on [day] for the [job title] position. I enjoyed [specific topic you discussed], and I am still very interested in the role.

Could you share an update on the timeline or next steps?

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Phone number]

What subject line should you use for an interview follow-up email?

Hiring managers scan subject lines in a crowded inbox, so make yours specific and plain. Include the job title and your name, and skip vague lines like “Checking in” on their own.

Following up: [Job title] interview, [Your name]
Checking in on the [Job title] position
[Job title] interview on [date], status update
Thank you and next steps, [Job title] final interview
Update on my candidacy, [Job title]
Re: [original interview scheduling subject line]

Replying to the original scheduling thread is often the best choice, because it keeps the date, time and names attached.

Should you follow up by email, phone or LinkedIn?

Method	Best for	Watch out for
Email	Most office, remote and professional jobs	Wrong names or a missing job title
Phone call	Hourly, retail, restaurant and trade jobs, or when told to call	Calling during a rush or more than once a week
LinkedIn message	When you have no email address for the interviewer	Sending both a LinkedIn message and an email on the same day
Text message	Only if the recruiter has been texting you already	Overly casual wording

Whatever method you pick, use one channel per follow-up. Two messages through two channels on the same day feels like pressure.

8 follow-up email templates

These templates use fictional names and companies. Adjust the details and keep each one under 150 words.

1. Follow up email after interview, no response after one week

Subject: Following up: Operations Coordinator interview, Jordan Lee

Hi Ms. Carter,

I hope your week is going well. I am following up on my interview last Tuesday for the Operations Coordinator role at Northwind Logistics. I enjoyed learning about the new routing system, and I am still very interested in the position.

Could you share an update on the hiring timeline when you have a moment?

Thank you,
Jordan Lee
(614) 555-0142

2. Second follow-up after two weeks

Subject: Re: Following up: Operations Coordinator interview, Jordan Lee

Hi Ms. Carter,

I wanted to check in once more about the Operations Coordinator position. I know hiring decisions take time, and I remain interested in joining your team.

If there is any additional information I can provide, such as references or work samples, I would be glad to send it.

Best regards,
Jordan Lee

3. After a final-round interview

Subject: Thank you and next steps, Senior Analyst final interview

Hi Mr. Douglas,

Thank you again for the final-round conversations last Thursday. Meeting the finance team confirmed how much I would enjoy working on your forecasting overhaul.

You mentioned a decision by the end of this week, so I wanted to check whether there is an update or anything else you need from me.

Best,
Priya Shah
(312) 555-0178

4. Polite status check after the decision date

Subject: Checking in: Dental Hygienist position

Dear Dr. Morgan,

I hope you are doing well. When we spoke on October 2, you mentioned you hoped to decide on the Dental Hygienist position by October 9. I wanted to check in on the status and reaffirm my interest in joining Brightside Dental.

Thank you for your time,
Taylor Nguyen

5. After a phone screen

Subject: Following up on our phone call, Marketing Associate

Hi Dana,

Thank you for our phone conversation last week about the Marketing Associate role at Bluefin Marketing. I am excited about the opportunity to support your product launches.

I wanted to ask whether there is an update on next steps, and I am happy to share my availability for a second interview.

Best,
Alex Rivera

If you get that second interview, prepare with our guide to second interview questions.

6. When you have another offer

Only send this when you have a real, written offer. Stay polite and do not use it as a bluff.

Subject: Update on my candidacy, Project Coordinator

Hi Mr. Chen,

I wanted to let you know that I have received another job offer and have been asked to respond by Friday, October 16. Harborview Grocery remains my first choice, and I enjoyed meeting the team last week.

Is there any chance you could share an update on your timeline before then? I want to make the best decision for everyone involved.

Thank you,
Sam Ortiz

If you end up accepting one offer and turning down the other, our templates for accepting a job offer and declining a job offer cover both sides.

7. After a rejection, asking for feedback

Subject: Thank you, Customer Success Manager role

Hi Ms. Brooks,

Thank you for letting me know about your decision. I enjoyed meeting the team and learning about Summit Ridge Credit Union.

If you have a few minutes, I would appreciate any feedback on how I could strengthen my interviews for similar roles. I would also welcome the chance to be considered for future openings.

Best regards,
Marcus Hill

8. Following up with a recruiter

Subject: Checking in: Medical Assistant role at Lakeview Medical Center

Hi Kevin,

Thanks again for connecting me with Lakeview Medical Center. I interviewed with the clinic manager on Monday, and it went well from my side.

Have you heard any feedback from the client yet? Please let me know if they need anything else from me.

Thanks,
Casey Morgan
(216) 555-0137

What should you avoid when you follow up after an interview?

Do	Do not
Keep it to a few short sentences	Repeat your entire resume
Ask one clear question	Send a list of questions
Wait a week between follow-ups	Email every two or three days
Write to one main contact	Email every interviewer at once
Stay friendly even after silence	Sound annoyed or guilt-trip the reader
Proofread names and job titles	Copy and paste the wrong company name

Also avoid adding the interviewer on several social networks or calling their personal phone. One email thread is enough.

What if they still do not respond?

After three polite follow-ups over about three weeks, stop writing and move on. Keep applying to other jobs while you wait, since a late reply can still come. A short sign-off from our guide on how to end an email professionally keeps your final message gracious. If you are still waiting to hear about applications that never reached the interview stage, see how to follow up on a job application.

Frequently asked questions

How long should you wait to follow up after an interview?

Wait until one or two business days after the decision date the employer gave you. If they did not give a date, wait about one week after the interview. Your thank-you email, sent within 24 hours, does not count as a follow-up.

Is it OK to follow up twice after an interview?

Yes. A second follow-up about a week after the first is reasonable, as long as it stays short and friendly. After a third message with no reply, stop following up and focus on other applications.

Should I call or email to follow up after an interview?

Email is best for most jobs because the hiring manager can reply when they have news. A phone call can work for hourly, retail or restaurant jobs where managers rarely check email, or if the recruiter told you to call.

Who should I send my follow-up email to?

Send it to the person who has been coordinating your interviews, usually the recruiter or hiring manager. If you only met the hiring manager, write to them. Avoid emailing every interviewer for a status update.

Does no response after an interview mean I did not get the job?

Not always. Hiring decisions can slow down because of approvals, vacations or other candidates' schedules. Silence after two or three polite follow-ups, though, usually means you should move on while staying open to a late reply.