A follow-up after an interview will not win you a job you were not going to get. But hiring decisions are often close, and a short, well-timed message can tip one, remind the panel of the best thing you said, and fix a point you fumbled. Here is when to send it, what to say, three templates you can copy, and what to do when the employer goes quiet.
Timing
- Same day or next morning: a short thank-you message. One paragraph.
- The day after the decision date they gave you: a polite chase, if you have heard nothing.
- One week later: a second chase, then stop. Keep applying elsewhere throughout.
If you were told "we'll be in touch by Friday", do not chase on Thursday. If you were given no date, ask for one at the end of the interview; it makes the follow-up easier and shows you are organised.
Who to send it to
The person who interviewed you, if you have their email. If the process went through a recruitment agency, send it to the recruiter and ask them to pass it on; agencies prefer to control contact with the client. If the only contact you have is a generic careers inbox, use it, with the role title and date in the subject line.
What to say
Three things, briefly: thank them for their time, remind them of one specific thing from the conversation that shows you were listening, and restate that you want the job. Keep it under 120 words. Do not apologise for anything, do not re-argue your case, and do not attach anything they did not ask for.
Template 1: the thank-you (send within 24 hours)
Subject: Thank you – Warehouse Team Leader interview, 14 October
Dear Ms Patel,
Thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed hearing about the move to the new shift pattern, and I think the way I ran the handover process at my last site would transfer well. I am very keen on the role and happy to provide anything further you need.
Kind regards,
Daniel Hughes
07700 900123
Template 2: the chase (send the day after the decision date)
Subject: Warehouse Team Leader – following up
Dear Ms Patel,
I hope you are well. When we met on 14 October you mentioned a decision by the 21st. I am still very interested in the role and wanted to check whether there is any update or anything further you need from me.
Kind regards,
Daniel Hughes
Template 3: fixing a weak answer
Use this only if you genuinely got something wrong or missed something important. One sentence of correction, no self-criticism.
Dear Mr Okafor,
Thank you for your time this morning. One thing I should have mentioned when you asked about systems: I used Sage 50 daily for three years at Harland Ltd, including month-end. I remain very keen on the Payroll Administrator role.
Kind regards,
Sarah Lin
When they go quiet
Silence usually means one of three things: they are still interviewing, they have offered to someone else and are waiting for an answer, or the role is on hold. None of those is personal, and none is helped by a third email. After two chases, assume it has not worked out, keep the door open with a last line ("please keep me in mind for future roles"), and move on. If they come back weeks later, as they sometimes do, you can decide then.
Follow-ups by phone
A phone call is fine for trades, driving, care and hospitality roles, where hiring managers are often not at a desk and a call is the normal way to talk. Keep it to one call, be brief, and ask for a date rather than an answer.
FAQ
How long after an interview should I follow up?
Send a thank-you within 24 hours. Chase the day after any decision date they gave you, or after a week if they gave none. Chase once more a week later, then stop.
Is it pushy to follow up?
No, if you do it twice at most and keep each message short and polite. Employers expect it. What reads as pushy is daily messages, long emails, or re-arguing your case.
Should I follow up if I think the interview went badly?
Yes, with Template 1 or 3. Candidates are poor judges of how an interview went, and a calm, professional follow-up after a shaky interview is itself a point in your favour.
Next step
Keep applying while you wait: set up a free daily job alert and prepare for the next one with our interview preparation guide.
CareerAlert Editorial Team
Guides written by the CareerAlert team from the UK job adverts on the platform. Pay figures and counts come from live adverts and are refreshed when the guide is updated.
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